Just Two Things To Fear

Ecclesiastes 12:13: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Isaiah 41:10: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

There are two different things to fear for unbelievers and believers.

Unbelievers have only one logical thing to fear, that God is not with them and that He will not be with them for all eternity. Since God is not with them, they ought to be terrified.

Matthew 10:28: 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.

Believers have only one logical thing to fear. If they have received Jesus the only thing they should fear is disobeying the Lord. They should not ever fear that God will not be with them.

Isaiah 41:10a: Fear thou not; for I am with thee: . . .

Hebrews 13:5-6: Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

If men fear God properly in those two ways, they have nothing else to be afraid of. Genuine fear of God will bring unbelievers to faith in God. When they have faith in Him they receive His perfect love and need have no fear except the fear of taking themselves out of His perfect love by disobedience. It is healthy for them to be afraid to disobey God.

Jude 1:21: Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

1 John 4:18: 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.

God*s love will not seem perfect to them when Christians are in disobedience. To put another name on it, what Christians should fear is God*s chastisement.

Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Hebrews 12:8: But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

God*s chastisement for unrepentant sinning believers can be worse in this life and this life only, but the condemnation of unbelievers will be worse for all of eternity.

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