“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love” (I John 4:18).

Torment (Def): (Gr.): Kolasis from Kolazo: Infliction from punishment, Chastisement

There is a torment in those who constantly live in fear. This unpleasant and often painful state of being is the result of conscious or subliminal anxiety at the thought of being punished for their sins or feelings of unworthiness before God or one superior to them in natural order or rank.

Jesus tells us in Matthew’s Gospel of the servant who was given one talent, who went and buried it in the ground. His stated reason for such action was explained in the parable of the Kingdom, thusly:

“Lord, I knew Thee that You are a hard man, reaping where You have not sown and gathering where You have not strawed. I was afraid and went and hid Your talent in the earth. Look, there You have what is Yours” (Matthew 25:24-25).

The servant’s fear tormented him to such an extent, he reasoned at least I will not lose anything by burying the talent in the ground and will return it to the Lord upon His return. This reasoning is not based on faith, not based in love, not based in hope of a good return as was the case with the other two servants who each doubled that which they were given. Instead, this servant’s fear and the torment he carried in his heart and mind prevented him from taking any productive action for His Lord.

Living in fear brings torment, stagnation, listlessness, idleness, slackness and is a waste of the valuable time which is due the Lord in service to Him in His Kingdom. Such fear subjects us to the chastisement of the Lord when the day of reckoning comes to give an account of our stewardship over the talents that were graciously given to us from our Master.

There is no wonder the Lord reacted as He did to the slothful servant:

“You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. You should, therefore, have put my money to the exchangers, and then at My coming I would have received Mine own with interest (Matthew 25:26-27).

There is a remedy for fear for being afraid of the Lord, and the subsequent torment associated with it. That remedy is found in our relationship with the Lord, a relationship of love, as stated by the Apostle John in his First Epistle:

“We have come to know and to believe the love that God has to us. God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God dwells in him. Herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. . .” (I John 4:16-18a).

Friend, how is your relationship with God? Are you living in fear and condemnation? Are you afraid you will be found out in the Day of Judgment? Are you experiencing the torment, that unpleasant and painful emotion, from your anxiety of not being right with God? Find your remedy in the loving arms of Jesus. Repent of your sin, confess your sin before the Lord. Come to the Cross of Calvary and find forgiveness in the Blood of the Lamb.

God is love. Dwell in love and find your release from fear and the torment it brings. The writer to the Hebrews gives us this blessed hope:

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the Devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

No more bondage. No more fear. No more torment. Perfect love has casts it out and set us free.

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