TEXT
1 John 4:18; Romans 8:1; Psalm 130:1-4
KEY VERSE
“There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.”
Psalm 130:4, KJV
REFLECTION
What exactly are we afraid of when we are afraid of God? Scripture tells us to fear Him, yet it also says, “Perfect love casteth out fear,” because “fear hath torment.” So what fear is being cast out? We cannot simply say, “Do not fear God,” because the Bible will not allow us to say that. We must ask what exactly we are afraid of when we remember God.
Perhaps we fear condemnation, punishment, being cast away, or even hell. Perhaps we have failed in the same area so many times that we wonder whether God has finally become tired of forgiving us. We may not say these things aloud, but they reveal themselves when we hesitate to pray after we have sinned, hide from God, or feel that we must somehow make ourselves worthy before returning to Him.
Romans 8:1 stands against that fear: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Take note of now. Paul does not say there will be no condemnation after we become better Christians. He says there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Our sin is serious, so serious that Christ had to give Himself for it. But if He has borne our condemnation, why do we still live as though we are waiting for God to condemn us?
Then Psalm 130:4 takes us deeper: “There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.” We might expect David to say, “There is forgiveness with thee, therefore I will not fear thee.” Yet he connects forgiveness with the fear of God. The man who has discovered mercy has not discovered a God who can now be treated lightly.
Think about what David is saying. He has just confessed that if God were to mark iniquities, no one could stand. He knows what he deserves. Yet instead of finding a reason to run from God, he finds forgiveness with Him. And that mercy should not make us careless. It should make us more conscious of His holiness and more amazed by His mercy.
There is a fear that says, “I have sinned, so I must hide.” There is another that says, “I have sinned, and I must go to God because He alone can forgive me.” This holy fear is the beginning of wisdom. It fears to grieve the One it loves and dreads anything that would cause it to lose the enjoyment of His presence. It is no longer merely afraid of punishment; it is afraid of displeasing the One it loves.
Think about a child who loves his father. He may obey because he knows there are consequences for disobedience, but as love grows, obedience becomes more than avoiding punishment. He begins to ask, “Would this please my father?” There is still reverence, but love changes the motive.
Now John’s words become clearer: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.” John is not removing the fear of God. He is speaking of the fear that expects judgment. The love of God drives out the terror of standing before Him wondering whether He will condemn us.
So perhaps the question is not, “Do I fear God?” We should. The better question is, “What am I afraid of?” Am I following Him mainly because I am afraid of hell? That may restrain us, but it is not the highest motive Christ calls us to. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, He said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
The more clearly we see His mercy, the more deeply we should reverence Him. We do not obey merely because we are afraid of what God might do to us. We obey because we have come to know the One who has loved us, forgiven us, and given Himself for us. The fear of God remains, but love gives that fear its proper place.
PRAYER
Lord, teach us to fear You rightly, trusting Your forgiveness without ever becoming careless with Your holiness.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE
Read 1 John 4:18, Romans 8:1, and Psalm 130:4 again today. Ask yourself honestly: when I am afraid of God, what exactly am I afraid of?
KEY TAKEAWAY
The gospel does not remove the fear of God; it removes the fear that keeps us from God.
Start your morning with God.
Daily Breakthrough Bread delivered to your inbox every day. Free.
Missed a day?
Browse the full Daily Breakthrough Bread archive and catch up at your own pace.
