1 John 4:18-19
What John writes here, in simple terms, is probably the major reason—other than the fact that mankind is cut off from God—why we do not love more and better. We are afraid. We fear it will cost us something, that we are going to get hurt, lose something, be humbled, look bad, be rejected, put down, or that our neighbors will not accept us. As John writes, "Fear involves torment."
John W. Ritenbaugh
Love's Emotional Dimension
Related Topics: Cut off from God
| Fear involves Torment
| Fearfulness
| Love
| Love's Emotional Dimension
God takes the initiative, revealing Himself to strangers who cannot seek Him on their own. Through a calling, a relationship begins and grows as awareness deepens of His love, demonstrated in His Son dying for sins. This produces a sense of obligation combined with appreciation and awe—recognizing One who lived sinlessly, overcame the world, human nature, and Satan, and conquered death, while offering weak humans life. This attachment grows until one desires to surrender completely and enter a covenant, likened to marriage with Christ. Love is nothing more than a response to His love; losing recognition of His love removes all incentive to respond. He gave His Spirit, led to repentance, gave faith, empowering obedience. As He loved us as enemies, so must we love others first.