Fear

Mark Dunagan
11/18/12 - Sunday Morning

Fear

I started looking at the subject of fear and immediately found that there are a lot of things that people fear in this world.  Some of the most common fears are:

• Fear of Spiders
• Fear of Snakes
• Fear of Heights
• Fear of Crowded Spaces and Social Situations
• Fear of Dogs
• Fear or Thunder and Lightning
• Fear of Injections
• Fear of Flying
• Fear of Germs and Dirt
• Fear of Death

Then I found fears that are not as well known as least to me:

• Fear of Clowns
• Fear of Blushing
• Fear of Bridges
• Fear of Being Touched
• Fear of Sunlight
• Fear of Poetry
• Fear of New Things
• The fear of being out of cell phone contact.  I am told that 13 milllion people in England have this fear.
• Fear of the Number 4.
• Fear of Flowers.
• Fear of Infinity.
• There is even the fear of chopsticks.

I came to the conclusion that I think that someone on the planet at one time or another has been afraid of just about everything that exists.  In fact, many of the things that make our lives easier, like clocks, flying, computers, bicycles, and even electricity have those who fear such convienences.

A Normal Dislike Verses an Unhealthy Fear

Removing or overcoming a fear does not mean that I must now really like snakes, spiders or the thought of dying.  An aversion to something becomes unhealthy when it gets in the way of serving God, others or just living in general.  When I look at what God says about “fear” I don’t find Him specifically addressing all the above phobias.  Yet there is a fear that He warns us about on a number of occasions:

Being Afraid of what People Think

• “The fear of man brings a snare” (Proverbs 29:25).
• “Because I feared the people” (1 Samuel 15:24).
• “Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28).
• “We fear the multitude” (Matthew 21:26).
• “They were afraid of the Jews” (John 9:22).
• “Fearing the party of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:12).
• “Do not fear their intimidation” (1 Peter 3:14).

John 12:42-43

“Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43).

I wanted to take a closer look at this passage because there are a couple of valuable lessons to be learned:

• No one is immune from being really concerned about human popularity.  These were “rulers”, educated and able men who bowed to peer-pressure.  So government officials, professors, scientists, and all others can be influenced by what others think.
• The text says that “many” believed in Christ.  I am convinced that many people still “believe” in Jesus in our own times, but because such a decision is unpopular and is not considered “cool” or “trendy”, Jesus is not confessed and obeyed. 
• Along with “fear” is also something else.  There is often a “love” that is the reason behind the fear.  They loved the praise that came from people more than the praise that comes from God.  In other words, whatever you love above all else will also be what you respect and hold in awe above all else.  For example, if one loves their physical appearance above all else, or money, or fame, or their popularity, their comfort or their privacy, then predictable fears will result.

The Very Healthy Fear

Even though some people feel that having a fear of hell or God is unhealthy, Jesus said it was very useful:

• “But I will warn you whom to fear:  Fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5).
• “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).
• “Fearing the Lord” (Colossians 3:22).

The One Wise Fear to Have

Holding God in absolute reverence and respect above all else is extremely wise and leads to further wisdom and a lifetime of advantages:

• All lesser fears are seen to be rather silly, for they are based in an unrealistic view of things.  When we fear something we are saying, “This is about the worst thing that could happen”.  When the reality is—no, there is something far more dangerous (2 Corinthians 5:11)—and many things far more important.
• Why do I no longer fear all the things that could physically happen to me?  Because I realize that such an earthly existence is not the end of me.  I have a soul that no man can touch (Luke 12:4).
• I no longer waste my time and energy worrying about all the things that do not matter.  I focus on the one thing that really matters (2 Corinthians 5:9).
• I no longer worry about all the things that “could happen”, however remote—I focus on what will happen in the future.
• I no longer make things into something they are not.  A clown cannot devour me—but Satan can.

1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love”.

This verse has always attracted my attention.  So let’s take a closer look:

• The verse is not saying that love removes my respect for God.  For I am both to hold God in awe and love Him at the same time.  Living in the fear of the Lord is viewed in both Testaments as a very spiritual thing to be doing (Acts 9:31; Philippians 2:12; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Timothy 5:20; Hebrews 4:1; 1 Peter 1:17).
• The “fear” in this verse must be the fear of “dread and terror”, and not the fear that is manifested in respect and reverence (Ephesians 5:21).
• A complete and mature love for God removes such a dread.  The faithful Christian does not stand in terror at the thought of the return of Christ, rather he or she looks forward to such an event (Philippians 3:20).  Neither do we dread the final day, for we want to show God what we have accomplished (Matthew 25:20).

Fear Involves Punishment

This reveals that many unhealthy fears are linked with the fear of punishment or pain.  The faithful Christian, because he or she knows they are right with God, has no such fear.  Yet, if I am not right with God, then I am consigning myself to a future with many fears.  In addition, the “fear of punishment” is the wrong way to live.  God did not create me just to punishment me.  God created me so He would reward me in the end.  So the Christian does not view life of one filled with fears or all the things that could go wrong, rather, we view life as filled with blessings, opportunities and all the things that will go right.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.com
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net