The Gospel of Fear: Missing the Obvious

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men – Tit 2:11

The ostensive or supposed reason why several Pulpits preach “The Gospel According To Fear” is to SHOCK the Believers into conformity and holy living. It’s presumed that if the people live constantly under the threat of judgment and retribution, they would live a just and sincere life before God.

However, nothing could be further from the truth. Fear does not CHANGE behaviour, it only CONCEALS it. This is a vitally important truth we must remember; or else we’ll only be populating our pews with conforming, moral persons who are not really regenerated in their hearts. The African proverb, “Even a mad man knows how to run when the market is on fire”, shows us that Actions based on threats are not indices of transformation.

We should take a cue from the way that God, our Almighty Creator, relates with us humanity. When He decided to come down to Earth in the Person of Jesus He could have come in His “Full” glory – with thunders, lightning and fire (the Full is in quotation marks because His real FULL glory would obliterate us entirely! 1Ti 6:16).

However, He decided instead to come as a weak baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and from there set on to woo us through His love and not through His power.

From God’s dealing with Man while in the Garden of Eden, it’s clear He doesn’t want robots that have no choice but to obey. Righteousness in the presence of options is the beauty of the Christian life.

While it’s most noble for us to adjure righteousness and moral uprightness in the Church, we mustn’t forget that it’s “the grace of God” – not fear – that teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that helps us to live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. (Tit 2:11,2). 

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN