Some people argued that loving and fearing God at the same time is unreasonable. They often asked, "How can it really be love when it is done out of fear?". Of course, this argument is valid. Some merely feign love for God out of fear of death, hell fire, misfortunes or to attract blessings. All of these feelings are not love neither is God seeking such! What is love and how can it be expressed?

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love", wrote Apostle John (1 John 4:18). That's it! There's no fear in love- the two are incompatible. Fear arises as a result of punishment, but he who's perfected in love need not fear anything! When you're perfected in love, the fear of death, imaginary hell fire, misfortunes, sicknesses, and other ungodly punishment of any sort is gone! But again, what is this love- a feelings of some sort? Can it be known for sure? The answer is, yes!

Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ wrote, "Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). Howbeit, John puts it in a more fascinating way when he said, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" (John 5:3). Here we have it, God's version of love- the truest! Have you noticed that God said His commandments are not burdensome/grievous, contrary to what most people believed, that it can't be kept or that Christ kept it in our stead?

Understand something here. The commandments can be kept perfectly! If it wasn't possible, Christ wouldn't have said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Perfection can be achieved while still flesh and blood, for this is the premise that Christ left for us an example to follow (1 Peter 2:21, John 13:15). However note that "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

And now, what commandments? None other than the Ten commandments (Exodus 20:3-17), also kept by Christ Himself (Matthew 5:17). It was also of this Law that Paul wrote, "So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good" (Romans 7:12). For those who teach or believed that this Law has been done away because of some scriptures they twist and distort, here is a sobering warning from the author of life Himself, "If you would enter life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17).

In conclusion, yes! God is our greatest lover, and those who are perfected in love need not fear anything whatsoever! Little wonder why Peter said, "Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:. And what is sin? "Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). What an amazing union! Understand that absence of love amounts to lawlessness- sin! Stay in love, even with your enemies.

cc lalasticlala, Mynd44, OAM4J. Please give it a wider view.

"If the primary motivation for believing in something is saving yourself, then the belief is rooted in self interest and not in love. Love is not compulsory and extracted through primitive threats of torture, but is what you feel of your own volition."

A loving father wouldn't have to resort to threatening his children with eternal punishment in other to coerce them into his loving him. No loving father would bear the sight of his children suffering such gruesome form of pain, even for a minute, let alone for all eternity.

Bump!