People in the world are afraid of many things. But what things should really cause us fear. Who or what should we be afraid of? For this answer, we will consider some biblical passages.
Who to Fear
In this passage from Matthew chapter 10, Jesus is instructing His disciples just before sending them out to minister. He explains that they will be persecuted and hated because of Jesus’ name (v22 & 23). Then in verse 28. Jesus puts the hatred and persecution in perspective:
“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Though Jesus’ disciples may have to endure physical pain, up to death, they should not be afraid of their tormentors. The persecutors cannot destroy our souls. Rather, our fear should be reserved for God, who has charge over our souls and bodies. He is the one that saves our souls from both persecution and hell. James echos the thought in James 4:12:
“There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy.”
God is the only one who has the power and authority to save or destroy. He is the one whom we should fear. The great news is that in His son, Jesus, fear is cast out and we can be at peace with Him.
What to Fear
Psalm 91 addresses how we should respond to various fears. I have underlined some of the phrases for emphasis and included some comments along the way:
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”
3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
Bible teacher James Boice provides a balance saying, “This does not mean that those who trust God never die from infectious diseases or suffer from an enemy’s plot, of course. It means that those who trust God are habitually delivered from such dangers. What Christian cannot testify to many such deliverances?”1
5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you.
In his Bible commentary, David Guzik writes, “The psalmist represented all kinds of destruction that could come in all kinds of circumstances. It could come by night or by day, in darkness or at noonday. It could come as terror or by arrow, as a pestilence or as destruction. Whenever or however it comes, God is able to defend His people.”2
8 You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.
12 They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
In the last three verses. the psalm concludes with God addressing those who put their trust in Him:
14 “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
15 “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
16 “With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”
Security in God
In Proverbs 3, we are instructed in the benefits of following God. He provides for His own and gives many blessings when we walk by faith in Him.
One of the many good things we gain is wisdom and understanding. Picking up in verse 21. We are encouraged to ‘Keep sound wisdom and discretion’ (v21) so that we will be secure in the Lord. In that security we will gain confidence and learn to not be afraid. Wisdom says,
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear
Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.3
The protection we gain as followers of God allows us to lie down without fear of attack. Our confidence extends to protection from wickedness so that we do not need to fear evil when it is on our doorstep. God will furnish the way of escape for us and we should expect His provision for deliverance.
Conclusion
In this short article, we looked at whom we should fear: only God. We must learn that those who can kill the body should not be feared. We also saw that God is our deliverer and refuge. With our faith in God, we can be secure in Him and see His salvation. Finally, through His wisdom and discretion we learned that we need not be afraid. God is our confidence who keeps our foot from getting caught.
Appendix
I give evidence for why we don’t need to be afraid in my article, Who is Jesus?
1 Attributed to: James Boice
2 David Guzik’s Bible Commentary
3 Underlined for emphasis.