Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

No Fear in Love

1John.4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.

This verse John wrote under Holy Spirit has been very troubling for many since it was penned. No fear in love how can that be, when we are to fear God?

Here at this juncture, we have but two choices how do we equate God's love is it by mankind's love? And 2., how can we judge God's love by fear of punishment, when indeed the very verse we are speaking about says there is not fear in love?

2 Timothy 1:7 For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

1 Timothy 5:20 Those who sin, reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.

First, is there judgment for God's children, i.e., his anointed? Well, according to all the other writings of the Greek scriptures no! There is no condemnation for God's children, but why? Simply put, they are in Christ, not “in themselves” conversely, In themselves, there is always fear and condemnation, why? Because since the beginning, that is, when Adam sinned, fear of judgment filled the heart of Adam because he lost the light, and was void of God's light, his love, in that vacuum darkness filled his life and mind and heart he could only know God as punishment and condemnation from the fear of his fallen flesh!
Romans 8:15 For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba{Abba is an Aramaic word for father or daddy, often used affectionately and respectfully in prayer to our Father in heaven.}! Father!"

And two 2. God's anointed are left in their fallen flesh, but while they are in Christ. What is left is but a vessel, a tent that is mortified having no value to their life in Christ, that is, dead to God and his condemnation of the fallen flesh.

Rom. 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"}
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.
8:3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

Subsequently, all God's children left in their flesh waiting the putting off of their tent have a looming feeling of condemnation coming from that same old flesh. In other words, a war with life and death at work in them. This war of flesh and Spirit will not end until the flesh, the after-birth, is discarded and they completely put on Christ.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good.

The lie being told by those infiltrating the congregation of Spirit anointed brothers and sisters at John's time, was lets make rules up for the flesh that will punish it, condemn it, so it may become righteous and useful to God on earth.

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;

Romans 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

However, the apostle John takes these brothers and sisters out of themselves (flesh) into Christ. In Christ is God's perfect love, a love perfected while Christ was suffering in his flesh. The same constant suffering all his body members must go through to be perfected in God's love, not their own!

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

No, the question is? If there is no condemnation in Christ, and in perfect love there is no fear, how can one make an imperfect flesh do something by the power of the flesh to love God? Well, that is the point, one cannot, it is God's work in us, his prepared work predestined from the founding of the world that is being done for us without the flesh.

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

However, all those without faith ( faith being Spirit and not flesh) in God's works, Christ Jesus, will imagine they can perfect their own love by works of law, and that is the final analysis here. It is faith in God's works, Christ Jesus that they were in by God's will, and not their own, and that is what was at work in them, not the working of the flesh that cannot please God.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.

James 1:4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Hebrews 13:21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

When God perfected love in us even for a moment it will be known throughout eternity without fear of punishment of the fallen flesh that cannot know God at all. These brothers and sisters must endure in faith (Christ) as we must, not in ourselves, but in Christ as God's perfect work in us.

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:12 for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.