Faith vs Fear in the Christian Life
The Christian life is characterized by both faith and a particular kind of fear, though these concepts are distinct from the fear that brings torment. Faith is generally understood as the persuasion of the mind that a statement is true, implying trust [2]. It is a fundamental element of Christian character, alongside love and hope [1]. This faith is not merely an intellectual assent but a "realizing, working faith" that produces fruits [10].
Biblically, faith is presented as essential for salvation and a right relationship with God. John 3:36 states that "one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" [3]. Faith is obtained through grace, the word of God, and the gospel, and it is a result of teaching [2, 8]. It is also connected to hope, which is described as lively, sure, steadfast, and gladdening, and is a work of the Holy Spirit [8]. Unbelievers are described as being "without this hope" [1].
In contrast, the concept of "fear" in the Christian life carries different connotations. The New Testament speaks of a "fear of Christ" (Ephesians 5:21) and a "fear of the Lord" [5, 9]. This "fear of the Lord" in the Old Testament is often used as a designation of true piety and is described as a fear "conjoined with love and hope" [9]. It is not a "slavish dread" but rather a "filial reverence," akin to the respect a child has for a parent [9]. This holy fear is enjoined in the New Testament as a preventative against carelessness in religion and an incentive to penitence [9].
However, there is also a type of fear that is incompatible with Christian love. The Apostle John writes, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18) [7]. Another translation renders this as "fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love" [6]. This fear is associated with torment or punishment, suggesting an anxiety about divine judgment rather than a reverent awe [7, 11]. The design of Christ's propitiatory death was to deliver believers from this "bondage of fear" [11].
Therefore, while Christians are called to "fear God" in the sense of reverent awe and obedience (Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 Peter 2:17) [4], this is distinct from a tormenting fear that perfect love expels [7, 11]. The former is a component of true piety and a proper response to God's majesty, while the latter indicates an imperfection in love and a lack of full assurance in God's grace [9, 11]. The Christian life is meant to be characterized by bold confidence, which is based on love and cannot coexist with the fear that brings torment [11].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Hope — One of the three main elements of Christian character (1 Cor. 13:13). It is joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Rom. 8:24; 1 John 3:2). "Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate the essence of Christianity (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:23). In it the whole glory of the Christian vocation is centred (Eph. 1:18; 4:4)." Unbelievers are without this hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Christ is the actual object of the believer's hope, because it is in”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Faith — Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act ”
- John “One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” -- John 3:36”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
- Ephesians “subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ. -- Ephesians 5:21”
- I John “I John 4:18 (YLT) — fear is not in the love, but the perfect love doth cast out the fear, because the fear hath punishment, and he who is fearing hath not been made perfect in the love;”
- 1 John “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has punishment. He who fears is not made perfect in love. -- 1 John 4:18”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fear of the Lord the — Is in the Old Testament used as a designation of true piety (Prov. 1:7; Job 28:28; Ps. 19:9). It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence. (Comp. Deut. 32:6; Hos. 11:1; Isa. 1:2; 63:16; 64:8.) God is called "the Fear of Isaac" (Gen. 31:42, 53), i.e., the God whom Isaac feared. A holy fear is enjoined also in the New Testament as a preventive of carelessness in religion, and as an incentive to penitence (Matt. 10:28; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1; Phil. 2:12; Eph. 5:21; Heb. 12:28, 29).”
- 1 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Thessalonians 1:3: work of faith--the working reality of your faith; its alacrity in receiving the truth, and in evincing itself by its fruits. Not an otiose assent; but a realizing, working faith; not "in word only," but in one continuous chain of "work" (singular, not plural, works), Th1 1:5-10; Jam 2:22. So "the work of faith" in Th2 1:11 implies its perfect development (compare Jam 1:4). The other governing substantives similarly mark respectively the characteristic manifestation of the grace which follows each in the genitive. Faith, love, and hope, are the ”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 4:18: Fear has no place in love. Bold confidence (Jo1 4:17), based on love, cannot coexist with fear. Love, which, when perfected, gives bold confidence, casts out fear (compare Heb 2:14-15). The design of Christ's propitiatory death was to deliver from this bondage of fear. but--"nay" [ALFORD]. fear hath torment--Greek, "punishment." Fear is always revolving in the mind the punishment deserved [ESTIUS]. Fear, by anticipating punishment (through consciousness of deserving it), has it even now, that is, the foretaste of it. Perfect love is incompatible wi”