Meditations Upon 1 John 4:18 - Part Three

 

Meditations Upon 1 John 4:18 – Part Three

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

 

“But perfect love drives out fear.” The use of the English word, perfect, connotes a love that is errorless, exactingly correct and without a scintilla of deficiency. Intriguingly, John’s community understood “perfect love” as a love that is “fully complete” and thus trustworthy, reliable and faithful in all seasons and situations. An agricultural people who lived fiercely dependent upon the land, they thought in terms of word pictures. They equate John’s teachings with their perennial and life-sustaining process of tilling and fertilizing land, planting, nurturing crops, weeding and irrigating, praying for rain if necessary, dealing with a drought, protecting the crop from wildlife, harvesting, reaping a crop and turning a profit. The value of any harvest exceeded its monetary yield. Investment of time, labor, energy, discipline and commitment could not be adequately factored into market negotiations and price determination. A realistic price would consider all seasons not just harvest. The evangelist speaks of love in this holistic and cyclic nature. A “fully complete” love turns with each annual cycle of life. It is a life-giving and life-sustaining force in each season. This type of love, intrinsically formidable and inherently faithful like the Heavenly Father, does not shift like sand or shadows. It does not equivocate, compromise, faint or yield to challenge or adversity. Please note that a “fully complete” love grows stronger and more formidable with each complete turn of the seasons. The intertwining roots of sequoia trees offer a splendid contemporary natural example. Running possibly twelve feet deep, these roots extend two to three hundred feet wide. Their interlocking nature allows each tree stability and access to shared resources. Moreover, they support each other when confronted by any natural threat. Year after year, these roots strengthen each other. A “fully complete” love serves a similar purpose as it eliminates fear.

 

Love parallels a bouncer in a night club. He throws out anyone who is unruly, disruptive or a potential threat to the safety and tranquility of other people. To drive out fear is to cast it out into utter oblivion and darkness where it will not be seen again. Perfect love also diffuses, deters and dissolves fear. It possesses a farmer’s versatility to prevent any seasonal crisis from threatening or diminishing crops and the harvest that they will produce. Love throws out fear in whatever form it emerges. The evangelist accordingly reassures disciples in the beloved community that the Lord’s perfect love eradicates fear of eternal damnation or any earthly punishment.

 

“Because fear has to do with punishment.” It is impossible to enjoy God’s loving ad comforting presence if disciples constantly fear His wrath and judgment. The risk of spending eternity in “the lake of fire” impedes any enjoyment of grace, peace and joy. Corporal punishment was a primary means of discipline during my childhood. The risk of “getting a beating” was a permanent fixture in daily life. An internal compass directed personal behavior to avoid any discipline or punishment. This looming threat made it difficult to enjoy family times inclusive of movies, games, cards or outdoor activities. Unquestionably, this dilemma limited relationships. It is not easy to transcend this lingering fear. I suspect there are disciples who recoil in response to “hellfire and brimstone” sermons. They further pharisaical attitudes toward God and religion. Well-intentioned but misguided disciples engage religion to avoid God’s wrath and punishment. Their adherence to religious ordinances and congregational dictates is an effort to quantifiably earn entry to heaven. This distorted outlook upon Christianity robs them of “unspeakable joy” and “glorious riches” of personally knowing the Lord’s unfailing love for them.

 

Many disciples fail to forgive themselves for sins of omission and commission because fear imprisons them with a lifelong guilt complex. They believe that they should suffer. They punish themselves with harsh words and perpetual condemnation. They deprive themselves of seeing beauty in the daily miracle of life. Their foreboding outlook deprives them of knowing Christ’s unquestioned and immediate forgiveness.  Recall the Lord’s graciousness, mercy and forgiveness toward the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). Jesus repels her accusers who stand holding stones. Moreover, they held unconfessed sins in their minds and hearts. As no one is left to condemn her, the Lord refuses to do so. Equally, Christ extends a pardon to disciples for their sins to enable transformation of their character. His redemptive love motivates His forgiveness. Additionally, in a seminal verse, Romans 8:1, Paul encourages the church that Christ’s unfailing love annihilates any condemnation that they may feel or anyone seeks to levy. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Most regrettably, countless disciples are unable to receive and live within that covenantal promise because they fear punishment.

 

Imagine being in the presence of unconditional love. Would you be able to trust it? I have a sneaky suspicion and a very funny feeling that many relationships suffer because one of the partners fails to trust the love and consideration of his or her significant other. Fear creates this inability to rely upon daily declarations and actions of love, grace and consideration. Some people retain a constant comparison chart to measure the extent of each other’s love. Presumably, your mate will prove his or her love with enough mathematically verifiable deeds of love. The need to quantify love naturally emerges from a pervasive fear that a relational disaster (financial struggles, conflicts in parenting, sexual incompatibility and challenges or infidelity) will unfold and irreparably damage or sever the relationship. As long as that palatable fear persists, it remains impossible to dwell peacefully and steadfastly in love with another person. Lingering fear corrodes words and deeds of love. In contrast, the evangelist hopes members of his community grow in their understanding and experience of Christ’s unfailing love for them.

 

He primarily writes this letter to share with them his enduring recollection of his experience of divine love as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1) The beloved disciple directly experienced the Heavenly Father’s unfailing, loyal and covenantal love as embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ. He testifies to what he heard, saw, touched and witnessed. He posits that anyone who encounters the Risen Lord can have a similar experience. An encounter with the Lord exceeds the traditionally religious, obligatory and dramatic conversion experience that defies natural law. Recall Moses’ discovery of a burning bush whose flames does not consume it. Encountering Christ is the beginning of an earthly and eternal pilgrimage that culminates in the New Jerusalem. Discipleship is a daily and lifetime commitment to learning the Lord’s teachings; and internalizing and practicing these principles in all personal and professional affairs. Disciples emulate the Lord’s love for humankind in marriage, family, community and society. Living in an interdependent relationship with the Lord and being a recipient of His love compels disciples to share His love.