Sarx

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgement, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
1 John 4:17-21 (NRSV)

HIS ONE Line is often quoted out of context: “Perfect love casts out all fear”. The extended passage (through verse 21) seems to parallel our perfected love of God (in which there is no fear) with our perfected love of our brothers and sisters, in which, by virtue of this parallel, there should also be no fear.

What is John getting at here? What say you? What is the meaning of that line that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear… Whoever fears has not reached perfection in love”?

Does the concept of “No Fear” equate with “no timidity”?