TO FEAR or
NOT TO FEAR – that
is the question
“phobos” – terror, dread, intense fear, or a
state of mind which arises on the conception of approaching danger.
I.
What
or who we Christians should not fear.
Matt. 10:22-28 Jesus’ enemies (Matt.
[“nothing hidden” – who the enemies are, what they’ve done, and their
punishment, and who the righteous are, what they’ve done, and how they’ll be
rewarded – Matt.13:41-43].
Are you or would you be terrified of these people if
they were after you to slander or even kill you, and why?
Lk.
Are you afraid that if you gave God
first place in your life (by giving Him
all of your time, talent, and treasure, or being in full time Christian work)
that you’d starve and wear rags? Why
(Phil.
Rom.
[“spirit” – disposition/mentality or frame of mind].
As a Christian, are you ever terrified of being a
slave to sin or of having to keep the Law (the
commands of the Old Testament) and being condemned to hell if you don’t,
and why (8:1; 7:4-6; 6:14)?
Rom. 13:3 Who shouldn’t Christians have to fear, if what
conditions exist?
When you see a police car behind you, do you get
terrified? Or,
if a policeman is walking behind you, and why?
Phil. 1:27-30 Who were these Christians not to be
alarmed (terrified) by, and why?
[“opponents” –
probably both Gentiles and Jewish people as well as carnal religionists from
Christendom].
[“A sign of…” – each time a fearless,
uncompromising stand is taken against evil, there is at that point a
demonstration of the ultimate doom which awaits the sinner and of the ultimate
victory awaiting the Christian.].
Are you or have you ever been terrified by people who oppose you as
a Christian and for the things for which you stand? When, and why?
Heb. 13:3, 5, 6 What
and/or who shouldn’t we be afraid of, and why?
Have you ever dreaded being jailed because of being
out-spoken for Jesus and your faith?
Or of being mistreated, yelled at, beaten, or
laughed at because of your beliefs? Why?
1 Pet. 3:13-17 What shouldn’t Christians fear (be terrified about)?
What should we do instead?
[“sanctify” – set apart or put first].
Have you ever been intimidated by anyone for your
Christian life or beliefs? How,
and by whom?
1 Jn. 4:16-18 When we are abiding (dwelling or living) in love (have the love that God is in His nature to
its full capacity of operation, “perfected”, by the Holy Spirit in our lives),
what won’t Christians have to fear, and why (vs.
18)?
[“Perfect” –
complete or mature].
[Perfect love
casts out fear because the Christian who’s living this kind of loving,
Christ-like life won’t have to dread punishment (loss of rewards) on judgment
day. If you’re fearing
punishment from God on judgment day, it only means that you’re not perfected in
love (living a life of love toward God and others like you’re commanded to).]
Are you fearing punishment (loss of reward) on judgment day, or are
you living a life of love, and why?
“deilia” – timidity or
cowardice, never used in a good sense in the New Testament.
Mk. 4:37-40; Matt. 8:24-26 What circumstances caused Jesus’
disciples to be timid?
What was the source of their
timidity?
When you know you’re in God’s will
and that God is right there with you, should you be timid about unpleasant
circumstances? Why?
II.
Examples
of the detrimental consequences of fear.
Jn. 9:20-23 Who feared? What
did they fear?
Because of fear, what did they fail to do and then
do instead, and why?
Do you ever lie because you fear that telling the
truth will get you into trouble, and why?
Jn. 12:42, 43 Who feared? What
did they fear?
Because of fear, what did they fail
to do and then do instead, and why?
Do you ever fail to do what is right
because you fear losing important people’s approval more than you do God’s?
Why?
Jn.
Because of fear, what was he?
Are you ever secretive or silent
about your Christianity because you fear what people might think of or do to
you?
Mk. 14:66-72; Lk. 22:55-60;
Jn. 18:16-18, 25-27 Who
feared?
What was he probably afraid of?
Because of fear, what did he fail to do and so do
instead?
What sins did his fear lead to? Do your fears ever
lead to other sins? If so,
which sins?
How will you deal with this from now on?
Gal. 2:11-14 Who feared? What did he fear?
Because of fear, what didn’t he do,
and what did he do instead?
How did his fear affect others?
What sins did his fear lead to?
Has fear ever influenced you to be a hypocrite (i.e., acting oppositely to what you really
believe), and why?
Gen. 12:10-19; 20:2-12 Who feared? What did he fear?
Because of fear, what didn’t
he do and so do instead?
What sin resulted from his fear?
Does fear ever influence you to not
trust God, and why?
Gen. 26:6-9 Who feared? What
did he fear?
Because of fear, what didn’t
he do and so do instead?
What sin resulted from his
fear? Do you think
his father’s fear and resultant action influenced Isaac?
Do other people’s fears
influence you? How, and why?
Ex. 32:3-5, 21-25 Who
probably feared the evil that might befall him by the mob of Israelites if he
didn’t comply with their request?
What did Aaron give in to
and do?
What did Moses accuse Aaron of doing (vss. 21, 25)?
Have you ever brought great sin upon others because
of your fear of what people might do to you and also let people get out of
control and sin because, as a leader, you were fearful of confronting their
sinful ideas? If so, why?
What did Aaron’s fear lead all the people into?
III.
How to overcome fear (“phobos” and “deilia”).
Rom.
If God is for us, who can be against
us (in actuality), verse 31?
If nothing can separate God’s love (unconditionally seeking our best welfare)
from us, then is there really anything we need to fear since God’s in control? So why should
Christians be terrified of
any person or thing?
[This
doesn’t mean that we should stand in front of a speeding car or not remove ourselves
from dangerous situations as God directs – Acts 9:25-30.].
2 Tim. 1:7, 8 What has God not given us? What has He given us instead?
Therefore, what wasn’t Timothy to be
ashamed of?
What was Timothy to join?
Are you a coward when it comes to witnessing of your
faith in Jesus Christ, being vocal and known as a born-again Christian, or
standing up for the truth? Why?
The next time you’re tempted with being timid, will
you claim God’s promise here and act upon it, and why?
IV.
What
or who we should fear (“phobos”)?
Matt.
[“Phobos” – in relation to God, it is a reverential
respect. This fear of God – as a
controlling motive of the life in matters spiritual and moral – is not a mere
fear of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of
displeasing Him, a fear which banishes the terror that shrinks from His
presence, Rom. 8:15 and which influences the disposition and attitude of one
whose circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the indwelling Spirit.].
Do you have a reverential respect for God and a
wholesome dread of displeasing Him? When,
and why?
Rom. 13:1, 7 To whom should we render fear (respect) because of their office?
Do you respect your governing authorities? How, and why?
[This does not
mean you can’t criticize corrupt leaders (e.g., Lk.
1 Pet.
How or in what way does a person carry this out (Prov.
Are you hating these things? In what way do you demonstrate
this (Prov. 14:2), and why?
Rom. 13:3, 4 Who are we to be afraid (in
dread) of if we do what is evil?
Is this true of you, and why?
Jude
While having pity upon even the most abandoned
heretic, we are to exercise great care while getting alongside them, lest we
become defiled in trying to save them with our witness. Are you cautious when evangelizing to not
fall into the lifestyle of those who are greatly polluted by their sin nature? Why?
And how do you show it?
Heb. 4:1 What should these
Christians do lest (for fear that),
while a promise remains of entering His rest (salvation), any one of them should seem (think) to have come short of it (God’s rest/salvation by trusting in Christ alone)?
Do you believe and so act upon God’s promises
because of your reverential respect for God? Why?
1 Tim.
Have you ever been terrified of sinning because you
saw another Christian rebuked in your presence?
2 Cor. 7:1 How are we to perfect holiness?
Are you progressively becoming more holy (Christ-like) because of your reverence
for the Lord?
1 Pet. 1:17-19 How should we conduct ourselves during the time of our
stay here on earth, and why?
Are you living your life in
reverential respect of God, and why?
Eph.
Because of your reverential respect for Christ, do
you cooperate in humility with other Christians who are in charge of some
project or responsibility that you’re a part of? Why?
Acts
Is your church going on in
reverential respect for the Lord by hating sin and living holy lives? Why?
Phil. 2:12, 13 What were these Christians to
work out (not “for”) with fear and
trembling (with serious, reverent concern
or conscientiousness and a sense of insufficiency because of the great import
of the task)?
How are you living out the salvation
that you received at conversion, and why?
1 Cor. 2:1-3 Who was in fear and in much trembling?
Do you ever witness to people with great concern and
conscientiousness that arises out of a sense of your insufficiency to minister
and because you view the task as being of great importance, and why?
2 Cor.
Do you receive missionaries or spiritual leaders
into your church or house with great concern arising out of a sense of your
insufficiency in ministering to them? Why?
V.
Benefits
of Fearing God – What are they?
Prov. 1:7
Prov. 10:27
Prov. 14:26,
27
Prov. 16:6
Prov. 19:23
Prov. 22:4
Prov. 28:14
Psa. 34:7
Psa. 147:11
VI.
Examples
of a godly person who feared.
2 Cor. 11:3, 4 What did Paul fear?
Do you have a fear of (a great concern for) your converts or Christian friends being
deceived by some cult, liberal or neo-orthodox theology, or carnal religionists,
and why?
2 Cor. 12:20, 21 What was Paul afraid of?
Do you ever fear (have
a great concern) that Christians you know and love may be in sin and not
dealing with it, and why?
Gal. 4:9-11 What does Paul fear?
Are you ever fearful (greatly concerned) that the time and
effort you put into helping some Christian may have been wasted because the
person was falling away from an obedient Christian life, and why?