There are two kinds of fear. One is preliminary, the other is perfect. One is proper to the beginner, that is, for the sake of their piety. the other belongs to the perfected saints who have acquired a measure of love. For example, whoever fulfills the will of God because of the fear of tortures is, as we said, still a beginner. He does not yet do good for the sake of the good, but from the fear of punishment. Another does the will of God for its own sake, and he does it in order to please God. Such a person knows what is essentially good. Such a person has come to know what it is to be with God. Such a person has the true love that the beloved apostle called perfect. This love leads him to perfect fear, because such a person fears and remains faithful to the will of God not form fear of punishments, not to avoid eternal suffering, but because, as we have said, having tasted the very sweetness of being with God, he fears falling away, fears being deprived of God's presence. This perfect fear, acting on the principle of love, casts out the preliminary fear. Therefore, it is said, "perfect love casts out fear"(1 John 4:18). However, it is impossible to attain to perfect fear without first passing through preliminary fear.
+St. Dorotheos of Gaza, from Discourses and Sayings, #4 On the fear of God
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