Theophylact of Ohrid, on 1John 4:19

“Let us therefore love God, because God first hath loved us.”

“By fear here is meant the preliminary fear. Whoever sincerely loves God does what is pleasing to Him not out of fear of punishment, but out of an inclination toward virtue and out of love for God, not safeguarding himself even with the lawful fear that consists in love for what is good. And that fear which does something in order not to fall under punishment is identical with the first. Therefore it is also added: "fear has torment."”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.