Taking Safety Risks as a Believer in Scripture
Scripture presents a nuanced view of safety, distinguishing between worldly security and the divine protection afforded to believers. While the "tents of robbers are safe" and those who provoke God may appear secure, this is a temporary and ultimately false sense of safety [4]. True safety, for the believer, is found in trusting the Lord [1].
The concept of "safety risks" for a believer can be understood in several ways. One aspect involves the danger of fearing human opinion over divine will. Proverbs 29:25 states that "The fear of man is a cause of danger: but whoever puts his faith in the Lord will have a safe place on high" [1]. This suggests that prioritizing human approval can lead to spiritual peril, whereas trust in God provides genuine security. The Torrey's Topical Textbook notes that the "fear of man prevents" confessing Christ, and that persecution should not deter believers from this confession [6]. This implies a risk associated with not openly acknowledging one's faith due to fear of human consequences.
Another type of risk relates to spiritual complacency or a false sense of security. John Gill, commenting on 1 Corinthians 10:12, warns against those who "think themselves safe and sure, trusting to themselves, or depending upon the knowledge and gifts they have, the favours and privileges they enjoy" [9]. He points to the example of the Israelites, who, despite enjoying divine favor, fell due to their disobedience [9]. This highlights the danger of assuming one's standing with God without continuous vigilance and faithfulness.
The Bible also speaks of risks associated with rash promises or actions. Proverbs 20:25 warns, "It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them" [2]. This suggests that making commitments lightly, especially those involving sacred matters, can lead to spiritual danger. Charles Hodge notes that oaths are meant to produce conviction and satisfy others of sincerity, implying that their misuse or thoughtless application carries significant weight [10].
However, the Christian life also involves a call to "watchfulness" and prayer, particularly in anticipation of future events [3, 7]. Luke 21:36 exhorts believers to "be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man" [3]. This watchfulness is not about avoiding all physical danger, but about spiritual preparedness. Noah, for instance, "moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house" in response to a divine warning about unseen things [5]. This act, driven by faith, involved significant effort and likely social ostracization, representing a form of risk taken in obedience to God.
John Calvin discusses the "certainty of faith" and how it interacts with fear. He distinguishes between the fear of the wicked, who dread punishment, and the fear of believers, who dread offending God [8]. This "fear and trembling," Calvin argues, "so far from impairing the security of faith, tends rather to establish it" [11]. This suggests that a healthy, reverent fear of God, which might lead one to take actions that appear risky in a worldly sense, actually strengthens faith and provides a deeper security [11]. Calvin also emphasizes that faith, once fixed in a believer's heart, "never can be eradicated from it," even when shaken [12]. This implies an underlying spiritual safety that persists despite external pressures or internal struggles.
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 29:25 (BBE) — The fear of man is a cause of danger: but whoever puts his faith in the Lord will have a safe place on high.”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 20:25 (BBE) — It is a danger to a man to say without thought, It is holy, and, after taking his oaths, to be questioning if it is necessary to keep them.”
- Luke “Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.” -- Luke 21:36”
- Job “Job 12:6 (BSB) — The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.”
- Hebrews “By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. -- Hebrews 11:7”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Confessing Christ — Influences of the Holy Spirit necessary to -- 1Co 12:3; 1Jo 4:2. A test of being saints -- 1Jo 2:23; 4:2,3. An evidence of union with God -- 1Jo 4:15. Necessary to salvation -- Ro 10:9,10. Ensures his confessing us -- Mt 10:32. The fear of man prevents -- Joh 7:13; 12:42,43. Persecution should not prevent us from -- Mr 8:35; 2Ti 2:12. Must be connected with faith -- Ro 10:9. Consequences of not -- Mt 10:33. Exemplified Nathanael. -- Joh 1:49. Peter. -- Joh 6:68,69; Ac 2:22-36. Man born blind. -- Joh 9:25,33. Martha. -- Joh 11:27. Peter and John. -”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Watchfulness — Christ an example of -- Mt 26:38,40; Lu 6:12. Commanded -- Mr 13:37; Re 3:2. Exhortations to -- 1Th 5:6; 1Pe 4:7. God especially requires in ministers -- Eze 3:17; Isa 62:6; Mr 13:34. Ministers exhorted to -- Ac 20:31; 2Ti 4:5. Faithful ministers exercise -- Heb 13:17. Faithful ministers approved by -- Mt 24:45,46; Lu 12:41-44. Should be With prayer. -- Lu 21:36; Eph 6:18. With thanksgiving. -- Col 4:2. With steadfastness in the faith. -- 1Co 16:13. With heedfulness. -- Mr 13:33. With sobriety. -- 1Th 5:6; 1Pe 4:7. At all times. -- Pr 8:34. In all thin”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: and the fear of believers there is a wide difference. The wicked do not fear God from any unwillingness to offend him, provided they could do so with impunity; but knowing that he is armed with power for vengeance, they tremble in dismay on hearing of his anger. And they thus dread his anger, because they think it is impending over them, and they every moment expect it to fall upon their heads. But believers, as has been said, dread the offense even more than the punishment. They are not alarmed 493 by the fear of punishment, as if”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 10:12: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth,.... Since the Jewish fathers, who enjoyed such peculiar favours and eminent privileges, had such various judgments inflicted on them; since they stood not, but many of them were visible instances of God's displeasure; they were overthrown and cast down, their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and entered not into the land of rest; therefore all such persons who think themselves safe and sure, trusting to themselves, or depending upon the knowledge and gifts they have, the favours and privileges they enjoy; everyone ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 45: as the design of an oath is to produce conviction of the truth, to satisfy others of our sincerity and fidelity, and to make an end of controversy, it is evident that circumstances may arise in private life, or in the intercourse of a man with his fellow-men, when an oath may be of the greatest importance. If we risk a great deal on the fidelity or veracity of a man, we have a right to bind him by the solemnity of an oath; or if it is of great importance that others should confide in our veracity or fidelity, it may be right to give them ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: in his Epistle, is fulfilled, “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith,” ( 1 John 5:4 ). It is not said that it will be victorious in a single fight, or a few, or some one assault, but that it will be victorious over the whole world, though it should be a thousand times assailed. 22. There is another species of fear and trembling, which, so far from impairing the security of faith, tends rather to establish it; namely, when believers, reflecting that the examples of the divine vengeance on the ungodly are a ki”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 57: already said, we again maintain, that faith remaining fixed in the believer’s breast never can be eradicated from it. However it may seem shaken and bent in this direction or in that, its flame is never so completely quenched as not at least to lurk under the embers. 488 In this way, it appears that the word, which is an incorruptible seed, produces fruit similar to itself. Its germ never withers away utterly and perishes. The saints cannot have a stronger ground for despair than to feel, that, according to present appearances, the”