FEAR A CAUSE OF GREAT NERVOUS TENSION
"The Lord is My Helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me."—Hebrews 13:6 .
FEAR is one of the greatest evils in the world, causing much nervous tension and distress. It is a result of man's being out of harmony with the Creator. We may be sure that the angels have no fear. God maintains them in their peaceful condition because they are in harmony with Him. We may be sure, also, that this was the case with our first parents. When they were created they had no fear. Divine protection was over them. But when sin came in, the curse followed. Being for six thousand years under the reign of Sin and Death, man has become very fearful. He realizes that there are forces outside of himself with which he cannot cope. And this knowledge robs him of much of the pleasure of life.
There are a few people who have lost this fear, but these are the exceptions. Our text tells us of some who do not fear, and shows us why this is a reasonable condition. They no longer fear what man can do unto them, because the Lord is their Helper. The fear of man is a greater fear than the fear of beasts. As the poet wrote,
"Man's inhumanity to man
Makes countless thousands mourn."
On account of sin many have become murderers. Though they are restrained by the law from committing the overt act, they have the murder spirit, the selfish spirit. This leads to all kinds of wrong-doing—unrighteousness. Those who will not actually take life, may commit murder by the use of slanderous words. Thus they inspire fear in the minds of others.
The Psalmist speaks of some who had gotten rid of this fear of man—of such were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the Prophets. And what was true of them should be true of the consecrated Body of Christ. The reason for this peace of mind is that these have come into special relationship with God. By the Covenant of Sacrifice, made possible to them by the Savior, they have become sons of God; "and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, [R5296 : page 250] and joint-heirs with Christ," their Lord. God thus being their Father has a deep interest in them; and so they learn to trust His Love and Wisdom and Power.
With this confidence in God, then, these have no fear. He has assured them that He is able to make all things work together for their good. If at first they found that as followers of Jesus they had more trials, more difficulties from the world, the flesh and the Adversary than any other people in the world, this realization may have filled them with alarm and intimidated them. But as they have gone to the Father in the spirit of prayer and hearkened to the message which He has sent through the Prophets and Apostles, they have learned that He is dealing with them as New Creatures. Gradually they learn that "no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly."
The Father will not withhold anything necessary for the proper development of His children. He also promises that we shall not be tempted above that we are able to endure, lest some injury come to us. Thus we see that He is supplying all our needs, enabling us to lay down our earthly lives. And as we learn the proper lessons from our experiences, we find that perfect love casts out all servile fear of our Heavenly Father; for we love and trust Him. We have no fear of the Adversary, because we know that the Lord will not permit the Adversary to injure us, if we keep close to Him. And if God permits us to have experiences of trial from the Adversary and our fellowmen, He does so to the intent that these may work out good to us.
"My God, I set my seal that Thou art true,
Of Thy good promise not one thing hath failed!"