We have talked about how as believers God will never again punish us for our sins. NEVER! If God does, then Jesus did not absorb all our punishment. We then looked at how if punishment is eliminated in our relationship with God, then fear is gone in our relationship with God. I John 4:18 is foundational here – “…perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment…” We are loved with a perfect love and so fear is gone in our relationship with God.

So now we need to ask – does fear just disappear or does something replace it? Thankfully something replaces it…something that is the polar opposite of fear. Ephesians 2:18 tells us that through the work of Christ we now have access to the Father. But then Ephesians 3:11 amplifies on this and says “we have boldness and access with confidence…” No more hesitation, hedging, intimidation, cautiousness or fear in approaching God. That is all gone…forever! Now we come boldly into God’s presence with confidence! I am wonderfully at home with my Father!