The scary and sad truth is that we are living in dangerous times. Times that in some capacities seem to be worse than ever before. Many people live in constant fear and for the most part, it’s for good reason. This world is filled with sickness, hate, greed, destruction, death, and many other frightening things. Yet facing all this, and so much more, there is only one thing that every Bible-believing Christian actually has to fear.
Those things listed above definitely can be scary and probably have inspired fear in your life at some point. But fear is dependent on your worldview and as Christians, our world view comes from scripture. And the Bible clearly tells us not to fear the same things as those who do not share our faith. A teaching that goes all the way back to the Old Testament.
Isaiah 8:12–13 (ESV)
12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
The only thing we have as believers to fear is the Lord. We should not share the fears of those that are still lost in the world. Which is exactly what God was trying to tell His people through the prophet Isaiah in the above verse.
This message has not changed with time but has carried through and still applies to us living today. In fact, Jesus taught this very same message during His ministry. Instructing those who followed Him to not fear mere men but to only fear the Lord. In doing so He also explains why the only thing we should fear is the Lord.
Luke 12:4–5 (ESV)
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
Matthew 10:28 (ESV)
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
People and even other things that often scare us like poverty or sickness can only affect us in this life. But God has the ability to affect our eternity by either granting us salvation and eternal life in Heaven. Or sentencing us to the perils of hell because we chose to live against Him throughout our earthly lives. Compared to this nothing else is worthy of our fear.
The Bible even gives Christians other reasons not to fear anything that this world can throw at us. For instance, the Christian who has made a point to give from their increase to those in need as instructed by the Bible should not fear the loss of income. Because scripture says that those who have supported others in need should expect to be supported in their time of need.
2 Corinthians 8:14 (ESV)
14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.
Even the things that many fear most in our society should not even phase us as people of the Word. There is nothing to fear when it comes to sickness and disease because we know they can only last a short time on the grand scale of eternity. Even death should not be feared because it is not the end for the person of faith. Death is the last chapter in our earthly lives but the first chapter in our eternal lives where we will meet our creator and Saviour face to face.
Philippians 1:21–23 (ESV)
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
2 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV)
5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
We can’t say all this and inspire fear of the Lord in the lives of other believers. Without speaking to what it means to rightly fear God. Fearing God as shown is the Bible does not mean living in constant terror or worry that God will smite us if we step out of line.
In reality, the fear of the Lord is a healthy thing and something that anyone who believes in God should experience. Because really Godly fear is on the same level as deep respect. Christians should live with the understanding that our eternity is in the hands of God and the way we live will directly impact where we spend eternity.
This knowledge should strike a level of fear into every single believer. But this fear should cause us to live the holy lives we see described in scripture. The very lives that lead to salvation and not destruction.
Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV)
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
There truly is nothing in this life that any Christian should fear or even worry about. The only concern that a believer should have is if they are living a life that leads to salvation. A life that is based in scripture and has a healthy fear of the Lord.
Because beyond this nothing else matters and our salvation can never be taken from us no matter what happens to us. All the bad that can and will happen in this life will not compare in the slightest to the glory and greatness of Heaven.
Romans 8:18 (ESV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
So don’t be afraid of things that can only impact this life. Like sickness, death, poverty, etc. But realize that as a Christian you are meant to only fear the Lord. Because nothing in this life has the power to affect your eternal life but God does.
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