“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10 (KJV)

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16 (KJV)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)

 “There is no fear in love; but perfect (mature) love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect (mature) in love.” (1 John 4:18 (KJV)

The Bible is a liberating book. The tragedy is that religion has made it a part of the apparatus of fear.

The road between the biblical basis of fear and the equally biblical statement that “perfect (matured) love casts out fear” is a long, difficult trail. For love and fear cannot occupy the same ground.

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the matured love of the Lord in us is surely the end-point of His wisdom… as love conquers all.  

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity (Gk. agape, love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love).” (1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)

Who of us has the matured love of the Lord fully operating in us? There may be some of one and some of the other; but the more there is of one, the less there is of the other. We can be thankful that it is God’s work to mature us in love. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13 (KJV)

Portions Adapted from Kenneth L. Wilson by Arthur J Licursi