POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FEAR WITHIN THE BELIEVER
2Ti 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:8 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;
As you have correctly noticed, “fear” is spoken about as a real and legitimate motivating factor with us in this present dispensation of God’s grace. In fact, it is spoken of both in a positive, (or a good and appropriate), sense, and in a negative, (or a bad and inappropriate), sense. Hence we find ‘positive fear’ in such places as you have cited, and ‘negative fear’ in such places as II Corinthians 7:1 and II Timothy 1:7. And of these two kinds of fear, it is the negative one that most folks have a tendency to think of first, (or sometimes it is the only kind that they think of), simply because ‘negative fear’ is the kind of fear with which they are most familiar, as well as being the kind that is most often spoken about these days. However most any comprehensive English dictionary will describe/define both kinds of fear, and also show that ‘positive fear’ is still frequently spoken about these days, even though it was more common to speak of it a generation or so ago, and far more common still in previous centuries. Therefore both kinds of fear are real and legitimate, and both kinds are clearly spoken about in our epistles. Hence we not only encounter both kinds, but we are expected to deal with both kinds at various points in our sonship lives as we proceed through our Father’s curriculum for our “godly edifying” and it effectually works within us so that we become increasingly conformed to the image of Christ in our lives. So then we need to understand both kinds of fear. But in the outworking of our sonship lives we especially need to be properly and appropriately motivated by ‘positive fear.’ Yet at the same time we need to avail ourselves of the things that we are taught in our “godly edifying” which are designed to make it so that we can overcome the detrimental effects of ‘negative fear.’
1Co 16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
1Co 16:10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.
1Co 16:11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.
Now since ‘positive fear’ is specifically the kind that you asked about, we’ll briefly focus upon it. First off it is important to understand that fear, (regardless of which kind it is), involves the issue of us being mentally as well as emotionally overwhelmed and impressed by something to the point that it powerfully motivates us. We are usually overwhelmed either by something that someone says to us or does to us, (if it is a person whom we fear), or we are overwhelmed by the consequences or ramifications that some situation or some circumstance might pose to us. And so depending upon the nature of what it is that overwhelms and impresses us, our fear will either be of the ‘negative’ kind or of the ‘positive’ kind.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
So ‘in a nutshell’ the essence of fear is that it involves us being overwhelmed and impressed by something to the point of being strongly moved to either shrink back from someone or some situation out of intimidation, or to take a stand with someone or in some situation out of strong respect for a cause. Now in accordance with this, (and to put it very simply), ‘positive fear’ is the opposite of ‘negative fear.’ It is the opposite of ‘negative fear’ in the sense that it does not cause us to shrink back from someone or something, or be intimidated by them. As such it usually does not involve us being frightened, or afraid, or scared of someone or of something so that we move back from them because they have overwhelmed us by some sort of threat that they have made to us. Instead ‘positive fear’ actually causes us to want to move towards someone or something. It causes us to want to take a stand for something or with someone. As such ‘positive fear’ involves the issue of us being overwhelmed and impressed by something other than a threat. In fact, by something that is often more powerful to us than a threat. And this actually causes us to want to move towards someone or something because we have greater respect and regard for them than for anything else.
Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Wherefore when it comes to ‘positive fear’ we are overwhelmed by, (and duly impressed with), such things as the correctness, or the righteousness, or the properness, or the propriety, or the excellence of something. Or we are overwhelmed by and duly impressed with such things as the honor, or the virtue, or the justice, or the value, or the nobility of something. Or when it comes to someone’s person, we are overwhelmed and impressed by his greatness, or majesty, or august nature, and the like.
In short, therefore, with ‘positive fear’ we are mentally as well as emotionally overwhelmed by, (and duly impressed with), something about someone, or something about some matter, because we have great respect for it, and it means more to us than anything else. And because we are overwhelmed and impressed by such things as the correctness or excellence of something, or by the greatness or majesty of someone, this causes us to want to stand for, or be identified with, such correctness or excellence; or it causes us to want to submit to someone’s greatness or majesty and do things his way, in preference to following the course of others, or being identified with others, who are inappropriately impressed with other things.
Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Now this ‘positive fear’ is the kind of fear that Paul is talking about in such places as II Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:21 and 6:5; Philippians 2:12; and Colossians 3:22. And as is evident from the immediate context of each of these places, (or from what has been set forth in the context leading up one or more of these places), specific information is given in the contexts about such things as correctness, or excellence, or virtue, or greatness, and the like, which God has designed to effectually overwhelm and impress us and therefore cause us to have ‘positive fear.’ With this being so, verses such as these then exhort us to do what they say in response to having ‘positive fear’ for either the correctness, or excellence, or virtue, or greatness, etc., of what is being spoken about in the context.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2Co 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
2Co 7:3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
Therefore when, for example, in II Corinthians 7:1 Paul says… Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. …the “fear of God” that Paul says we should have is ‘positive fear’ that comes from the overwhelming and exceedingly impressive nature of the grandeur and glory of what our sonship status is all about, and what it means for us to live as “the sons of God” that we are, just as Paul reminds us of, and reproves both the Corinthians and us about, in the preceding verses. Hence in view of this particular ‘positive fear of God’ we ought to be caused to want to ‘perfect holiness’ as the “sons” that we are by completely disassociating ourselves from the damaging effects of the ungodly enticements of this world, no matter how attractive, persuasive, or pleasant they may be.
Col 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Col 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Col 3:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.
So once again it is ‘positive fear’ that Paul is talking about in such verses as you have cited. And ‘positive fear’ is not only legitimate for us to have, but especially in this present dispensation of God’s grace it is fully appropriate for us to operate upon it. For the truth of the matter is ‘positive fear’ is one of the main motivations for a “son” as he responds to his father and lives his sonship life according to the curriculum that his father has given him. Hence with us having received “the adoption of sons” in this present dispensation, ‘positive fear’ is naturally a big issue between us and God our Father in His program and dealings with us, just as Paul’s frequent reference to it testifies. And in reference to your other question, this issue of ‘positive fear’ is what is involved in most, if not all, of the occurrences of the expression “the fear of the Lord,” just as the contexts in which it is used clearly show. Now what I have set forth here only deals with the gist of this matter. Nonetheless I hope that it helps you to understand the issue of ‘positive fear,’ and to appreciate the natural and appropriate motivation that it is for us as the “sons of God” that we are in this present dispensation of God’s grace.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries