Today, I would like to tentatively explore the topic of fear which I promised to do 2 years ago.
First of all, fear is a basic instinct. It is essential for the survival of an organism in the wild. Fear pops up naturally in face of danger. There are only three choices: fight, flight or freeze. Freeze is sure death and thus the worst choice. Probably it is a residue of evolution where sometimes faking death will cheat the predator. Flight has a better chance of survival, though the organism will lose the food and has to work hard again to seek. Without fear, an organism will put up a fight and end up in death. Why? Surely the predator must be mightier than you. Otherwise, why does fear pop up?
Secondly, due to some traumatic experiences, we may develop different kinds of phobia such as darkness, insects, overcrowding and death etc. There are no real physical dangers and yet we are afraid. Very likely, these irrational reactions are the result of psychological malfunctioning, of personality disorder. Perhaps it is a kind of punishment inflicted by a sense of guilt. If so, the fear, the punishment aims at relieving this repressed sense of guilt. This kind of fear can be eliminated only when the root of the guilt is found and cleansed.
However, John is not talking about the law of the jungle nor counselling. Rather, he is talking about morality because he mentions the fear of punishment.
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 (1 John 4:18).
In 1958, Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) proposed a six-stage development of moral reasoning. The first stage of reasoning focuses on the immediate consequences of an action. Fear of punishment is the basic motivation. An action is morally wrong if it incurs punishment. This kind of motivation shows that the person is egocentric, is immature. In the next stage, the motivation is self-interests such as rewards and praises. It is still egocentric. Gradually, as a person grows and becomes more aware of interpersonal relationships, his motivation will be based on conformity and even social order. Beyond that, when the person is capable or more abstract reasoning, he will strive for acceptance of different opinions and even abstract universal ethical principles.
Kohlberg's theory is useful but not without flaws. It is optimistic and charts a path of moral growth. Signposts are put up to show the possibility of attaining better moral reasoning. Of course, it cannot encompass all possibilities.
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 (1 John 4:18).
In 1958, Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) proposed a six-stage development of moral reasoning. The first stage of reasoning focuses on the immediate consequences of an action. Fear of punishment is the basic motivation. An action is morally wrong if it incurs punishment. This kind of motivation shows that the person is egocentric, is immature. In the next stage, the motivation is self-interests such as rewards and praises. It is still egocentric. Gradually, as a person grows and becomes more aware of interpersonal relationships, his motivation will be based on conformity and even social order. Beyond that, when the person is capable or more abstract reasoning, he will strive for acceptance of different opinions and even abstract universal ethical principles.
Kohlberg's theory is useful but not without flaws. It is optimistic and charts a path of moral growth. Signposts are put up to show the possibility of attaining better moral reasoning. Of course, it cannot encompass all possibilities.
Where does punishment come from? From within and without.
We pass judgment on our own actions. Our conscience will reprimand and even torture us if we have done something seriously wrong. Our social network, the society at large and God are other sources of punishment from the outside. From them we internalize to form part of our conscience. Therefore, whenever we have done wrong, we will suffer punishment from both within and without.
But the time will come when we are mature enough, we will have developed some convictions and a will of steel. By then, we will be like Isaiah.
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame (Isaiah 50:6-7).
Isaiah has no fear because the Lord God is with him. He is not afraid of physical abuses nor humiliation. He is filled with a sense of mission. He knows that he is executing the will of God. However, how can we guarantee that a murderer who claims to be doing the will of God is not a liar or a victim of paranoia or a religious frenetic? John provides us with the answer and we believe that it is a universal principle. It is love. It is the love of our fellow men, especially the needy and the love of God. Like Isaiah, even though we are "punished" by the world, we are confident that God loves us.
We pass judgment on our own actions. Our conscience will reprimand and even torture us if we have done something seriously wrong. Our social network, the society at large and God are other sources of punishment from the outside. From them we internalize to form part of our conscience. Therefore, whenever we have done wrong, we will suffer punishment from both within and without.
But the time will come when we are mature enough, we will have developed some convictions and a will of steel. By then, we will be like Isaiah.
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame (Isaiah 50:6-7).
Isaiah has no fear because the Lord God is with him. He is not afraid of physical abuses nor humiliation. He is filled with a sense of mission. He knows that he is executing the will of God. However, how can we guarantee that a murderer who claims to be doing the will of God is not a liar or a victim of paranoia or a religious frenetic? John provides us with the answer and we believe that it is a universal principle. It is love. It is the love of our fellow men, especially the needy and the love of God. Like Isaiah, even though we are "punished" by the world, we are confident that God loves us.
Dear Lord, You are the way, the truth and the life. Guide us onto Your way. Strengthen our feeble knees and hearts to stand firm on Your teaching. Amen.
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