Fear is, without a doubt, one of the most common concerns of man.  No matter how great and mighty, fear touches all lives.  It affects the soldier on the battlefield, the warrior engaged in mortal combat, and the King who rules over them both.  Fear, in one form or another, will always be with us, but by learning what God has had to say concerning it we can learn to manage it and deal properly with it, thereby enhancing our lives.  We will largely deal with New Testament passages concerning fear, but a few references from the Old Testament will be included for comparison and to enhance our appreciation of the history of fear.  Our journey through God's word will bring us into contact with at least ten Greek words, or forms of Greek words, from which fear, fearful, and fearfulness is translated.  Each of these words, when considered, will add something to our understanding of a vastly complex and at times admittedly perplexing subject.

      The first Greek word in our consideration is PHOBOS.  Phobos first had the meaning of flight, or that which logically comes from being afraid.  As time progressed, the meaning of the word changed, and it came to be more closely associated with the cause of the flight than the flight itself.  In this sense the word means "fear, dread, or terror", and it is always used in this sense when it occurs in the Four Gospels.

     In Acts 2:43, the word "PHOBOS" is rendered "fear" in connection with the effect the preaching of the Gospel and the attendant miracles had on the people -- "And fear came upon every soul:  and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles."  In this sense, the word fear seems to embody the feeling of awe, mystery, and even fright.  The people did not fully understand what was happening as these wonderful events transpired before them, but they could not question that something very important and mysterious (to them) was taking place.  We often experience fear at those things we fail to understand, and this is not always a bad thing.  They should have feared the things they were witnessing, for they were truly witnessing the powerful Hand of God.  When we, in our age of "pseudo-enlightenment" and skepticism, look back on the miracles of God from ages past, we should be filled with awe and wonderment.  To think of a God powerful enough to speak into existence the universe, forming man from the dust of the ground, setting in order the laws of nature, and etc., our "fear" should move us to accept any terms He might set forth.

     When certain Jews which fancied themselves exorcists called out the name of the Lord over one possessed, the spirit became angry, denied knowledge of them, "And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded" (Acts 19:16).  The emotion which resulted from these actions is our word PHOBOS -- "And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified" (Acts 19:17).  Again, the idea seems to be that of awe, mystery and terror all mixed into one reaction.  The power associated with the Lord Jesus Christ stood forth to instill respect in those who accepted and obeyed Him, and instilled terror in those who rejected Him.  The same thing must characterize us today.  We need a healthy fear of Jesus Christ, healthy enough to make us love and obey him.

     Of his work in Corinth, Paul wrote:  "And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling" (I Corinthians 2:3).  This fear differed somewhat from the other cases we have considered.  Herein Paul without a doubt did experience a feeling of awe, but it seems doubtful that he was mystified.  I take it that he was fearful for their souls, that is to say, he was very concerned for their eternal destiny.  He knew that the gospel he preached was necessary to their salvation, but he also recognized the various influences brought to bear on their lives and their detrimental impact on these people.  He knew of the opposition of his enemies which could endanger his life.  He was concerned about the work of the Lord not only in Corinth, but also everywhere else.  This fear was, it seems to me, very wide and general.  We experience these same emotions, and they seem to be common to all men in all ages.  Often we find men and women filled with concern over the various matters of life, realizing that if things didn't work out they might well suffer great loss.  We do not take this so much a lack of faith as a healthy interest in the affairs of life.  In this sense, what many take as fear is a good thing.  This kind of fear moves us to be very careful about the decisions we make.  It moves us to consider the consequences of our actions.  Paul was very careful to consider as many variables as he could in dealing with these brethren.  We, moved by this kind of fear, should consider as many elements of the situation with which we are dealing as are pertinent and act in such a way concerning them as is appropriate.

     There is a more sinister sense in which "fear" is used, and that is in connection with sin.  Paul wrote, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear" (I Timothy 5:20).  Though the context invokes a sinister connection, this fear is a good thing.  To instill fear in the minds of those whose lives are presently out of tune with the will of God is to offer them an opportunity and a motivation to obey the only thing powerful enough to lift them out of their lost condition and into favor with God.  It is sometimes suggested that we should love and other "positive" ideas to call people to Christ.  The one's who contend that "fear" is a bad motivation argue that our service is not genuine if we only are doing it to avoid punishment.  I understand that there needs to be more to our relationship with God than just fear of punishment, but did not God include the teachings about punishment in the Bible?  If he wanted that kind of fear to play no role in our motivation, why did He include those teachings?  I believe fear of punishment is not only a good thing, but a necessary thing to a well rounded life.  Do we not avoid touching red-hot burners for fear of bringing harm to ourselves?  Where would we be without this fear?  My parents utilized many different means to bring me up, and certainly fear of punishment figured into their system.  Such is proper and right.  In the verse under consideration, Paul argues that when one sins publicly, and refuses to repent, the sin and the sinner must be dealt with openly an decisively that others who witness the events might be filled with "fear".  Why did he want them to be afraid?  In order that they might avoid the same (or any other) sin in their lives.  Tim Smith 1272 Enon Road  Webb, AL 36376

VOLUME XX                                FEBRUARY 8, 1998                       NUMBER 6

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