SHOULD CHRISTIANS FEAR AND TREMBLE?
Pastor J. C. O’Hair
Let us compare Romans 8:15 and I John 4:18 - II Timothy 1:7 with Hebrews 12:28 and Philippians 2:12: “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to FEAR; but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” “There is no FEAR in love; but perfect love casteth out FEAR: because FEAR hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” “For God hath not given us the spirit of FEAR, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Let us carefully and prayerfully consider these verses and compare with, “wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly FEAR.” “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with FEAR and trembling.”
There seems to be contradictory truth in the five verses quoted above. Christians have not received the spirit of bondage unto fear. Christians have not received the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. And yet Christians are told to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, and to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
In Romans 11:20 and 21 the Gentiles are warned to consider what God did to the Jews and be assured that God will not spare Gentiles. ‘‘Thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but FEAR.”
We read in Psalm 112:1 , “Blessed is the man that FEARETH the Lord.” Then we read in Job 1:8 and Job 2:3 that Job was upright and FEARED God. Christ instructed His hearers Whom to fear: “And FEAR not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather FEAR Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28.
In II Corinthians 5:11, Paul said, “Knowing the FEAR (terror) of the Lord we persuade men.” Here perhaps it is more what the unsaved have to fear than the ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Acts 10:35 we learn that Cornelius obtained God’s mercy because he FEARED God. He FEARED God with all his house. (Acts 10:2). However, the saved person is instructed to FEAR God and to pass his time here or, earth in FEAR, (I Peter 1:17).
Not long ago I asked a man if he were a Christian. His reply was, “Yes I am a Godfearing man.” Both sinners and saints should fear God, but not in the same way. When saints work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, or preach the gospel with meekness and in fear in much trembling as did Paul, according to I Corinthians 2:3, or give their testimony in obedience to I Peter 3:15 with meekness and fear, it is not fear of being destroyed in hell, but it is what we have described in Hebrews 12:28, reverence and godly fear.
This is the sense in which every Christian, although he knows God as his loving and merciful Father, the God of all grace, should fear to deliberately act against the known will of God. Perfect love casteth out fear. Sinners should fear God, because of Hebrews 10:28 to 33. For the sinner, it is a fearful thing to fall into God’s hands.
The statement of Paul that he preached to the sinners in Corinth in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, is explained in I Corinthians 1:29 and I Corinthians 2:5 and II Corinthians 4:7: “That no flesh should glory in God’s presence;” “That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God;” “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Posted By – Cecil Spivey
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