Encouragement

The Fearful Church

by Jan Bradley
06/09/22
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FEAR

God has told us, over and over, not to be afraid, not to live in fear.

Psalm 91 - the whole psalm is filled with reasons to trust God and not be afraid.  It includes being afraid of pestilence (disease) (3, 6, 10) that we are NOT to fear.

Revelation 1:17 - John and we are not to be afraid because Jesus has all things handled.

Psalm 23 should remove fear from us because we have the Good Shepherd watching over us.

Romans 8:15 - we have not received from God a spirit of slavery leading to fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 - God's Holy Spirit is not a spirit of fear [word is cowardly (Ryrie Study Bible note)]

John 14:27 - Jesus Himself told us not to be afraid

I'm seeing an unseemly fear crippling some Christians during this Time of Covid in defiance of God's many commands not to fear, and reassurances that He will care for us and keep us.  I have heard it said that some people will not return to our church if we begin to meet all together again.  Questions: what kind of assurance do we have that these people will ever return?  Are they attending now, sitting in the youth room that has been prepared for them?  If we continue to hold our church in bondage to a few people's fear, are we not in disobedience to God's word that clearly commands us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together? 

We must not give in to this unseemly fear that has overtaken some Christians and find ourselves in disobedience to our Lord.  God's protection of us (Ps. 91) is not contingent on us wearing masks and recoiling from one another.  If someone is sick, they should stay home as common sense dictates.  But the healthy must return to our corporate worship (and that includes singing) and not be held in bondage to a few people's fear.  We must follow our Lord where He leads and not give in to fear.  Our beloved Holy Spirit is NOT a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. (II Tim. 1:7)