Yes, what do you fear? Humans typically have a fear of something. According to one study, Americans in the USA top 10 years are:
1) Corrupt government officials - 79%
2) People I love dying - 58.5%
3) A loved one contracting COVID - 58%
4) People I love becoming seriously ill - 57.3%
5) Widespread civil unrest - 56.5%
6) A pandemic or major epidemic - 55.8%
7) Economic/financial collapse - 54.8%
8) Cyber-terrorism - 51%
9) Pollution of oceans, rivers and lakes - 50.8%
10) Biological warfare - 49.3%
Job said, "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me." (Job 3:25)
Proverbs also says, "The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon them..." (10:24)
Seeing what these verses declare and what the fears of the American people are, most likely they will occur to them.
Are any of the items mentioned on the aforementioned list on your list?
My point in bringing this up is that there are many things that people fear. How many of those items on the aforementioned list are spiritual?
In this post, I'm going to be looking at the fear of man from a biblical perspective.
Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man bringeth a snare..." Yes, the fear of man is a trap that needs to be avoided. Caring about what someone else thinks of you is a dangerous trap!
When we fear man, it's because we fear something negative will occur to us if we do not give in to their "peer pressure". We are afraid of their displeasure or rejection. Therefore we often will try to please people to keep their favor, because we seek their approval and friendship. Therefore, Christians are tempted to cast behind them the Word of God to maintain unity and peace, regardless of the spiritual consequences that will result by accepting a sinful lifestyle, or a false doctrine. Brethren, this thing ought never to be done!
What are some of the things we fear from our fellow man? People often fear their boss and some will compromise their faith when asked to for the sake of the company, or because they are given the ultimatum, do it or lose your job.
A HUGE fear for many comes from their own family. If you are a believer and married to an unbeliever the pressure can be great, as even some spouses will test their mates in hope it will cause them to reject God.
A greater fear is when you come from a family full of believers and through diligent study of the Scriptures you discover that something you and your family believe, let's say the trinity, you have become convinced that it's not Scriptural. When you try to reason through the Scriptures with your family you are met with opposition, because everyone else you know believes it. Do you change your convictions to line up with God's Word, or do you buckle under your family's pressure to forget it?
Like the Jews in NT days (Jn. 7:13; 9:22; 12:42-43), they feared confessing that Jesus was the Messiah, lest they should be removed from the fellowship. These days if you speak out concerning "sin in the camp," or false doctrine being taught when they are accepted among the congregation, you will eventually be told to "zip-it" or leave, because you are a troublemaker, judgmental, and unloving.
Preachers, which most are nothing more than hirelings - to appease the people who hired them, present messages that appease and tickle their ears according to their favorite brand of doctrines (or preferences). Assuring them "peace and prosperity" only as long as they preach what they were hired to preach.
They will show partiality for their wages (Pr. 28:21). They will corrupt the Word of God for their earthly gain. They fear man rather than God. I know many preachers who hold to one set of doctrines and preach another according to the people that hired them, knowing that they cannot tell these people the whole counsel of God (Ac. 20:27), if they desire to keep their employment. So they will lie and deceive the people, telling them what they want to hear. This is a spiritual "lose, lose" situation.
Proverbs 14:25 says, "A true witness delivereth souls, but a deceitful witness speaketh lies."
Proverbs 26:24 says, "He that hateth dissembleth, disguises with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him. Verse 28 says, "A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin."
Such preachers are hypocrites! Jesus warned His disciples about them. One such example is found in Matthew 16, where He warned them to beware of their doctrine, or leaven. Why? Because these hypocrites like the praise, and approval of men. Appearing to be ministers of truth and righteous on the outside while being corrupt on the inside (Mt. 23). Remember, it only takes a little leaven, unsound teaching, immortality, etc to leaven the entire lump (1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9).
Therefore, your hired preacher may be a wolf in sheep's clothing as he keeps a tight lip for financial gain and allows not only your own soul, but all others that trust them to perish for eternity, but it will also cost them their very own souls.
Unfortunately, most "churches" are nothing more than businesses, set up after the pattern of the antichrist worldly system in the form of a nonprofit 501c3 corporation. They don't follow the NT apostolic pattern to their own destruction.
These preachers are like Aaron who listened to the people and syncretized the worship of the One True God when he made them a golden calf to worship (Ex. 32). They are like Eli who allowed his sons to corrupt the ministry and the people they ministered to (1 Sam. 2:12-17). They are like king Saul who sinned against God because he feared the people and obeyed their voice (1 Sam. 15:24).
Why? For some, the fear of losing their jobs. For others, the fear of the people's rejection. Still others will fear losing their popular status in the community, like Nicodemus (Jn. 3) and Joseph (Jn. 19:38-40) who were members of the Sanhedrin. They feared excommunication from the synagogue, which would end many of their long-standing relationships and impact their livelihood by causing them to lose their prestigious place in the community. But the praise of others is fickle and short-lived. We should be much more concerned about God’s eternal acceptance than about the temporary gratification of other people’s approval. How do you compare with them?
People aren't much different today than they were in the first century. Jesus warned His hearers, "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (Jn. 5:44) Who was Jesus' greatest enemy among men when He walked the earth? None other than the religious establishment of His day. The scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees. Even the Herodians joined them in their plot to remove the Truth (Jn. 1:14; 14:6; 18:37; 1 Jn. 5:20; Rev. 19:11) from them because Jesus was a threat to the livelihood of their institution and throne. What is peculiar about these alliances is that they despised each other. Yet, they banded together in their war against the Truth, which picture is depicted in Psalm chapter 2 among other passages. It's the same religious establishment that fought against His apostles. We have seen this pattern throughout history. It is the orthodox religious establishment that often persecuted those that oppose their teachings.
Today it's no different. The orthodox Christian establishment speaks evil of any who do not follow after their commandments, doctrines, and traditions. Whose foundational tenets have been syncretized with gnosticism and the scholars who should know better, choose to let people believe these lies for at least two reasons: 1) to please the people they minister to; and/or 2) to please their peers in the ministry. Knowing that if they go against either they could lose all the worldly esteem, popularity, prestige, approval, financial benefits, friends and other things all their earnest study has gained them. Forgetting the example of Paul who told us to follow him (Php. 3:17), who lost all that he had gained from his diligent religious study and work and counted it as worthless and detestable that he might gain the true riches of Christ. (Php. 3:4-15)
A famous German once said, "If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed."
That is what has happened to us in Christianland. A portion of what we have grown up believing to be sound doctrine is falsehood. Our translations were translated according to biases and not always according to theological bias. Much of what we read in our translations are accurate representations, though as a little leaven leavens the whole lump, a number of the foundational tenets have been syncretized with gnosticism, the very things the apostles warned about. The apostle John referred to it as the spirit of antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 Jn. 1:7). Therefore, a number of our foundational orthodox Christian tenets are unscriptural. We were bamboozled to believe lies!
I've shared what some of these are in past posts, like the doctrine of God; the doctrine of man; the destiny of man, and the Christian assembly.
John Bunyan once wrote, "What God said is best, is best, though all the men in the world are against it."
Even as Paul warned the Colossians, "Beware lest any man spoil you [capture and enslave you] through philosophy [Platonic, gnostic philosophies] and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments [primary and fundamental principles of any art, science, religion, or discipline] of the world, and not after Christ." (2:8)
As you learn how our doctrines were corrupted and you learn the true apostolic doctrines that were delivered to us (the faith once delivered unto the saints - Jude 3) and begin to practice and teach them, it will seem that all the Christian world will be against you. Of the truth, it will be! Keep in mind that "whosoever will do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Mt. 5:19)
Now this is where the "fear factor" comes in for you. Will you obey God rather than men? (Ac. 5:29) Are you willing to lose all that you have on this earth for Christ, if it comes to that? Are you ready to be hated by all men, and have them banish you from their fellowship and call you a troublemaker? (Is. 66:5; Lk. 6:22; Jn. 15:18-16:4; Ac. 24:5)
How do you overcome the fear of men? The first step is to examine the doctrines you have freely received as truth. Are they apostolic doctrine or the doctrines of men? Did they originate in the 1st century, the 4th century, or the 16th century? If what you believe and practice doesn't originate from the 1st century it cannot be apostolic doctrine.
Another step is to study the original manuscripts. Our English translations have been doctored, chopped and changed to express human ideas and philosophies and not the truth of God's inspired Word. Many well meaning people have based doctrine on the English, which was tailored to teach after pet doctrines of men and not God's truth. I have shared some of these on my blog. It will amaze you how much our English translations have deviated from the genuine words of the manuscripts.
Then after doing these first two steps, make sure you fully comprehend the honest truth of God's Word. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 5:32) Once you have a firm grasp and have laid a firm foundation, you will be able to preserve through any storm that comes your way (Mt. 7:24-25) and your root will be in good ground and not wither and dry up when persecution comes because of His Word (Mt. 13:20-21).
Once you've done these three steps remember to meditate in His Word day and night, and hide it in your heart, which is what those who delight in the Lord do (Ps. 1:2; 40:8; 104:34; 119:11, 97; Jos. 1:8) Remain constant in prayer (Lk. 18:1; 21:36; Eo. 12:12; Eph. 6:18; 1 Th. 5:17). Love God with your entire being (Mk. 12:30), knowing that His perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn. 4:17-18; 2 Tim. 2:7) Don't be like the Ephesians who left their first love in the process of keeping His Word untainted (Rev. 2:1-7) Furthermore, love others (Mk. 12:31; Eph. 4:2, 32; Col. 3:13).
Count the cost of following Christ (Lk. 14:26-33). Are you ready to lose your livelihood for Him? Are you ready to lose your job, your family, your property, your checking and saving accounts and retirement funds? Are you ready to be excommunicated from your congregation, and other congregations, as well as lose your dear relationships with others in the faith because of your convictions to obey God's Word, knowing that Jesus Himself learned obedience by the things He suffered. Also understanding that He is the source of eternal life to those who obey Him (Heb. 5:8-9).
If you continue and persevere in these things you should do well. Do not make the mistake of comparing yourself with others (2 Cor. 10:12). When we compare ourselves with others, we may feel proud because we think we’re better than them. It is so easy these days because Christianland is by and large anemic spiritually. I know of far too many professing believers, whether just pew sitters, or others involved in "ministry programs*" or that even head them up, who barely find time to simply read the Bible during the week, much less, study it. They also do not spend much time in prayer. They are as the seed that is planted among thorns and the care and anxiety of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, wealth, possessions, and worldly ambitions, utterly choke the word, and they become unfruitful, being no fruit to maturity (Mt. 13:22; Lk. 8:14; Jn. 15:2, 6; Mt. 3:10; 15:13; 21:19; Heb. 6:7-8).
[* Speaking of programs, where do we find men and women Bible studies and retreats and conferences and cruises in Scripture? Where do we see the segregation of ages with children's ministries, and classes for adults according to differing age classifications? Where is Sunday school in Scripture? Why are we programed to seek out the latest Bible study resources whether by book, workbook, or DVD? Could it be to fleece the flock? What ever happened to teaching the flock and encouraging them how to accurately appropriate the Scriptures for themselves? Is it because the flock is too lazy in their pursuit of eternal spiritual treasures while they are in hot pursuit of temporary earthly treasures?]
But when we measure ourselves against God’s Word, we quickly realize that we have no basis for pride. Continually ask yourself, "How does my life measure up to God's Word?" "How does my life compare to that of Jesus Christ's?" We will have to give an account to God for all of our choices and decisions. Our ignorance will not stand on that day. We won't be able to point the finger and pass the buck. We alone will be responsible with how we have handled His Word. As Solomon said, "Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc. 12:13) We are to fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mt. 10:28)
Are you ready to walk in the love and fear of God and not according to the fear of men? Are you ready to stand alone for truth if that is what is required? Will you be like John the Baptist who rebuked the religious and political leaders of his day for righteousness's sake? (Mt. 14) Are you ready to take up your cross daily and follow Him? (Lk.9:23) Will you die daily? (1 Cor. 15:31)
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