Fear Less - Love More
”He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6)
God does not GIVE us a "spirit of fear".
“God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).
Nevertheless, our choice to fear the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom. It starts us on our journey to find that God need not be feared, for His only begotten Son has atoned for our sin on the cross - a demonstration of God's love and faithfulness.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear...He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not ours only, but for the sins of the whole world...God demonstrated his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Proverbs 9:10; 1 John 4:18; Romans 5:8)
Unfortunately, the fear of God is where most Christians remain. They try to avoid the wrath of God by their good works. But the "fear of the Lord" is just the "beginning" of wisdom, so we are not to continue in fear. We are to move on to an understanding of the perfect love of God. We are set free from fear as we come to "know" of His unconditional Love and Grace!
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment…There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because HE FIRST loved us.” (1 John 4:16-19)
The "punishment" is not the heresy of hell. It is the "punishment" a Father gives out to His children in order to discipline them.
"For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." (Hebrews 12:6)
Fear and love are not intended to occupy the same ground. There will be some fear on our journey to the place where we find out who God really is - and that place will be where "love drives out fear".
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear...He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not ours only, but for the sins of the whole world...God demonstrated his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Proverbs 9:10; 1 John 4:18; Romans 5:8)
Unfortunately, the fear of God is where most Christians remain. They try to avoid the wrath of God by their good works. But the "fear of the Lord" is just the "beginning" of wisdom, so we are not to continue in fear. We are to move on to an understanding of the perfect love of God. We are set free from fear as we come to "know" of His unconditional Love and Grace!
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment…There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because HE FIRST loved us.” (1 John 4:16-19)
The "punishment" is not the heresy of hell. It is the "punishment" a Father gives out to His children in order to discipline them.
"For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." (Hebrews 12:6)
Fear and love are not intended to occupy the same ground. There will be some fear on our journey to the place where we find out who God really is - and that place will be where "love drives out fear".