Fear - the Good and the Bad

Now and then we may like a good scare, but most of the time fear is a most unpleasant sensation.

The idea of fear has two senses in both Old and New Testaments – The Hebrew yare’ and the greek phobos both carry positive and negative connotations for fear.

In the negative sense, fear is a sensation of panic, fright or alarm.  Whether it is fear of people or coming events it is this fear that God commands us not to have…and the second sense in which “fear” is used in the Bible is why.  Fear can also mean a reverent respect for someone or something.  When we look at the Grand Canyon, when we an accomplished person, or when we listen to great music we may experience this kind of “fear.”  When we understand who God is and all that He has done for us this kind of fear is the result. 

Putting these two usages of the word “fear” together we can see how Fear of the Lord gives wisdom and drives away the fear of people, the fear of circumstances, the fear of pain and even the fear of things that go bump in the night. 

The one who truly fears God will never fear anything else.  

Citizenship on your mind?

These days we may take our citizenship for granted.  We are generally called citizens of the country where we were born or reside.  But this was not the case in 1^st century Rome.

Roman citizenship offered advantages like special legal protections, representation, and power and was held by only a fortunate few.  The Apostle Paul himself benefitted greatly from his citizenship as recorded in the book of Acts.

All of this made the words of Philippians 3:20 truly striking to the initial readers:

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…”

As citizens of heaven we are given legal access to the God of the Universe.

We are also of a particular heavenly culture that is expressed most fully in the character of Jesus Christ.  Finally, regardless of our earthly citizenship or residence we are constantly acting as official Ambassadors for our Ultimate Home, which is a high calling indeed!

Same Mind

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  1 Corinthians 1:10 

This verse starts with Paul pleading, which translates the Greek verb parakaleo  meaning: “to call someone alongside you”.  This heartfelt invitation is for the Corinthians to join Paul in Christians Unity.  The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the basis and reason for our unity.  Unity means believers are saying the same thing, - that is agreeing about what we believe.  The local church is to lack division and be perfectly joined in mind and judgment – our thinking and viewpoints.

But how can we ever hope to say the same thing?  To think the same way?

In Romans 12:2 Paul urges: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

As believers and churches spiritually grow, we will cease to cherish our own viewpoints and opinions and grow in our agreement and submission to the Word of God – it is in the STUDY of scripture that we will find unity.

Body Stewards

God created Adam differently from the rest of the world which He spoke into existence.  Genesis 2:7 tells us:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

God shaped Adam’s body, and breathed life into him and man became a living being.  “Living being” here translates the word nephesh and is often translated soul.  This special method of Creation is a key explanation of what it means to be made in the image of God.  Man is made up of a Spirit for God consciousness, a Soul for self-consciousness and a body for world consciousness.  This body is the first stewardship given to humanity and it is a special gift indeed, representing a significant part of God’s plan for our lives.   

Being good stewards of our bodies in terms of diet, exercise and rest, honors the One Who made us and can dramatically increase our opportunities for ministry as we go through our time on this planet.