Your Foundation in Christ (Victory Series Book #3): Live By the Power of the Spirit (6 page)

1 Corinthians 15:50–55

Key Point

Physical death is still imminent, but it is no longer potent.

Key Verse

Precious in the sight of the L
ORD
is the death of his faithful servants.

Psalm 116:15

F
ear was the first emotion Adam expressed after the Fall (see Genesis 3:10), and because of the Fall the most repeated command in Scripture is “fear not.” What Adam and Eve lost in the Fall was life, and according to Scripture, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:26). Because we are alive in Christ, death is no longer a legitimate fear object. Even though physical death is still imminent (see Hebrews 9:27), it is no longer potent. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

There is no reason for us as believers to fear death. “We are confident . . . and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Our physical life is temporal and perishable, but the spiritual life we have in Christ is eternal. “The perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). Our perishable physical life must be joined with the imperishable life of Christ so that when we physically die, “death [will be] swallowed up in victory” (verse 54).

In order to be with God in heaven, we must physically die and receive a resurrected body, because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 50). When we physically die, we will be absent from the body but present with the Lord for eternity. If we have not received spiritual life before we physically die, we will face eternity in hell. Therefore, we should place the highest value not on our physical life but on our spiritual life in Christ.

Paul says, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). If we are free from the fear of death, we are free to live responsible lives today. Being free from the fear of death is not a license to commit suicide, nor is it a license to needlessly throw ourselves in harm’s way. Our physical life is an entrustment of which we are to be good stewards. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

The fear of death should never prevent us from doing our duty. This point is well illustrated by the story of a fierce storm that had left a trawler in mortal danger. The Coast Guard was summoned to rescue the crew. A young seaman was paralyzed with fear at the prospect of going out to sea in such hazardous conditions. He pleaded with the captain, “We can’t go out; we will never come back.” The captain replied, “We must go out; we don’t have to come back.”

This world is not our home. We have been allowed to remain on this planet for a purpose. If we fear the Lord, we will seek above all else to fulfill our calling. Paul said, “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:23–25).

Throughout the Bible, God commands His people to “fear not.” Why is death no longer a legimitate fear object in the life of a believer?

What happens to believers in Christ when they physically die? How did this fact enable Paul to say that to “live is Christ and to die is gain”?

Why is suicide so wrong if we are free from the fear of death?

How has freedom from the fear of death enabled you to pursue your calling and purpose in Christ?

What lingering effects does the fear of death still have in your life?

It is not death itself that is gain, but to die in Christ. Life is Christ. The one who has hope in Him is always alive, both now and forever. . . . Therefore they achieve nothing, whether they hand me over to death or to tortures in life. Neither alternative harms me. Life under torments is not punishment for me, since Christ is my life. And if they kill me, that too is no punishment for me, since Christ for me is life and to die is to gain.

Gaius Marius Victorinus (c. fourth century AD)

1 Peter 3:13–22

Key Point

In spite of what others may do to us, they cannot take our soul, because only God has the right to determine who we are.

Key Verse

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the L
ORD
is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25

T
he early Christians were fearless, as evidenced by the record of their adventures in Acts. On one occasion Luke observed, “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (4:31). Boldness is the mark of a Spirit-filled Christian. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). We surrender control of our lives to any fear object we elevate above God. But if we fear the Lord, we have self-control. Fearing
God is an act of worship, because we are recognizing the supremacy of Him above all others.

Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Saul, the first king of Israel, sinned because he was afraid of the people and gave in to them (see 1 Samuel 15:24). The 12 spies Moses sent into Canaan discovered it to be a fruitful land, but 10 of them gave a bad report because they feared the people who lived there. They said, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33). Fear had distorted what they saw, but Joshua and Caleb had the right perspective: “Do not rebel against the L
ORD
. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the L
ORD
is with us” (14:9).

No one denies that people can do incredible emotional and physical harm to each another, but we should not give another human being the right to determine who we are. We are children of God, and only He has the right to decide who we are—and who we are meant to become. The fear of man will compromise our witness, and we will end up trying to please others and fail to please God. Paul said, “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

A servant of Christ will seek to do that which is good. Peter asked, “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” (1 Peter 3:13). The unfortunate truth is that some may seek to harm us, but that cannot alter who we are, nor should that fear control us. “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord” (verses 14–15).

Fear of man is the primary reason why we often fail to share our faith. It is an irrational fear, because it is not based in truth. The truth is we are called to be witnesses, and those who are lost need to know the truth that will save them. But many may not hear the gospel message if we allow the fear of man to control our lives. The only way to overcome the fear of man is to feel the fear, but do the right thing anyway. If we do the thing we fear the most, the death of an irrational fear is certain.

Why is boldness the mark of a Spirit-filled Christian? Why do those who fear God above everything else have such boldness?

How does the fear of man influence our perspective? How does the fear of God influence our perspective?

In what ways does the fear of man compromise our witness for Christ? How does such fear rob us of our identity?

Who right now is controlling your actions because you fear him or her? Why?

What power do you allow others to exert over your life?

Peter is speaking here [1 Peter 3:14–15] of things like abuse, damage and bodily injury which come to us from our enemies. These and similar things are the common lot of believers, both because they are good imitators of Christ and because they know that such things, far from doing them any harm, actually bring glory to those who endure them with patience. At the same time, harm does in fact come to those who do such things, because they are storing up eternal punishment for themselves.

Bede (AD 673–735)

1 Samuel 17:1–58

Key Point

It is better to have tried and failed than to have never tried at all.

Key Verse

Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.

Proverbs 24:16

T
he fearful ask, “What do I stand to lose if I do?” The fearless ask, “What do I stand to gain if I do and lose if I don’t?” Israel was confronted with these options when the Philistines sent Goliath to challenge their champion. “On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified” (1 Samuel 17:11). Their fear of failure kept them from going up against the giant.

David asked, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (verse 26). David reasoned he would gain a lot if he fought Goliath, and Israel would be disgraced if
he didn’t (see verse 25). The Israelites had seen the giant in relationship to themselves, but David saw him in comparison to God. The Lord had delivered David from a lion and a bear, and he believed God would deliver him “from the hand of this Philistine” (verse 37).

The Bible is a historical account of failures. Moses struck the rock in anger and failed to reach the Promised Land. Elijah slew 450 prophets of Baal but ran from Jezebel. Peter told the Lord that he would be willing to die for Him, but then, fearing for his life, denied three times that he even knew Jesus. David slew Goliath, but he also slept with Bathsheba and brought pain to his family. Many of the heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11 would be considered flops by modern-day standards. But they were not mentioned because of their accomplishments; they were commended for their faithfulness (see Hebrews 11:39–40).

To stumble and fall is not failure. To stumble and fall again is not failure. Failure comes when we say, “I was pushed,” and then fail to get up again. We have failed ourselves if we blame others for our lack of progress or rationalize why we can’t get back up again. We have failed others when we don’t assume our responsibility in the Body of Christ. There are two kinds of failures: moral failure and failure to meet certain objectives. Moral failure cannot be blamed on anyone but ourselves. If we have sinned, we need to confess it to God (see 1 John 1:9), receive His forgiveness and cleansing, and get up from where we have fallen.

We all have failed to accomplish one or more of our life objectives, but that doesn’t make us failures. A mistake is never a failure unless we fail to learn from it. Those who are afraid to fail never try. They follow the path of least resistance. Allowing the fear of failure to control our lives is like putting a car in reverse and jamming on the brake. We may reduce our losses, but we never accomplish anything to the glory of God. We like the security of the tree trunk, but the fruit is always on the end of the limb!

Remember, success is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent aptitude. Every step toward maturity will be met with new challenges and obstacles to be overcome. You will feel the fear of failure as you grow in Christ, but if you fear the Lord, you will overcome that fear of failure. You will be able to look back and say, “It was unshakable faith in God and persistence that got me through.”

What is the difference between the way the fearful and the fearless look at a situation?

How did David’s faith in God override his fear of Goliath?

How do we fail ourselves when we blame others for our lack of progress? How do we fail others when we don’t assume the responsibility God has given us?

How have your mistakes and self-perceived failures in the past actually helped you to become a better person?

How is the fear of failure keeping you from stepping out in faith?

Let us then bravely bear the ills that befall us. It is in war that heroes are discerned; in conflicts that athletes are crowned; in the surge of the sea that the art of the helmsman is shown; in the fire that the gold is tried. And let us not, I beseech you, have concern for only ourselves, but let us rather look out for the rest, and that much more for the sick than for the whole.

Theodoret of Cyr (AD 393–457)