Fear

Scripture has honoured fear, for the whole of piety is comprehended in these words, “Fear God;” “the fear of the Lord;” “them that fear him,” These phrases are employed to express true piety.

Fear just goes in proportion to love, and the brightest love is congenial and must walk side by side with the deepest jealousy and the profoundest fear.

If there be a man who has an assurance of such a kind as to put fear out of the question, so that he is never afraid of sinning, I will tell him he has a Satanic assurance, an assurance which came from Satan and not from God; for the more assured we are of our own conversion, the more careful we shall be lest we should offend God, and the more fearful lest, by word, or look, or deed, we should grieve God’s Holy Spirit.

Fear hath paralysed the arm of the most gigantic Christian, stopped him in his race, and impeded him in his labours. Faith can do anything; but fear, sinful fear, can do just nothing at all, but even prevent faith from performing its labours.

It is said of Moses, that when he saw the burning bush he feared to look upon God. God is so great a Being that the rightly constituted mind must always fear when it approaches into his presence.

All Christians, when they are in a right state, are afraid of falling into sin. Holy fear is the proper condition of a child of God. Even the most confident will not go into presumption. He that knows his love to the Saviour, and his Saviour’s love to him, is yet afraid lest he should dishonour him.

Fear hath made the Christian to sorrow both by night and day; a cankering fear lest his wants should not be provided for, and his necessities supplied, has driven the Christian to unworthy thoughts; and distrustful, doubting fear hath made him dishonour God, and prevented him sucking the honey out of the promises.

There are some of God’s best children who always grow in the shade of fear, and can scarcely attain to so much as to say, “I know whom I have believed.” Darkness suits them best; their eyes are weak, and much sunlight seems to blind them; they love the shadows.