Fear: The Faith Killer

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.

1 John 4: 18

In this letter from John the Apostle, his purpose was to show Christ’s divinity and how He is the great interceder between man and God. John also established “Man’s” responsibility not only between himself and God but also between himself and his fellow man. Jesus Christ becomes the connection between all of those relationships. The way that Christ connects us all is through love. That love becomes the central theme of this letter.

In the midst of instructing about “love’s ministry, ” John identifies something that is not a part of love – that is fear. This type of fear has the ability to have a damaging effect on a person’s mental and/or emotional state. There are many people who have been diagnosed with a variety of mental and/or emotional conditions that can be traced directly back to … fear! Paranoia is an extreme example of fear. Even obsessive compulsive disorder, at its root, is an outgrowth of fear. This condition of fear even can have a debilitating effect on those who call themselves Christian.

The torment that is referenced in our scripture verse is different than other references in the New Testament. Those other references are more akin to destruction or terror. The root of the terror spoken about in this scripture is more like the terror of being in prison. So what John is getting at is that fear has such a binding affect in peoples lifes that its like being in a prison. This torment makes a person feel that there is no way out; that they are sentenced or doomed to despair. John is warning the people of God to not allow themselves to get into this state but to allow love to overcome and to release or cast out fear.

Abraham: The Father of Faith

But how does this effect faith? Let’s take a look at the life of Abraham. He is known in “church circles” as the “Father of Faith.” In several passages in the New Testament, they speak of the obedience of Abraham and how that obedience was counted as righteousness before God. Abraham’s obedience came from a life of faith. He trusted God and he walked with God. Abram (His previous name) left his homeland with his father to depart into a country where he could worship his God away from the heathen nation that they came out of. When Terah, Abram’s father, died, God called Abram out of his father’s house into a land that God would show him; not necessarily knowing where he was going. Abram was lead by faith and he communed with God. Because of his faith and communion, God made a promise with Abraham that he would be a Father of many nations. He went from being called Abram to being called, by God, Abraham.

In the midst of this time of sojourning, faithful Abraham experienced fear. When he went down to Egypt, he told Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she was his sister. This was because of a fear that if they found out that she was his wife that they would kill him in order to take her. This great man of faith had a point where fear killed faith. He trusted God to lead him out of his country and his father’s house. He journeyed quite a distance. He walked and talked with God. However, when it came to his own life, fear stopped faith dead in its tracks. He went on to receive the promise and the covenant of circumcision. He pleaded for Sodom and his nephew Lot. However, when he journeyed to Gerar and came within the presence of King Abimelech, he told Sarah to explain, once more, that she was his sister, instead of saying that she was his wife. And yes she was his sister (Genesis 20: 12). However, it was fear for his life that drove him to stretch the truth. He assumed that the people of that land were not God fearing. So he used that to justify his lying. Fear killed faith.

If Abraham was the father of faith and he allowed fear to kill faith, what about us? Amongst people who ascribe to holiness this can happen. I have observed, that many times the idea of holiness or living holy before God, if we are not careful, actually can lead to a life of fear instead of a life of faith. Here is how that works!

A Heart Condition

Holiness is a condition of the heart. The scripture states:

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 Peter 1: 18

This scripture is speaking of the condition of heart that we must have before God to be accepted of God. In another scripture, it states:

Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Hebrews 12: 14

Again, the scripture writer is speaking of a heart condition that is the only way that we may see God both in this life and in the life to come. Holiness is heart purity. It’s not a thought or an idea or even a doctrine. It is a condition of the heart that makes us pleasing before God.

However, my observation has been that holiness, oftentimes, has been reduced to a doctrine. In that case, it actually moves from the heart to the head. Holiness is not a state of mind but a condition of the heart. However, when it is taught as a doctrine, it tends to become a set of rules or “do’s and don’t.” Fear is produced when one tries to live a life of holiness from the head and not the heart. The practical application of living a holiness life is living a life free from sin – or heart purity. When one seeks to live a life free from sin from the heart, their heart is not inclined to practice sin. Their livelihood is one where sin does not direct their life. They become directed by a heart that wants to please God … and that is by faith. However, there may be a time in their life, living for God, that they may fail or even sin. They may be overtaken be a temptation or the devil may take advantage of them at a weak moment. Much like Abraham, their heart is not one that is inclined to practice sin. But, also like Abraham, they are not beyond succumbing to fear. However, a person with a pure heart or one who ascribes to living free from sin will repent of that sin and do everything possible to get back into right standing with God. Their desire is to please God. That is their new nature. This is the same nature that Abraham had in his life!

However, when one tries to live a holy life from the head and not from the heart, it becomes like living under a set of rules or “do’s and don’ts.” That person may not commit sin. However, it is because they view God as a great punisher ready to cast out judgement when they make a mistake or even fall. There are Christian people who actually live this way. However, there is little or no joy in their lives because they live in a constant state of fear. Since they are constantly living in fear of punishment, they become bound in the very lifestyle that they are trying to portray. They will tighten up on the outward manifestations of holy living (i.e. outward appearance). They will take strong stances to prove their doctrinal superiority. They may even stop “fellowshipping” ones that they do not feel live in “holiness” the way that they are living in holiness. All the while, they are living in torment or being in a prison-like state where there is little or no joy. That torment is a direct result of fear. That fear comes from not having the type of relationship that Abraham had with God. Abraham had communion with God by faith.

Finding An Answer

Most people do not relish living in bondage for any reason. When one is in religious bondage, because of fear, they will try to seek a way out. There are those that actually leave “the church” to get out from under the bondage of fear. They never learned holiness from the heart. They learned holiness as a doctrine or “from the head.” Unfortunately, in their effort to get out from under this type of bondage, they oftentimes choose a religion that will allow them to find a since of rest from that type of fear; a religion that may keep a person busy in activities. However, they don’t find true peace because they are not introduced to the Prince of Peace. It becomes a religion of no commitment and thus no communion. This actually produces a new fear. A fear that if true commitments are made then true holiness has to be lived. The devil actually makes non commitment religion look more attractive than heart-felt communion. They actually remain in a religion of the head and not holiness of the heart. Many of our youth leave because they really want something more in the heart. However, because the place where they left, oftentimes, did not teach holiness from the heart, they have a hard time finding the One who can fill their longing heart. And still there are others who leave “the church” because they have such an awful understanding and experience of true holiness. In all instances, fear kills faith.

The true answer lies in Abraham’s example. Yes, he was wrong for lying! However, Abraham proved his loved to God by having a heart that was pure before God. It was not Abraham’s nature to live a life of lying. He confessed his fault before Pharaoh and the King. It was his nature to commune with God and be obedient to him. Abraham separated himself from his land and his family because he was a Semite. He did not believe in multiple God’s like many in the land but he believed in the true and living God. He separated himself not to make a statement. He separated out of obedience. That which was inside also manifested itself on the outside. The reason that Abraham told Sarah to say that she was his sister was because she was a very beautiful woman. This was both on the inside and the outside. They were holy people even before the Holy Ghost had been given. They lived it from the heart and therefore they saw God and pleased God.

Our victory and joy comes when we live holiness from the heart. Yes there are boundaries and standards that must be lived. Even Abraham had circumcision as an outward sign. However, those boundaries and standards are ones that we live because, in our heart, we want to please God. The truth is that Jesus Christ is our standard. He came and died and rose again to make a way to live a holy life by being filled with his Spirit. The scripture says:

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.

Romans 8: 15

Fathers we have a special responsibility to teach our children how to receive this Spirit and live for God from the heart and not through fear. We have to be careful not to model our Heavenly Father as one who is waiting to always punish when our children do wrong. There are times that punishment is appropriate. However, our children must always know that even in a time of punishment that there is always the umbrella of love. We may not like what they do but we love them! When they are taught love in this way, faith is not too far behind. They will begin to trust that we are doing what we do for their good and not for their failure. They will also begin to see that their Heavenly Father loves them the same way and even more than what we do. Love and Faith begin to conquer fear!

Finally, doctrine is good. Paul tells us that in his second letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 3: 16-17). We must teach and we must impart the wisdom of the Word of God to any and all who will hear us. However, when doctrine is taught with fear, it will kill faith. Paul, again, said it this way:

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

2 Corinthians 3: 6

A doctrine that produces fear cannot make the people who hear perfect in love. It is that perfection or maturity in love that true doctrine is trying to produce. When one is living in true holiness from the heart because of the true doctrine that is taught, in love, fear has no place and true faith arises! When faith arises in the church then real healing can take place. Not just physical healing but just as important, mental healing can also take place. And not just healing, but more importantly, deliverance from the fear that has men bound.