Fear terrorizes countless people. There is a proper kind of fear and an entirely different sort that torments. The fear of God is a positive thing in that it motivates us to turn away from evil and run toward God. Here is what Jesus said about the fear of God.
Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. Luke 12:4-5 (NLT)
The Bible teaches us that the fear of God is the basis of wisdom.
Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! Psalm 111:10 (NLT)
God is to be feared because he is our Creator. He sustains all life, and he will ultimately hold us accountable for how we lived our lives, judge us, and assign us to our eternal destinies. The Bible teaches us that his justice will not be circumvented. We will all reap the consequences of our actions. (Galatians 6:7)
The gospel, however, reveals the good news that, although God wants us to properly fear and respect him, he has chosen to relate to us on the basis of a compassionate fatherly love, if we will accept the offer to be reconciled to him through faith in his Son, Jesus the Messiah.
Those who come to Christ can experience what it means to be set free from the kind of fear that torments people. (1 John 4:16-19)
Tormenting fear can be broken down into the following categories.
- Fear of powerlessness and the loss of autonomy
- Fear of shame and judgment
- Fear of invalidation, rejection, and abandonment
- Fear of pain and death
- Fear of the unknown
In the articles that follow, I will show from the scriptures how the gospel sets us free from each of these tormenting fears to love and joyfully serve God and others from the heart.
For now, let’s close with the following foundational promise.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)
