The Role of Fear in the Christian Walk

Luke 12:4-5, I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Having exposed man’s stupid desire to impress other men with a false show that does not deceive God (see verses 1-3), Jesus now targets our fear of other men that too often overcomes our fear of God. Our priorities are so mixed up! God should be a primary focus, the One we fear most and the One we most seek to please. Yet so often our efforts are aimed at other humans who, if impressed with us, can do little truly beneficial for us or who, if hating us, have only the limited power to kill us. We think on such a temporal scale when our minds should be fixed on eternity.

Also note that Jesus Himself ("Love incarnate") had no qualms about stressing the fear of God. And this fear is a legitimate sentiment even among Christians who should at least fear the consequences of disobeying their Master if they do not feel the impulse to obey out of love. I am not endorsing a cringing, sniveling adherence to the rules for fear of being "beaten" by a God who sadistically pounces on any who mess up. Rather I understand that God would have us obey Him out of love for Him as our Father. However, we should also recognize that as our Father He will discipline us for our good when we stray (I Corinthians 11:32). So with this in mind, we have a double impulse to remain faithful for if our love for the object of our temptation threatens to overcome our love for our Father, then perhaps the stinging memory of His kind discipline will cause us to fear the consequences of disobedience and turn us back to our God.