Fear and Love Do Not Mix

Oil and water do not mix! Go ahead and try with an at-home experiment.  I suppose one good gift we have in culture that models this chemistry is a lava lamp. While a lava lamp uses wax and mineral oil, it still demonstrates the same principle. Whether it be a home experiment with oil, water, and food coloring; or the psychedelic light from a lava lamp, we can look around us and see physical examples of things that won’t mix.

This imagery can help us recognize that there are spiritual elements mentioned in 1 John 4:17-18 that don’t mix: Fear and love. These two are often contradictory, yet the Enemy knows he can cripple a believer by injecting fear into one’s thoughts. 

This is often revealed when we discuss life and death. Quick survey, are you generally excited about heaven, or do you fear death more? This is a fair and honest assessment to help us grapple with our level of spiritual maturity.  John would suggest that as we mature, His love is perfected in us that fear around the judgment is cast away. How can this be?

The more we love Christ and proclaim His message of hope, the more we understand that He has satisfied every fear that you can have. Often emotions prevent us from seeing and holding tightly to truth, but the reality is Jesus is bigger than any fear. 

In fact, John encourages us to be bold and excited about standing before God in judgment because we already know His favorable decision.  His judgment is not based on our actions but on what Jesus has already completed as our propitiation.  Praise God.

If you find yourself consumed with fear, it is likely that you are dwelling in lies from the Enemy and he has crippled you.  Look to Jesus, Study the Gospel. Remember Whose you are. In Christ, we are more than conquerors.  

Read Romans 8:14-15. As His children, there is no room for fear.  We are called to be loving to others as His love is perfected in us.  Like oil and water, fear and love do not mix.  The next time you stare into a lava lamp, remember this reality!