What does 'perfect love casts out fear' mean?

TL;DR:

“Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18) means that God’s absolute love for us conquers our fear. God’s perfect love is expressed in sending His Son to die for our sins, and this truth puts our fear into perspective.

what does the bible say?

First John 4:18 asserts that "perfect love casts out fear.” The Old Testament provides many examples of believers, such as Daniel and David, whose confidence in God’s love for them helped them to overcome fear in daunting circumstances (Daniel 3; 6; Psalm 56:11). The New Testament teaches that the perfect love of God was completed, made whole, on the cross when He sent His only Son to die for our sins (John 3:16–18; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:9–10). Passage after passage of the New Testament shows that those who are in Christ are not condemned (John 3:17; Romans 8:1). This is why believers can be assured of salvation and have no fear of eternal judgment (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19–23; 1 John 4:17–18). God’s love is available to all who put their faith in Christ (Romans 10:13). Fear doesn’t control believers because we know that God loves us as shown by Jesus bearing our judgment on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:17–21).

from the old testament

In Psalm 5:11, David says, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.” With God as our refuge and protection, we can rejoice rather than fear.
Psalm 56:11 asserts, “in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” This psalm was written when the Philistines had seized David. Even being taken by the enemy was not enough for David to abandon his trust in God. He realized God is stronger than any enemy.
Daniel 3:17–18 records Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s response to Nebuchadnezzar, who threatened to have them thrown into a furnace: “If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Only love and trust in the Lord could have equipped three young men not only to stand up to a king but to face the potential for a horrific death.

from the new testament

First John 4:18 describes God’s perfect love in sending His son to die for our sins: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” Only God’s perfect love for us through Christ is strong enough to overcome fear.
Romans 8:1 assures believers, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Believers need not dread judgment because we know God has forgiven us our sins, and we’ll spend eternity in His loving presence.
Romans 8:38–39 assures believers that we’ll always have God’s love: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God’s love is more powerful than any force on earth, including fear.
Paul tells Timothy, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit, who bears the fruit of love and peace (Galatians 5:22–23).

implications for today

Hebrews 9:27 says, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (see also Hebrews 4:12–13; 2 Peter 3:9–10; Revelation 11:18). The reality that there is a judgment day may fill some with fear, but believers need not fear because of what Christ has done for us. First Thessalonians 5:9–10 encourages, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (see also John 3:16–18, 36). Even so, believers sometimes experience fear in this world, especially when we find ourselves in sin. The more we mature in our faith and grow in depth in relationship with God, the less we’ll fear. Things like prayer, regular Bible reading, consistent fellowship with other believers, active obedience to God’s commands, and participation in God’s work in the world help us mature in our faith (John 15:1–17; Ephesians 4:1–32; Hebrews 10:19–25). We come to understand that God is faithful when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). We learn that He disciplines us in love (Hebrews 12:3–11) and walks alongside us in hardships and trials, using them to mature and sanctify us (James 1:2–4; Romans 5:2–5). The Bible shows us that Jesus has defeated sin and death and that God has given us victory through Him (1 Corinthians 15:54–58). We realize nothing can ever separate us from God's love (Romans 8:37–39; John 10:29). In short, when we come to know God, we realize we can trust Him. Fear doesn’t control us because we know Jesus has borne our judgment on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:17–21), and God is on our side (Philippians 4:4–8; 1 Peter 5:6–7).

understand

Perfect love casts out fear means that believers do not need to fear judgment because God, in His love for us, bore our judgment in our place.
Perfect love casts out fear means we can live in God’s love instead of fear His wrath or fear other people.
Perfect love casts out fear means fear does not control us.

reflect

How does knowing that God's perfect love removes the fear of judgment impact how you approach Him in prayer and worship?
What fears in your life do you need to surrender to God, trusting in His perfect love to cast them out?
How has understanding God’s love helped you face challenges or worries with greater confidence?

engage

How can we help one another grow in our understanding of God’s perfect love to overcome fear?
What role does the assurance of salvation play in helping believers face fears or insecurities?
How can the truth of God's perfect love shape how we encourage others who are struggling with fear?

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