Recognizing two faces of fear

Fear is not usually a good thing to commend, especially in connection with the Gospel, good news which is designed to diminish our human fears in this very troubled world. The problem is we fear what we ought not, and have no fear of what we ought to fear.

Last week I heard of a group that is lobbying Congress to enact legislation requiring hot dogs to have a warning label that reads, "This product is harmful for your health and may cause cancer and other serious health issues." Why add another frivolous item to the human fear list which is quite long enough already? The point is fear is usually unproductive unless it's literally a matter of life and death.

On the other hand, fear is sometimes a matter of life and death and a mechanism for preservation. Teaching our children early on that they should fear when crossing the street and stop and look carefully; or fastening their seat belts when they ride in a car. There are many good things that can cause us serious harm if we have a careless attitude.

This is the sense of fear which the Bible strongly urges upon all men in regard to the Lord. Here are a couple of sample verses. Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 19:23, "The fear of the Lord leads to life; And he who has it will abide in satisfaction." Proverbs 10:27, "The fear of the Lord will prolong your days; but the years of the wicket shall be shortened."

The fear of the Lord means having a deep respect, admiration, and wonder for Almighty God who created us and sustains the universe and our own little planet by His power. Isaiah 66:2, "For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist."

In considering the fear of the Lord, you would not have to go very far down the list of God's attributes to find that it is the better part of wisdom to do so and to change the casual indifference we tend to have toward the all powerful God. In addition, the perfection of God's wisdom should excite our great respect and admiration. It will make us mortals go into meltdown mode in His presence.

There are other attributes of God that should also make us think twice. For example, it should be not question that His perfect justice requires a day of examination, reconciliation, and resolution when all men will give an account of themselves to Him.

Revelations 15:4, "Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? for You only are holy."

Pastor Gene Holman of Living Word Fellowship is a member of the Carson Valley Ministers' Association.