1:7 What is the "spirit of fear" Paul refers to here?
1:6 See comments on 1Ti 1:18
1:7 What is the "spirit of fear" Paul refers to here?
The spirit of fear here is best understood as referring to a disposition of the mind. In this context it means "fearfulness, cowardice, timidity, reticence" (CP Psa 55:5; Mt 8:26; Mk 4:40-41; Jn 14:27 with Rev 21:8).
Power refers to all the spiritual resources God has given to believers in Christ to combat every adverse circumstance in life that they may encounter (CP 2Ti 1:8 with Mt 10:19-20; Ac 1:8; Eph 3:20; 6:10-18). Love is the agape love of God.
This kind of love does not centre on self, but on pleasing God, and on the welfare of others. It is self-sacrificial love (CP 1Cor 13:1-7; 1Pe 1:22; 1Jn 3:16-18; 4:18). The "fear" referred to in 1 Jn 4:18 is not the same "fear" as in 2Ti 1:7 - this fear is the fear of not being saved - but the perfect "love" is the same.
A sound mind is a self-disciplined, self-controlled mind - one capable of making sound judgements. It is the opposite of the fearful, cowardly, timid and reticent mind of 2Ti 1:7 that causes disorder and confusion (CP Ro 12:3; 1Ti 3:2; Tit 2:2).
It should be noted here that the "fearful" in Rev 21:8 are professing Christians whose fear of man overrides their loyalty to Christ and the truth of His word. Their personal feelings and status among men mean more to them than being faithful to Christ and witnessing to His saving grace. They claim to be Christians but they compromise God's word rather than proclaim it.
There is no suggestion whatever that Timothy is included in this category. However, he was rather diffident toward his ministry, at one stage anyway, because Paul had to remind him of the need to give himself wholly to his ministry; to "stir up" the spiritual gift God had given him; to lay hold of eternal life, and to guard the gospel which God had entrusted to him (CP 1Ti 4:12-16; 5:21-22; 2Ti 1:6).
There appeared to be an element of fear in Timothy's natural disposition because of his youthfulness, which obviously was prejudicial to his efficiency as the leader of the church at Ephesus (see also comments of 1Ti 1:18, 5:23, 6:14 and 6:20).