Verse 18: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
The idea that “the opposite of fear is love”1 has been proclaimed by many in the community of believers.2 But unfortunately it is an inaccurate summary of this passage. For the context establishes that fear is the opposite of confidence (v.17) and as simply stated by R.C.H. Lenski: “where the one is, the other is not.”3
No Fear in Love
John begins with this declarative statement of absolute truth: there is no fear in love. There are two things to consider at the outset: the meaning of fear and the significance of the phrase in love. First, various degrees of the word fear are designated in Scripture depending upon its usage—“fear, dread, terror...reverential fear.”4 The fact is, fear does not always indicate terror or the frightfulness designated as “fear with trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5; Philippians 2:12). For here, John is referring to an anxious dread5 in anticipation of the day of judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10-11) and loss of reward (1 Corinthian 3:14-15) as was discussed in the previous verse.
Secondly, in love again refers to the believer’s ideal place of spiritual residence—in the sphere of God’s divine love. This was discussed in verse 16, that “the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” Thus, while the faithful believer resides consistently in this unique and intimate fellowship with God it is impossible for there to be any dread or fear present.
Fear and Punishment
In contrast, perfect love casts out fear. The emphasis is on the word perfect which derives its meaning from the Greek to be “complete, full, wanting in nothing,”6 in the sense of having matured and of being excellent in quality. Fear and dread is evidence of an immature believer, impeding their ability to think and therefore hindering their growth to maturity. It also means that the believer is no longer in fellowship and is residing outside of the sphere of God’s love. Whereas, perfect love is characterized by the confident believer who is in fellowship and is producing good works. Mind you, this perfect love does not originate from the believer, for it is God’s love, and the believer replicates it when empowered by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Thus dread of the judgement of the believers’ works is literally thrown out by an active decision by the believer to endeavor that this perfecting process of His love be accomplished together with us (v.17).
Note also the consequences of fear and dread: it involves punishment. Bishop Trench asserts that this word punishment implies disciplining with “reference to the correction and bettering of the offender.”7 The writer of Hebrews declares:
“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? (Hebrews 12:6–7; cf. Job 5:17-18)
The question one might pose is how exactly can a believer avert His discipline? The answer is not quite as forthcoming as one may anticipate, yet John continually reminds us to keep His commandments (2:3; 3:22, 24; 5:3; cf. John 14:15) implying our need to search Scripture for these commands.
However, within the context of chapter 4, John is emphasizing the love relationships of the faithful believer: to love one another (v.7, 20-21) and to consistently abide in God in the sphere of His divine relationship of love (v.15-16). Thus, the believer who is not intent upon pleasing the Lord may well expect to undergo the dread of impending discipline for their failure to walk in the light, because all of their works while they are in the state of sin will be judged as “wood, hay, and straw” and burned up as inadequate for reward (1 Corinthians 3:12-14). These works are considered human good, “dead works” (Hebrews 6:1), performed in the power of the flesh (Romans 7:18), instead of divine good, accomplished while empowered by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 22).
Our Discipline
The writer of Hebrews affirms God’s objective for our discipline: “But He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10b). Sharing in His holiness is when the believer is sinless and able to fulfill His desire that we “bear more fruit” (John 15:2) in the production of divine good works. This is to assure that the quality of our works will be acceptable to God, enduring the testing of fire so that we “will receive a reward” (1 Corinthians 3:13-14) on the day of judgment. Thus, discipline “is designed so that a good man may become a better man.”8 The Apostle Paul outlines the essential need of the believer to achieve spiritual maturity and to avoid discipline:
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
John concludes with this fact: the one who still dreads impending discipline has not been made perfect in love—they have not become a mature believer in the sphere of God’s divine love relationship. Unfortunately, the immature believer may be totally unaware of God’s discipline for their sinful condition and will lose out on all the benefits of an abiding fellowship in Christ (John 15:5) inside the sphere of God’s divine love relationship.
A Final Thought
Therefore, it is a necessity for all believers to objectively analyze every instance of spiritual testing to determine if it is meant as a forewarning for them to return to fellowship (1 John 1:9), or if it is a “testing of your faith” in order to develop spiritual endurance to become “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:3-4) in our life of faith, while residing in the sphere of God’s love.
[1] Schneider, J. (1964–). κόλασις. In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich, Eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 3.817.
[2] Yunuen Trujillo, (lay minister): https://uscatholic.org/articles/202309/the-opposite-of-love-is-fear/; Robert O’Neill (Episcopalian Bishop): https://medium.com/@TEC_CO/the-opposite-of-love-fear-d38508f943d2; Judith E. Lipson, (Licensed Professional Counselor): https://www.spiralwisdom.com/the-opposite-of-love-is-not-hate-it-is-fear/; J.D. Walt: https://seedbed.com/1john-the-opposite-of-love-is-fear-not-hate/ [Retrieved June 2025]
[3] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.513.
[4] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.230.
[5] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible. Peabody: Hendrickson, p. 2452.
[6] Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G5046.
[7] Trench, Richard (1975). Synonyms of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, p. 24.
[8] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.72.
© 2025 David M. Rossi
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