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  1 JOHN 4:18
  by John Gill
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Summary: Perfect love casts out fear, and when we truly love God and
believe in Christ, we are free from fear and punishment.

Topics: "Love", "Fearlessness in Faith"
Scripture References: Psalm 34:4, Matthew 10:28, Romans 8:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 2:15, 1 John 3:16, 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:18-19, 1 John 5:13

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DESCRIPTION
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John Gill emphasizes that perfect love drives out fear, particularly in
the context of love among brethren. He explains that where genuine love
exists, fear--especially the fear of judgment and death--dissipates,
allowing believers to stand firm in their faith. Gill contrasts this
with the torment that fear brings, which can lead to a life of bondage.
He asserts that true love for God and others assures believers of their
salvation, freeing them from the anxieties that accompany fear.
Ultimately, he encourages the congregation to cultivate a sincere love
that reflects their faith in Christ.

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CONTENT
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Ver. 18. There is no fear in love,.... In the love of the brethren;
where that is, there is no fear: so far as that prevails and gains
ground, fear removes; not the filial fear of God, the new covenant grace
of fear, which is the beginning of wisdom, and is consistent with faith,
hope, love, and spiritual joy; but either the fear of men, which brings
a snare: those that truly love Christ, his Gospel, and his people, they
are not afraid of men; the spirit of power, love, and of a sound mind,
is opposite to a spirit of fear, nor can they stand together; and such
strength there is sometimes in brotherly love, that the saints are not
afraid of death itself, but freely lay down their lives for one another;
see 1Jo 3:16; or it may be rather, that they are not afraid of the day
of judgment, and of hell and damnation; where hatred of the brethren has
place, there is a fear and dread of these things, as were in Cain; but
those that love the brethren, they know they are passed from death to
life, and shall not enter into condemnation, and therefore are in no
fear of any of these things:

but perfect love casteth out fear; when love to the brethren appears to
be perfect, that is, genuine and sincere, and a man knows that from the
bottom of his heart he sincerely loves the saints, he concludes from
hence, as he may, the truth of his faith, which works in this way; and
this frees him from the fears of men and devils, and of the future
judgment and wrath to come. The Jews have a saying {w},

"worthy is his portion that rules over the place of fear, for lo, there
is nothing that rules over the degree of "fear" but "love".''

Because fear hath torment: it distresses a man, fills him with anguish,
and makes him restless and uneasy, and keeps him in servitude; through
the fear of men, of the devil, death, judgment, and hell, he is all his
lifetime, or as long as this fear lasts, subject to bondage: or "fear
has punishment", as it may be rendered, and is by the Vulgate Latin
version; it is a punishment itself to a man; and its being criminal
deserves punishment, and is punishable; see Re 21:8;

he that feareth is not made perfect in love; or "by love"; that is, he
that is possessed, and under the power of a servile fear of punishment,
is one who is not, by the love to the brethren, made to appear to
himself to be a sincere lover of God, and true believer in Christ; for
was he, he would not be in fear of destruction and death, since whoever
truly loves God, and believes in Christ, shall certainly be saved;
though such persons, at times, may not be without their doubts and
fears.

{w} Zohar in Exod. fol. 87. 1.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/john-gill/1-john-418/
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