Fear Not

Psalm 46:1-3 states: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride."  Fear has plagued me throughout my life. There are a myriad of reasons but anxiety, worry and fear are among my greatest foes.  The Lord has done a great work in me to bring about transformation.  I remember during my NANC training hearing that fear an anxiety can be a result of knowing you are guilty before God.  He is holy and sin separates and breaks fellowship with the Lord. It did for Adam and Eve and it does for us.

The unbeliever should possess such angst.  They have nothing to expect from God but His wrath at their sin.  However for the believer in Jesus Christ our fear has been removed by the fact that Jesus satisfied the righteous wrath of God at the Cross. He is our propitiation. He has appeased God with His sacrificial death at Calvary. He met the demands that sin requires. Romans tells us that the "wages of sin is death." Eternal death and separation from God is the result of man's sin.  All are guilty for all sin.  Jesus' atonement at the Cross made forgiveness available to all who believe.

I John 4: 9 to 21 is the antidote to the fear of the true believer. In essence this passage explains that God so loved that He sent His Son to give eternal life through Him.  It's not that we loved God since unredeemed man does not.  God first loved us that He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  He gives us His own Spirit at the time of regeneration.  We come to believe the love that God has for us. 

Here is the rub for me.  I don't truly believe that God loves me.  Intellectually I assent to this truth.  But unbelief resides at some point in my heart.  Thus I still struggle with fear.  Verse 17 tells us that by this love is perfected so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment.  If we truly don't believe that Jesus' death on the Cross and more importantly that He lives to forever intercede for us, we will be fearful people.  There is some part of me that believes that I must still please God, satisfy Him and appease His wrath.  None of this is true. Christ is our all in all. He paid the price fully. His sacrifice was sufficient to fully satisfy the Father. It is finished He said.

I John 4: 18 and 19: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts our fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because He first loved us."  There's the answer: perfect love.  A love that comes from God. A love that can't be denied. A love so powerful as to save millions throughout the ages.  A love that sent an only and beloved Son to live a perfect life and die on the Cross where He shed His blood for sin. Most importantly it is a love that resurrected the Savior to sit at the right hand of the Father where He intercedes for us.  God is truly for us. He is on our side. We are free in the Son.  Yes free indeed from the fear of punishment.