Only One Thing to Fear: Unrest

"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." (Hebrews 4: 1)

Fear has different contexts, different senses in the Bible, and therefore it is important to rightly divide the Word in order to understand.

The fear of God is not a matter of terror:

"But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." (Psalm 130: 4)

We hold God in fear, or rather in reverence as a matter of respect and awe. Peter's First Epistle also confirms this fear of God as a matter of respect:

"Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king." (1 Peter 2: 17)

God receives our greatest reverence, then we have the grace to submit to authority.

Yet the fear that is mentioned in Hebrews 4 :1 is a matter of caution and attention.

Jesus tells us that we should not let our heart be troubled (John 14: 1).

A troubled heart, restless -- what do these terrible phenomena indicate in a believer? Unbelief!

"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14: 23)

Now, we know and believe that all our sins are forgiven:

"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." (1 John 3: 5)

and

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

We are forgiven for our unbelief! Yet if we sense at all that we are troubled, that we are restless, confess your righteousness in Christ!

"I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;" (Isaiah 51: 12)

Let us put aside every hindrance (Hebrews 12: 2) and look upon our righteousness, Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1: 30)