Why does perfect love cast out all fear?
Love is the opposite of fear. "There is no fear in love" (1 John 4:18). As we have more love filling our hearts, we have less room for fear. Perfect love is the type of love which casts ALL fear out. Perfect love is Christlike love.
"It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser
suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive" (Jeffery R. Holland, Like a Broken Vessel).
Christlike love is always accompanied by obedience (Jeffery R. Holland, The Costs - and Blessings - of Discipleship). Christ himself defined this by saying "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 15:10). Obedience brings confidence because laws of God are predicated on obedience. When we keep commandments, we get blessings. This is a consistent law. It is absolute. So why does perfect love cast out fear? As we have more love, we have less room for fear. And as we have more Christlike love we are more obedient, and can experience the consistency of blessings which are predicated on obedience.
Also. God is love (John 4:16). Why does perfect love cast out fear? Because God casts fear out of us. Christ - our perfect, beautiful Savior - suffered and felt our fear, so he would know what it felt like. So he would know how to succor us (Alma 7:12). Christ also suffered for our sins to keep the commandment of the Father (which proves his perfect love to the Father). His willingness to do this also showed his understanding that sin cannot be tolerated or condoned. "No clean thing can inherit the kingdom of God" (Alma 40:26). Sin can however be forgiven.
Christ is the perfect love which casts fear out of us as we use his purifying Atonement. Also, as we develop love in our own hearts through obedience, and through coming to understand and appreciate Christ, we consume the room fear needs to grow in our hearts.
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