Truth Talk

Perfect Love Doesn't Eliminate Fear—It Transforms It

• Truth Talk (with Caleb Cross & Eliana Rivers) • Season 2 • Episode 13

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Have we misunderstood what it means to fear the Lord? Many believers wrestle with anxiety about their partnership with God, wondering if grace should eliminate all fear. This thought-provoking episode dives deep into 1 John 4:18, revealing that perfect love casts out torment (phobos), not reverence.

The distinction transforms our understanding of divine relationship. Before sin entered Eden, Adam experienced both perfect love and perfect fear – not terror of punishment, but awe at walking with the Almighty. When sin corrupted humanity, fear twisted into shame. But redemption doesn't delete reverence; it restores it to its proper place.

We expose the critical difference between religious fear and holy fear. Religious fear obsesses over our performance; holy fear marvels at God's magnificence. One breeds anxiety; the other cultivates wonder. Most dangerously, hyper-grace teachings have created a generation confusing familiarity with casualness. Like Isaiah who encountered God's presence and cried "Woe is me!" before receiving his greatest commission, true intimacy with God includes appropriate trembling at the privilege of divine partnership.

When churches lose the fear of the Lord, they lose the weight of His presence. And when His presence loses weight, everything becomes negotiable – sin, holiness, truth, eternity. Join us for this unfiltered conversation about reclaiming holy reverence in an age of casual Christianity. Next episode, we'll explore how this reverence leads to cutting sin off at the root.

💡 Hosted by Caleb Cross & Eliana Rivers
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Disclaimer: The content of this podcast addresses theological ideas and teachings often described as “hyper-grace.” We do not target or attack any individual by name. Our goal is to measure doctrine against the Word of God and encourage listeners to walk in truth, holiness, and grace. Any quotes referenced are from publicly available teachings and are examined for the purpose of biblical analysis.


Speaker 1:

This podcast critiques doctrines commonly called hyper-grace. Our focus is on teachings, not individuals. All views expressed are biblical reflections intended to help listeners weigh every message against Scripture.

Speaker 2:

Caleb, last episode changed how I think about partnership with God. But now I'm wrestling with something. If I'm supposed to cooperate with Him, work with Him, doesn't that create anxiety? Like what if I mess up the partnership? And I keep hearing that verse perfect love casts out fear. Shouldn't grace eliminate all fear?

Speaker 1:

That's the exact question that reveals our misunderstanding of biblical fear. Eliana, here's the truth. 1 John 4.18 says perfect love casts out torment, not reverence. The Greek word is phobos, which can mean terror or holy awe. Perfect love doesn't eliminate the fear of the Lord. It transforms human terror into divine reverence.

Speaker 2:

Wait, so there are different kinds of fear.

Speaker 1:

Exactly here's the hidden layer. In Eden, Adam had perfect love and perfect fear. Not terror of punishment, but awe at the magnitude of walking with the Almighty. He trembled not from condemnation but from the overwhelming privilege of breathing the same air as his creator. When sin entered, fear became twisted into shame and hiding. But redemption doesn't delete reverence, it restores it to its proper place.

Speaker 2:

So the fear that love casts out is different from the fear of the Lord.

Speaker 1:

Precisely the fear that love casts out is the fear that says God might reject me. The fear of the Lord is the awe that says God is magnificent and I get to know him. One fear drives you away from God. The other draws you deeper into his presence with appropriate wonder.

Speaker 2:

The other draws you deeper into his presence with appropriate wonder. But, caleb, if I'm in this partnership with God and I need to have reverent fear, how do I know I'm not just becoming religious, like trying to impress him instead of resting in his love?

Speaker 1:

Here's the test. Religious fear asks am I good enough? Holy fear asks is he glorious enough? Religious fear makes you perform. Holy fear makes you worship. Religious fear breeds pride or despair. Holy fear breeds humility and joy. Think about it when you truly grasp his magnificence, your own inadequacy doesn't terrorize you. It amazes you that he chooses to partner with you anyway.

Speaker 2:

So holy fear actually deepens intimacy.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and here's the forbidden insight Hyper-grace has created a generation that thinks familiarity with God means casualness toward God. They've confused intimacy with God means casualness toward God. They've confused intimacy with irreverence. But look at Isaiah 6. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he didn't casually wave, he cried woe is me. Yet that encounter led to his commissioning, his purpose, his deepest intimacy with God. When churches lose the fear of the Lord, they lose the weight of his presence. And when His presence loses weight, everything else becomes light. Sin, holiness, truth, eternity, all of it becomes negotiable.

Speaker 2:

So perfect love doesn't eliminate awe, it purifies. It Makes it clean and safe and beautiful, makes it clean and safe and beautiful.

Speaker 1:

Exactly, that's the raw truth. No filters, just freedom. True intimacy with God includes appropriate fear, not terror of rejection, but trembling at the privilege of partnership with the Almighty. And in episode 14, we'll see how this holy reverence leads to something the modern church has forgotten the necessity of cutting sin off at the root. This is Truth Talk, where filters die and truth speaks.