When All You Hear is Fear... Where's The Love?
Posted: Thursday, September 10, 2009
by Edward Rhymes
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But whoever fears has not been made perfect in love.
In this one verse is contained the problem and the remedy for what we face as individuals and as a society. In this one, power-packed verse, we see the antidote to our fear-driven lives and nation. Everywhere we turn we are being told to be afraid; we are being told to fear by pundits, by politicians and most sadly, we are being told to fear even from pulpits. The Greek word from which our English word fear is translated is phobos --- if it looks familiar, it is should because that is where the word phobia comes from.
Additionally, I think that it is important to note that the word phobos is from the primary (Greek) word phebomai, meaning: to be put in fear. And this phenomenon of being put in fear can be driven either by external or internal forces, but never without our consent. This fear is seen: in our personal conversations; in our collective dialogues and in, what passes as, our political and social discourse.
I can't account for those who are absent of a profession in Christ, but what is the Christian's excuse for responding in fear? The apostle John tells us that there is no fear in love --- meaning there is no place for it in God's love for us or in our love for Him. Additionally, this particular scripture makes reference to torment. Torment is the sharpest weapon in the arsenal of fear with its impending doom and foreboding terror. A great deal of what I have seen of late has been, not so much, the emotion of anger; but highly-tinged fear and torment.
To begin to conquer fear and torment, we must ask the question: what does scripture mean by perfect love? Perfect love is a mature, upwardly-progressive love. One might also ask "by what standard am I to judge how mature or perfect my love is? And how do I know that it is moving in an upwardly-progressive fashion?"
Scripture is not silent in this regard and the answer can be found, most profoundly, in 1st Corinthians the 13th chapter --- and we need this spiritual prescription because it is the only antidote given that casts out fear; or as the Amplified version of scripture puts it: turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror. Well, isn't that what the Psalmist said: You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5)?
The following is an outline of the oft-repeated "love-chapter" in scripture (a great deal of this passage addresses what love is not). In it you will find the fear factors and the fear fighters that, in my opinion, have not merited nearly as much of our attention as it should. When it does, it should make an impact on our personal outlook; on our collective Christian theology and on our social and political ideologies.
Fear Factors & Fear Fighters
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is patient and kind: Love rises above petty things and is generous in the way it treats others. It is easy to "love" when people are lovable; but how difficult is it to love when they injure or attack us in one way or another? How simple is it to love when we vehemently oppose their theology; their politics or their conduct? Think of Christ's patience with Peter after the times Peter failed with Him and it should give us some idea of what patience and forbearing in love means; think of Christ on the cross and His attitude towards those who derided Him and maybe we can begin to see what perfect love is.
If He who knew no sin can be persistent in compassion and longsuffering, what example does that leave us who had to be saved from sin and is continually falling short? Love not only patiently bears with wrongs, but it positively acts in deeds of kindness. Are there times of anger and frustration? Certainly (however, our anger is to come without sin), but God gives us no excuse for a cruel and merciless attitude or spirit --- have we seen this compassionless spirit, much, in our society and communities? Patience and kindness are usually absent in the heart of the fearful.
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is not envious or jealous: Envy is a terrible sin; the first murder in the history of mankind was committed because of jealousy. How many people have we killed, in our hearts, because of our blind and unreasoning jealousy? How do we react when other people receive blessings or benefits that we lack? Do we allow the sparks of envy to burn until they become to a full flame? What I have seen most intensely in those who struggle with the sin of jealousy is that they look at the benefits that others may be enjoying, while ignoring the pains that they may be simultaneously experiencing. In this life, the blessings of God often come with some suffering (i.e. Mark 10:30).
Going back to the example of Cain and Abel, we see because of Cain's holding onto his small and petty fears, he experienced even greater fear and torment as a result of his sin. Finding joy in the triumphs and victories of others is an effective sanitizer that love uses to cleanse us from fear.
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is not proud or arrogant: The term "puffed up" is used in the King James Version, which is important, because it illustrates, perfectly, the inward feeling of pride or an over-inflated sense of one's own importance. Make no mistake; fear is a powerful driver in the proud. Pride is the individual's attempt at masking what they believe is their inadequacies. It is the running away from, if you will, the man (or woman) in the mirror.
Arrogance is the outward projection of this self-aggrandizement. It is the insistence that others buy into their definition of their self-importance and it too is driven by fear --- fear that desires to control (sometimes even by coercion and manipulation) how others think and feel about them.
( 1 Cor. 13:5) Love is not rude or unbecoming: There is a graciousness about the person who acts from Christian love, a charm that the world cannot give; a divine grace and dignity that says: "I will not lower the standards of conduct that my God has set for me." Of all of the virtues that the present state of fear has eroded, it is this sense of common courtesy; of common decency. The shameful displays of rudeness and disregard for the suffering of others are on full display in our national and societal conversations and interactions.
As I stated earlier, I cannot account for those who do not profess a faith in Christ, but those of us who do are without excuse. Fear is a potent motivator for this discourteous dynamic as well. There are many who are afraid that if they stop shouting, maybe someone would catch on that they haven't taken the time to really have something to say and in their fear, they have created these grand obstacle courses of disrespect and contempt to hide their anxieties.
( 1 Cor. 13:5) Loves is not selfish or self-centered: Love is the utter enemy of selfishness. In, as the KJV puts it, "not seeking its own," love does not inordinately desire nor seek its own praise, honor, profit, or pleasure. Certainly self-love, in some degree, is natural to all individuals and a part of our societal-DNA. And a reasonable love of self is defined by Christ as the measurement of our love to others; that love which is described here: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love must then uproot that flawed "me-me-me" principle which is part of our unredeemed, selfish nature. Love never seeks its own to the hurt of others, or with the neglect of others. It often neglects its own for the sake of others; prefers their welfare, and satisfaction, and advantage, to its own.
The self-centered and the selfish, by contrast, (and in fear) ALWAYS ask: "but what about me?" This problem, at its root, is really about insecurity. It is no mere coincidence that those who are considered selfish and self-centered are, overwhelmingly, controlling --- and this need for control is driven by fear. Fear of losing control over someone or something; fear of not having the most, the best or the greatest; or fear of not being the center of attention. Selfishness subverts the contentment that only love can bring.
( 1 Cor. 13:6) Love is not touchy or resentful: Where love is present, wrath will not be easily provoked, or long continue. Love will never be angry without a real cause, and will endeavor to confine that anger within proper limits. Anger cannot rest in the bosom where love rules. It is hard to be angry when we truly love, but very easy to drop our resentments and seek reconciliation. This, by the way, is everything that, I believe, we are NOT seeing in the Christian community at large. In our micro and macro-engagements; in our personal relationships, in our political affiliations and in our Christian affairs, we have been far too quick to find offense and slow in allowing anger to recede. Anger, very often, rides in on the back of fear. The fear of being vulnerable or in other words: being afraid of being afraid. In that fear the resentful find an extremity in behavior and tone because they must convince others (and maybe themselves) that they are not as afraid as they really are.
There is another word for this resentment that scripture uses: bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 tells us: " See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled" There are so many people who hold to their resentments like a child holds on to a security blanket. Resentment and bitterness, like fear, rarely (if ever) stays contained; it is contagious and love is its only 100% guaranteed treatment.
( 1 Cor. 13:6) Love thinks no evil: Does this mean that the Christian is totally unaware of the presence of evil in the world? Not at all, however, love will hardly give into an ill opinion of another, and it will do it with regret and reluctance when the evidence cannot be refuted. Love does not seek for reasons to find evil in another. It thinks no evil of any, without very clear proof --- it is especially sensitive to not charge guilt by inference or innuendo. The hypocritical religious leaders of Jesus' day were steeped in evil thinking (always ascribing evil motives and intents to others, ESPECIALLY to those who sought to do good), because they themselves were full of evil. Christ healed and they pouted; He delivered and they fumed ---- the very epitome of warped, evil thinking. Have you seen the propensity in our American culture; in our American Christian culture, to ruminate over the details of someone's fall? The downright ecstasy imprinted on the faces of some, when another is found guilty of a transgression? Typically, this is motivated by the fear that their secret sins will be found out and the need to feel better about themselves by the downfall of someone else.
( 1 Cor. 13.6) Love does not rejoice in injustice; but the truth: Love wishes ill to none, much less will it hurt or wrong any, and least of all make this a matter of delight; nor will it celebrate in doing harm and causing trouble. Love will not rejoice in the faults and failings of others, or triumph over them, either out of pride or ill-will. On the contrary, the loving heart is grieved by the sins of others. Falling into sin is the greatest tragedy that can befall anyone. How inconsistent is it with Christian love, to rejoice in such a fall? We are not even supposed to glory in an injustice committed against our enemies. We, Christian friend, rejoice in the truth. Love finds great satisfaction in seeing truth and justice prevail; the innocent cleared; mutual faith and trust being established and seeing the contrite receive mercy. Such an attitude and spirit is not an easy mark for fear.
Conclusion
How have we found ourselves in such a place; we who profess to be Christians? To a place of hate, wrath, fear and torment? Could it be that we forgot that perfect love casts out fear? Is it because we have been feasting on a steady diet of the things that love is not; rather than the things that love is? I recognize the temptation to fear and we all have had times where we may have succumbed to that temptation. We must further realize that to walk in fear means that we can be manipulated by those who would use fear as a means for achieving their political objectives and their personal agendas --- this is true on an interpersonal, community (church, neighborhood, etc.) or societal level. Nevertheless, God gives us no excuse to fear and ample resources to fight it.
Sisters and brothers, as I've stated in a previous writing, there are 365 variations of "fear not," "do not fear," "don't be afraid," etc in scripture: do you think that God is trying to tell us something? Are we still under the impression that do not fear is a suggestion and not a command? There may be some who believe that in order to not fear, we must live in some blissfully-ignorant cocoon. To that, I say no. I think we should be informed about the world that we live in. However, we neither receive nor transmit that knowledge in fear; we are to be conscious of the realities of this world, but not controlled by them.
When ANYONE exhorts you to fear, by clear declaration or inference, are they bringing you closer to God or pushing you further away from your Heavenly Father? Am I more or less Christ-like, when I am clinging to fear? Lastly, am I growing and maturing in love or am I caught in the grips of fear and torment? We, brothers and sisters, cannot be afraid to rightly answer those questions.
Remember:
{Love} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But whoever fears has not been made perfect in love.
In this one verse is contained the problem and the remedy for what we face as individuals and as a society. In this one, power-packed verse, we see the antidote to our fear-driven lives and nation. Everywhere we turn we are being told to be afraid; we are being told to fear by pundits, by politicians and most sadly, we are being told to fear even from pulpits. The Greek word from which our English word fear is translated is phobos --- if it looks familiar, it is should because that is where the word phobia comes from.
I can't account for those who are absent of a profession in Christ, but what is the Christian's excuse for responding in fear? The apostle John tells us that there is no fear in love --- meaning there is no place for it in God's love for us or in our love for Him. Additionally, this particular scripture makes reference to torment. Torment is the sharpest weapon in the arsenal of fear with its impending doom and foreboding terror. A great deal of what I have seen of late has been, not so much, the emotion of anger; but highly-tinged fear and torment.
To begin to conquer fear and torment, we must ask the question: what does scripture mean by perfect love? Perfect love is a mature, upwardly-progressive love. One might also ask "by what standard am I to judge how mature or perfect my love is? And how do I know that it is moving in an upwardly-progressive fashion?"
Scripture is not silent in this regard and the answer can be found, most profoundly, in 1st Corinthians the 13th chapter --- and we need this spiritual prescription because it is the only antidote given that casts out fear; or as the Amplified version of scripture puts it: turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror. Well, isn't that what the Psalmist said: You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day (Psalm 91:5)?
The following is an outline of the oft-repeated "love-chapter" in scripture (a great deal of this passage addresses what love is not). In it you will find the fear factors and the fear fighters that, in my opinion, have not merited nearly as much of our attention as it should. When it does, it should make an impact on our personal outlook; on our collective Christian theology and on our social and political ideologies.
Fear Factors & Fear Fighters
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is patient and kind: Love rises above petty things and is generous in the way it treats others. It is easy to "love" when people are lovable; but how difficult is it to love when they injure or attack us in one way or another? How simple is it to love when we vehemently oppose their theology; their politics or their conduct? Think of Christ's patience with Peter after the times Peter failed with Him and it should give us some idea of what patience and forbearing in love means; think of Christ on the cross and His attitude towards those who derided Him and maybe we can begin to see what perfect love is.
If He who knew no sin can be persistent in compassion and longsuffering, what example does that leave us who had to be saved from sin and is continually falling short? Love not only patiently bears with wrongs, but it positively acts in deeds of kindness. Are there times of anger and frustration? Certainly (however, our anger is to come without sin), but God gives us no excuse for a cruel and merciless attitude or spirit --- have we seen this compassionless spirit, much, in our society and communities? Patience and kindness are usually absent in the heart of the fearful.
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is not envious or jealous: Envy is a terrible sin; the first murder in the history of mankind was committed because of jealousy. How many people have we killed, in our hearts, because of our blind and unreasoning jealousy? How do we react when other people receive blessings or benefits that we lack? Do we allow the sparks of envy to burn until they become to a full flame? What I have seen most intensely in those who struggle with the sin of jealousy is that they look at the benefits that others may be enjoying, while ignoring the pains that they may be simultaneously experiencing. In this life, the blessings of God often come with some suffering (i.e. Mark 10:30).
Going back to the example of Cain and Abel, we see because of Cain's holding onto his small and petty fears, he experienced even greater fear and torment as a result of his sin. Finding joy in the triumphs and victories of others is an effective sanitizer that love uses to cleanse us from fear.
( 1 Cor. 13:4) Love is not proud or arrogant: The term "puffed up" is used in the King James Version, which is important, because it illustrates, perfectly, the inward feeling of pride or an over-inflated sense of one's own importance. Make no mistake; fear is a powerful driver in the proud. Pride is the individual's attempt at masking what they believe is their inadequacies. It is the running away from, if you will, the man (or woman) in the mirror.
Arrogance is the outward projection of this self-aggrandizement. It is the insistence that others buy into their definition of their self-importance and it too is driven by fear --- fear that desires to control (sometimes even by coercion and manipulation) how others think and feel about them.
( 1 Cor. 13:5) Love is not rude or unbecoming: There is a graciousness about the person who acts from Christian love, a charm that the world cannot give; a divine grace and dignity that says: "I will not lower the standards of conduct that my God has set for me." Of all of the virtues that the present state of fear has eroded, it is this sense of common courtesy; of common decency. The shameful displays of rudeness and disregard for the suffering of others are on full display in our national and societal conversations and interactions.
As I stated earlier, I cannot account for those who do not profess a faith in Christ, but those of us who do are without excuse. Fear is a potent motivator for this discourteous dynamic as well. There are many who are afraid that if they stop shouting, maybe someone would catch on that they haven't taken the time to really have something to say and in their fear, they have created these grand obstacle courses of disrespect and contempt to hide their anxieties.
( 1 Cor. 13:5) Loves is not selfish or self-centered: Love is the utter enemy of selfishness. In, as the KJV puts it, "not seeking its own," love does not inordinately desire nor seek its own praise, honor, profit, or pleasure. Certainly self-love, in some degree, is natural to all individuals and a part of our societal-DNA. And a reasonable love of self is defined by Christ as the measurement of our love to others; that love which is described here: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love must then uproot that flawed "me-me-me" principle which is part of our unredeemed, selfish nature. Love never seeks its own to the hurt of others, or with the neglect of others. It often neglects its own for the sake of others; prefers their welfare, and satisfaction, and advantage, to its own.
The self-centered and the selfish, by contrast, (and in fear) ALWAYS ask: "but what about me?" This problem, at its root, is really about insecurity. It is no mere coincidence that those who are considered selfish and self-centered are, overwhelmingly, controlling --- and this need for control is driven by fear. Fear of losing control over someone or something; fear of not having the most, the best or the greatest; or fear of not being the center of attention. Selfishness subverts the contentment that only love can bring.
( 1 Cor. 13:6) Love is not touchy or resentful: Where love is present, wrath will not be easily provoked, or long continue. Love will never be angry without a real cause, and will endeavor to confine that anger within proper limits. Anger cannot rest in the bosom where love rules. It is hard to be angry when we truly love, but very easy to drop our resentments and seek reconciliation. This, by the way, is everything that, I believe, we are NOT seeing in the Christian community at large. In our micro and macro-engagements; in our personal relationships, in our political affiliations and in our Christian affairs, we have been far too quick to find offense and slow in allowing anger to recede. Anger, very often, rides in on the back of fear. The fear of being vulnerable or in other words: being afraid of being afraid. In that fear the resentful find an extremity in behavior and tone because they must convince others (and maybe themselves) that they are not as afraid as they really are.
There is another word for this resentment that scripture uses: bitterness. Hebrews 12:15 tells us: " See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness' springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled" There are so many people who hold to their resentments like a child holds on to a security blanket. Resentment and bitterness, like fear, rarely (if ever) stays contained; it is contagious and love is its only 100% guaranteed treatment.
( 1 Cor. 13:6) Love thinks no evil: Does this mean that the Christian is totally unaware of the presence of evil in the world? Not at all, however, love will hardly give into an ill opinion of another, and it will do it with regret and reluctance when the evidence cannot be refuted. Love does not seek for reasons to find evil in another. It thinks no evil of any, without very clear proof --- it is especially sensitive to not charge guilt by inference or innuendo. The hypocritical religious leaders of Jesus' day were steeped in evil thinking (always ascribing evil motives and intents to others, ESPECIALLY to those who sought to do good), because they themselves were full of evil. Christ healed and they pouted; He delivered and they fumed ---- the very epitome of warped, evil thinking. Have you seen the propensity in our American culture; in our American Christian culture, to ruminate over the details of someone's fall? The downright ecstasy imprinted on the faces of some, when another is found guilty of a transgression? Typically, this is motivated by the fear that their secret sins will be found out and the need to feel better about themselves by the downfall of someone else.
( 1 Cor. 13.6) Love does not rejoice in injustice; but the truth: Love wishes ill to none, much less will it hurt or wrong any, and least of all make this a matter of delight; nor will it celebrate in doing harm and causing trouble. Love will not rejoice in the faults and failings of others, or triumph over them, either out of pride or ill-will. On the contrary, the loving heart is grieved by the sins of others. Falling into sin is the greatest tragedy that can befall anyone. How inconsistent is it with Christian love, to rejoice in such a fall? We are not even supposed to glory in an injustice committed against our enemies. We, Christian friend, rejoice in the truth. Love finds great satisfaction in seeing truth and justice prevail; the innocent cleared; mutual faith and trust being established and seeing the contrite receive mercy. Such an attitude and spirit is not an easy mark for fear.
Conclusion
How have we found ourselves in such a place; we who profess to be Christians? To a place of hate, wrath, fear and torment? Could it be that we forgot that perfect love casts out fear? Is it because we have been feasting on a steady diet of the things that love is not; rather than the things that love is? I recognize the temptation to fear and we all have had times where we may have succumbed to that temptation. We must further realize that to walk in fear means that we can be manipulated by those who would use fear as a means for achieving their political objectives and their personal agendas --- this is true on an interpersonal, community (church, neighborhood, etc.) or societal level. Nevertheless, God gives us no excuse to fear and ample resources to fight it.
Sisters and brothers, as I've stated in a previous writing, there are 365 variations of "fear not," "do not fear," "don't be afraid," etc in scripture: do you think that God is trying to tell us something? Are we still under the impression that do not fear is a suggestion and not a command? There may be some who believe that in order to not fear, we must live in some blissfully-ignorant cocoon. To that, I say no. I think we should be informed about the world that we live in. However, we neither receive nor transmit that knowledge in fear; we are to be conscious of the realities of this world, but not controlled by them.
When ANYONE exhorts you to fear, by clear declaration or inference, are they bringing you closer to God or pushing you further away from your Heavenly Father? Am I more or less Christ-like, when I am clinging to fear? Lastly, am I growing and maturing in love or am I caught in the grips of fear and torment? We, brothers and sisters, cannot be afraid to rightly answer those questions.
Remember:
{Love} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
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More commentsThanks for commenting JP. I am extremely pleased and humbled that you were able to take something from this writing. Your graciousness is always appreciated, Thanks again for reading and commenting.
Edward, beautiful article again. Apparently we have a lot of "word Christians." With their character, I would call them the Barnum and Bailey mentalities, there is a f...born every... The reason we know who they are is that they have judged themselves. We can see them and hear them. Love is. You can see where Christ is, it is those of us that have "quiet power." We do not have to hate, it is being done for us. One guy said: "There you go playing the race game. Of course I said, we do not have time to be prejudice, you always beat us to it. So we just sit back and let you do it for us. So, there goes the love and their hate is in their fear of what has not been before. Very beautiful article and I saved it.Thanks for commenting Dr. Rucker and I appreciate your saving of it. Love is right, necessary and true, but, quite frequently, difficult. We are being "changed from glory-to-glory in to the image of His dear Son." God has given us a clear line of demarcation in regard to what love is and what love is not. I pray that ALL (myself included) will do what is necessary to grow and grow-up. Thanks for reading Dr. Rucker.
Very well done, Edward. Your articles always provide a window- and a mirror.Thank you.Thanks Anon for your kind comments; they are truly a blessing to me.Ooops! I left this comment, Edward. I thought I was logged on, but that's what I get for thinking!!Haha! Thanks Ken. No problem pal!
Very moving Edward! gives us a lot to think about! Thanks for sharing it with us!Thanks Laura! I ALWAYS appreciate your comments. God bless you Sister!
Christ and the new Testament overshadows the Jewish Book Of Fairytales,in its new message of a kind,non vindictive,non punishing God.Therefore,a rule:never use the Old Bible to support New Bible teachingsThanks for commenting Paul. I would have to disagree in terms of the Old Testament not being valid. The Old Testament foretold of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Christ. Further, a great deal of what Christ spoke was in reference to Old Testament scripture. Peter, Paul and the other apostles made constant and consistent reference to the prophets in the old testament. Christ is not the negation of the old but fulfillment of it. Thanks again for commenting Paul.
Excellent article. Fear solves nothing, serves nothing, and helps with nothing. Faith is the answer, and your article shows us the pitfals of living in fear. Thanks for sharing.Thanks Michael. Yes, fear is a futile emotion and dangerous indulgence. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I appreciate your insights.
Well thought out and well stated, Edward. 1 Jn 4:18 is one of my favorite and most meditated-on scriptures. Self-centeredness and pride are the antithesis of Love, and that is what leads to all kinds of fear. But fear and Love cannot coexist. Just like we cannot serve both the God of the universe and the god of money. They are mutually exclusive.Thanks for commenting J.D. and I say Amen. We can't walk in fear and live in love; and we must not be slaves to riches. Thanks again for giving this writing a read.
The Christ strove to fulfill the prophecy of his coming,through the old testament(coming into the city,riding on an donkey or ass,as prophesized,rather than other animals)but he understood that the Bible thumping Jews of the time observed the letter of the law,not the spirit of the law;its true,today,as well.The New testament must SEPARATE itself and its understanding,from the Old,as He tried,so hard to do, but only at his own peril.
Amen Edward. A powerful reminder. Thank you for sharing this incredible truth. Praise God for giving us his word to instruct, encourage, and challenge our thinking. Blessings. Keep up the Good Work. Blessings, TeresaThanks Teresa. His word is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path; for this I am thankful and blessed. I appreciate your insights sister. God bless you.
I hope you dont mind that I print this and send to friends ! This is truly a deep, heartfelt posting. Thank God for allowing you to share this with all !VI don't mind at all --- I am blessed knowing that I can be a blessing. Thanks for your kind words V. God bless your day!
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