“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
The word “for” ties the words of this verse to the preceding point Paul has been making to Timothy as this epistle begins. Paul has spoken of the great spiritual heritage both he and Timothy share. Paul’s forefathers served God with a pure conscience (v. 3) and Timothy’s sincere faith was found first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (v. 5).
Timothy is abundantly equipped to do his work as an evangelist. Paul reminds him that God has not given His people a spirit or attitude of fear. Power, love, and a sound mind are gifts gleaned from God’s instructions. These must guide Timothy as he continues in his work.
The fear of this passage is not a healthy reverence or respect for God. Such is necessary if we are to serve God acceptably (Eccl. 12:13; Heb. 12:28). The fear we have not been given by God is a feeling of anxiety, agitation, terror, or fright caused by the presence or anticipation of danger, evil, or pain.
This kind of fear does not belong in the heart and life of a Christian. Consider some dangers posed by this kind of fear.
1. Fear Confuses Us. Peter, James, and John were privileged to see the glorified Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. As Moses and Elijah were leaving, “Peter answered and said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’ - because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid” (Mark 9:5-6). Fear shakes us from our sound mind and causes us to think, act, and say things we normally wouldn’t or shouldn’t say.
2. Fear Paralyzes Us. The one-talent man had to answer for why he had not increased his master’s talents. “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours’” (Matt. 25:24-25).
Fear of failure or repercussions will keep us from serving the Lord, which will cause us to become unprofitable servants. How many times have we failed to step forward and serve the Lord or share our faith because we were afraid?
3. Fear Results in Shameful Conduct. Nehemiah faced opposition on numerous fronts as he labored to strengthen the city of Jerusalem. On one occasion, he was advised to flee into the temple to save his life from assassins. Nehemiah was wise to this plot. “For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me” (Neh. 6:13). Nehemiah did not allow lie to generate fear in his heart. He stood firm in his resolve to serve the Lord and complete his work. We must do the same.
4. Fear is Contagious. Deuteronomy 20 includes some interesting instructions regarding military service for the nation of Israel. For example, men were to be excused from service if they had built a new house, planted a new vineyard, or been recently betrothed to a wife. However, verse 8 indicates a different kind of exemption: “The officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest the heart of his brethren faint like his heart.’” Notice, the fearful and fainthearted were to be dismissed so they would not cause their fellow soldiers to become fearful.
Like most other attitudes and emotions, fear is contagious. Do you remember when there were shortages on toilet paper during the recent Covid pandemic? People who were normally logical and reasonable responded to rumors by buying up toilet paper in a panic.
5. Fear Results in Disobedience. Physically, King Saul stood head and shoulders above all the people (1 Sam. 9:2), but he was given to fear (10:21-23). He lost his kingdom because he failed to obey the Lord’s command to destroy the Amalekites. “Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice’” (1 Sam. 15:24). An irrational fear caused Saul to descend into madness concerning his pursuit of David.
Fear contributed to Peter’s denial of Christ. Fear kept many of the Jews from confessing Jesus as the Christ (John 7:13). How many times has fear kept us from obeying the Lord?
6. Fear Condemns Us. Moments of fear can cause us to act in embarrassing ways. They can even result in sin. Such can be forgiven when we repent and pray to God. However, the Christian who lives in fear will receive eternal condemnation. In Revelation 21:8, the apostle John provides a list of people who are excluded from the heavenly city. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Notice that cowards top the list!
Difficult times were coming for these Christians. They would be tempted to hide their faith, but heaven belongs to those who overcome their fear with their faith.
We live in difficult times in our nation today. We are concerned about our government, our public safety, and our children. As faithful Christians, we must remember that God has not given us a spirit or attitude of fear. We are not to be characterized by such. Instead, God’s word equips us with power, love, and a sound mind. Let’s be motivated by these positive things. Such will identify us as God’s children and allow us to shine as lights amid a world full of people living in fear.