Fear

I wrote the following a while back, questioning how I understand fear. I do not feel as though I have presented an airtight thought or one that is completely correct doctrinally.  But I do think the way we fear is not always correct, and I hope this raises a few questions.

Fear is an interesting thing. It definitely is not something that we want to live in constantly, because fear comes from our sinful nature and is a result of the world around us.

I particularly find comfort in 1 John 4.18 where we are told: (I start at verse 16b)

"God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him.  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

I interpret this to mean that God made us with fear when it says, "The one who fears is not made perfect".  But the best part is the addition of, "in love", because it shows just how much God loves us.  If God hadn't created us without any fear, what would stop us from living a life for ourselves?  Why would we ever think about God?

Without fear, there is no need for salvation by human reasoning.  Christ would've come to deaf ears and blinded eyes.  Without fear, we have no order.  Laws would be broken, lives would be shattered, and we would have no reason to care. I would dare say that fear, and our instinctual understanding of it, is where our conscience comes from.  Why would we have a conscience if we had nothing to fear?  Without fear we would be depraved in a totality beyond comprehension.

As we learn in James, demons have fear:

"You believe that there is one God.  Good!  Even the demons believe that - and shudder"

We know that Satan is also a demon, so logically, he also has fear.  If Satan can be so depraved and reckless, with fear, what would a creation look like without fear?  This thought is frightening as best!

Fear truly is a gift of God which keeps us thinking of His will during times of struggle or temptation.  He gave it to us out of love and it is something I am inclined to cling to.

One dialogue that people often remember from the C.S. Lewis’ work, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" is when Lucy asks, "Is he... safe?" and Mr. Beaver responds, "safe?  Of course he isn't safe!  But... he is good.”  Lucy asks this question wondering if she is to fear Aslan or not.  The answer, of course!  But, he's good.  This is the same thing with God.  We should shake in our skin every time we consider disobeying one of God's commands.  I think we forget what God is!  And yet, there is nothing better to describe Him than the word, God!  It is humbling to consider His even the words that we describe Him with.  A proper understanding would instill such a mind paralyzing fear -beyond understanding - and yet, somehow it doesn't.  Our lack of fear is disturbing.

By definition, I must believe that fear was in perfection before the fall.  The only thing to fear was a pure, holy and perfect God, and what a wonderful fear to have.  It would drive us to worship Him, even if we were perfect, because He is still the ruler of all.

What we experience today and our understanding of fear is not good though.  I don't know that it is actually fear, but more of a gross perversion of what God intended which doesn't deserve the same word.  Unfortunately, my brain fails to bring up a more fitting term.  What we see today is people ultimately afraid of themselves.  The fear to love, work, play because they are afraid it will not benefit themselves. They fear to fear God (or, following God) because it would harm their own person. This fear and self worship is magnified by the money-driven world we live in.  It is exploited with pathetic horror movies and twisted so that we fear living without amenities.  This type of fear is wrong, and depressing.

Going back to First John, we see read that "Perfect love drives out fear." So why fear still a good thing - because, as humans, we are incapable of perfect love.  There will always be an element of fear in us, until we are made perfect, through Christ.  God does not, and cannot fear, because He is good and He is perfect love.