Faith

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December 19, 2011 – Conspiracies, Trust, & Fear

12 Do not call conspiracy [or hard, or holy] all that this people will call conspiracy [or hard, or holy]; neither be in fear of what they fear, nor [make others afraid and] in dread. 13 The Lord of hosts – regard Him as holy and honor His holy name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him]. – Isaiah 8:12-13 AMP

There are not too many days that go by anymore when we don’t hear something about a conspiracy. There are conspiracies in politics. Perhaps there is a conspiracy at work involving a co-worker who wants to move up the corporate ladder. Christians even conspire in churches to get rid of pastors or someone else in leadership they don’t like. The list is endless. Such activities many times breed fear into the lives of people, and this fear is sometimes prevalent in the lives of Christian believers.

As Christians, none of us Biblically speaking have a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). In fact, in today’s passage, God says not to fear or even make others afraid of anything. This brings to mind people I have seen in large cities walking around with plywood signs strapped over their shoulders that read THE END IS NEAR! I even recall seeing sidewalk preachers standing on street corners pronouncing judgment on passers-by. Not only are they trying to scare Jesus into people, but the ones who should have no fear are planting seeds of fear in others.

I believe that we are living in the Bible calls the last days. I believe that the growing apostasy and compromise in the church as well as the increasing immorality in our society are quickly coming to a head. But in thinking such things, I have not let my determination in living this life wane. Some in our generation have done otherwise by being content to say that they are a Christian, but not live as an effective witness for Christ. Some have even married and made the decision to not even start a family because they have a fear raising children in an evil world.
But the Bible tells us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). And the man who has many children is blessed (Psalm 127). Neither of these passages are followed with instructions based on the current condition of our society. People who do such things are not only putting limits on themselves, but are also limiting God. Whether they choose to not have children, or simply lumber through life lackadaisical, their faith and trust have been misplaced.

God says that we should regard Him as our only hope and safety in life. Christians cannot go around continually in fear of their life being in jeopardy. They cannot be afraid of some radical group trying to come in and change their church’s doctrine. And they cannot be fearful of the Rapture happening and missing out on it. We simply have to be ready at any minute for anything that will challenge our faith.

14 But even in case you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed (happy, to be envied). Do not dread or be afraid of their threats, nor be disturbed [by their opposition]. 15 But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. 16 [And see to it that] your conscience is entirely clear (unimpaired), so that, when you are falsely accused as evildoers, those who threaten you abusively and revile your right behavior in Christ may come to be ashamed [of slandering your good lives]. – 1 Peter 3:14-16 AMP

When those around you conspire together to challenge your faith, or whether one person confronts you, you must be ready to defend your position. You’re ready when someone confronts you about how to drive your car, or how to discipline your children; so why shouldn’t you be ready when they put your faith to the test, and how do you do it? Christians read self-help manuals on everything from growing a garden to raising children, so why is the Bible so hard? It’s the best manual around.

To be ready to logically defend your faith, you must put Christ first in your life. You must also know the Word. You can’t get into a defense of your faith and say things like my pastor says, or my friend from church says. You must be able to say what you believe and what you know is true from the Word. If you do not defend your faith, you will slowly lose your trust in God. Trust me; I know this from personal experience.

Many Christians choose not to stand for Him and use love as an excuse. I’m just trying to walk in love is usually the cliché line you’ll hear from that group. Look at it like this: the group that wants to run your faith in the ground will use any and all means at their disposal to get their point across to you. Sure, we are not supposed to get arrogant and bull-headed like them, but we are supposed to defend our position with respect toward the opposing party. How would treating someone with respect not be perceived as loving? Just because one group uses abusive tactics does not mean Christians have to resort to them as well. An opportunity to defend your relationship with Christ should never be viewed a battle, especially if you have put your trust in Him. If you squander these chances in your life, you are showing that you fear the person or group before you more than you fear God who looks over you.

We should fear God above all else. When we fear man over God we run the risk of offending Him. The consequences of offending God can be disastrous. Believe me, I have offended God countless times in my life by word, deed, and even through passivity. As a result I wounded myself and others so much that it has literally taken years to heal. But the healing never came until I stopped fearing men and started fearing God.
Are you a conspirator? Are you driven by the fear of others? Are you fearful of having to live and raise children in an increasingly immoral society? Do you trust yourself and your abilities more than God? Have you even been in a position where you had to defend your faith? Remember: if you fear man, you distrust God, but if you fear God, all your trust is in Him. Who do you fear and trust?

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