Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
“Fear not” was not one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses, as we know, but still God does not want His children to be overcome with fear or to be paralyzed either in thought or in action by inordinate fear. We are admonished to fear God. Several verses instruct us: “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.” (Psalm 19:9). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7) “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”(Proverbs 9:10). We are talking about two kinds of fear in these verses. In II Timotny 1:7, Paul is admonishing young Timothy (and us) not to be overcome by feelings of timidity and dread. God stands ready to replace that fear with His strong power, His love and a sound or discerning mind. This verse especially applies to Christians who are afraid to speak up for the faith and give a positive witness of the saving grace of Christ. We cannot be timid and witness boldly for Him.
There are also fears caused by imminent danger, pain or disaster. We can be rendered inept when phobias threaten (terror, dread) [Greek word phobos].
The kind of fear we should have is the fear of the Lord. That fear is to hold Him in awe and reverence. The writer of Proverbs insists that this is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. This is the good kind of fear, the fear we should practice. Paul admonished against the wrong kind of fear, the terrible spirit of ineptitude and even terror that can grip and prevent us from doing what we know to be right.
Bible scholar Claude F. Mariottini writing in the Holman Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Holman, 1991, p. 481) sees the wrong kind of fear, the debilitating, spirit-quelching fear as a result of sin and disobedience. We have numerous biblical references to fear as consequences of sin and disobedience. Adam and Eve were afraid after taking of the forbidden fruit and they hid themselves from the presence of God in the Garden of Eden. When Nathan the prophet pointed out to David his sins of both adultery and murder relative to Bathsheba and Uriah, David was
afraid, but he confessed and prayed earnestly for forgiveness.
“Fear not,” “do not fear” and “do not be afraid” are used sixty times in the Bible followed by an invitation to trust God. As expressed by Paul in II Timothy 1:7, and in various other passages
beginning with the command to “fear not,” there is an immediate invitation to replace the spirit of fear with trust in God. He makes a way by giving us “power…love…a sound mind.” I remember the joy I had in mentoring a lady who gave her heart to the Lord in her young adult years. At first on her Christian journey, because of her lack of being grounded in the faith and in the scriptures, she was often overcome by doubts and fears in her Christian walk. I urged her to put II Timothy 1:7 on a card and post it where she could read it when she was afraid. I also recommended that she do the same with Pslam 56: 3 and 11: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me.” God invites us to “fear not.” He is present to give us the freedom from fear we need to be bold in His Kingdom work. Latch onto His promises and thank Him that fear that makes us falter has no place in the victorious Christian’s life.
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