MONDAY MINUTES with Pastor Chris McCool (September 21, 2020)
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article for this blog about the fear that the current circumstances of the world brings. We discussed the fact that we are strangers and pilgrims in this sin-cursed world. We discovered that the church – the Kingdom of God in this world – should be our refuge. Today, I want us to look at the question of what we need focus upon in order to dispel the fear that so easily overtakes us in this life.
In 2 Tim. 1:7, Paul tells the young preacher Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” The circumstances under which Paul wrote this letter would inspire fear in any heart: he was imprisoned in Rome for the second time, abandoned by several former friends (2 Tim. 1:15, 2 Tim. 4:9-12), secreted in a place that even his true friends had to search “diligently” to find him (2 Tim. 1:16-17), and anticipating his own death in the very near future (2 Tim. 4:6-8). He even asked Timothy to bring his “cloke” when he came – apparently the place of his imprisonment was cold and dank (2 Tim. 4:13). The emperor who had imprisoned him, and would soon execute him, was a demented man (Nero) who had already proven to be an enemy of Christians when he blamed them for the burning of Rome and had murdered many faithful Christians.
Who wouldn’t be afraid under these circumstances? This is certainly worse than anything we are facing today! And yet Paul tells Timothy that fear is NOT of God. But how can he say this?
The fear that Paul is referencing is not the kind of startling fear that we experience, say, when we nearly get hit by a car in traffic. Rather, it is a pervasive sense of foreboding – literally, “timidity.” I don’t know about you, but I have to fight against this feeling very often nowadays, especially when I turn on the news and see more terrifying reports about the pandemic, the rioting, the rancorous politics and division in this country. I just generally have a sense of unease that afflicts me when I focus on the circumstances of the world today. Sometimes it manifests itself not as fear, but rather as anger and frustration at the ungodliness that is so rampant today.
But Paul says this kind of “fear” is NOT of God! Child of God, whenever you experience this kind of pervasive fear, or anger, or just general sense of foreboding, you need to remember that God did NOT send this! So what DOES God give us? Paul answers with these items: power, love, and a sound mind.
“Power” is translated from the Greek word δύναμις (dunamis), from which we derive our modern word “dynamite.” As the KJV translators appropriately translated it, it means “power”. But not just any kind of power: it is God’s “dynamite” power that is under consideration here? First of all, it is the power of God in bringing us the new birth. Before we are born again, we cannot have even an inkling of anything spiritual (1 Cor. 2:14) because we are “dead” in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). That’s why Jesus told Nicodemus, “ye must be born again” (John 3:7). Secondly, it is the power of God infusing us with divine power through the new birth – that is, God creates something “new” within us (2 Cor. 5:17), which literally means something that is “of a new kind, unprecedented, or unheard of.” That which is born in us is something that did not exist before: it is new, it is spiritual, and it is eternal. Finally, the power of God enables us to follow Him AFTER we are born of the Spirit. The “new creature” within us is the ONLY thing that “avails” (i.e., exerts or wields spiritual power in our lives), whether we are Jew (circumcision) or Gentile (uncircumcision).
“Love” is the same thing as the “charity” of 1 Cor. 13, the “agape” love of the Bible. It is “love in action,” not just a feeling or emotion. The opposite of this love is “hate” – we see a lot of that in the world today, don’t we? John writes that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear. . . .” (1 John 4:18). So the love that is of God is the antidote to the fear that is in the world. And doesn’t that make sense? When we fill our minds up with the hatred and division of the world, we can’t help but feel outcast and afraid; but when we fill our minds up with the wondrous love of God for His people, and share that love with one another, we can’t help but feel loved and secure.
“A sound mind” has to do with self-discipline, translated from a Greek verb meaning “to restore one to his senses.” Do you remember Chicken Little? She got hit on the head by an acorn and, rather than use her mind and good sense to examine the situation, she instead ran off immediately and began screaming that “the sky is falling”! Christianity is NOT a mindless, irrational religion – to the contrary, Christians are commanded to use their minds in evaluating the circumstances of life, albeit in light of the truth of God’s word. Often we hear the religious world speak of “winning their hearts” for God; but we believe God Himself wins the hearts of His people when he gives them the new birth, and our job as a church is now to win their minds! Paul tells the Roman church, “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. . . .” (Rom. 12:2). The only way to “renew” your mind as to the things of God is to FILL your mind with the things of God! How do we do that? By studying the word of God diligently.
Paul did not focus on the fear that he no doubt felt in light of his circumstances. Instead, he focused on the only thing that will bring comfort to a hurting child of God: the gospel of the grace of God. He continues writing to Timothy: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. . . .” (2 Tim. 1:8-10).
You see, Paul knew where his true citizenship lay: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. . . ” (Phil. 3:20). Literally, Paul is saying we are NOT citizens of this present evil world, but citizens of the perfect heavenly world. And because of this precious knowledge, we do NOT have to fear!
Beloved friend, turn off the TV and quit looking at the internet – all you will find there is cause for fear! Instead, open the Bible and read of the Man Christ Jesus, Who died in order to save His people from their sins (Mat. 1:21). That ought to be good news to us!
And the best news of all? HE ACTUALLY DID WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO! He completely saved every single one of His children from their sins, finishing the work completely on the cross (John 19:30). Doesn’t that drive away you fear? It sure does drive away mine!
May the Lord bless and keep you in this present evil world.
Elder Chris McCool, Pastor