Should a Christian experience fear?

I love history. Winston Churchill said, “The farther back in history a person can see, the farther ahead in the future he can see.” My family and I recently traveled to Eagle, Alaska. Eagle is former mining country. Passing through the Fortymile region I thought of the brave men and women who came to Alaska to find gold. They came facing difficult circumstances with great courage.

On Memorial Day we called our son in the 82nd Airborne. I was reminded of the battle of Bastogne in World War II. The 82nd and the 101st Airborne divisions defended Bastogne. The acting commander of the 101st Airborne responded to the German offer of surrender with, “Nuts!” Courage is never the absence of fear but despite the fear pressing ahead.

Should Christians experience fear? There is definitely plenty of fear today. God does not want us to live in fear. A nation can be defeated through fear. Jesus commanded His people not to fear. In John 14:1 Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” We are to trust in Jesus even as we trust in God the Father.

The greatest fear for most people is death. We are commanded in the Bible not to fear death. Fearing death produces bondage. Jesus came to “free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives” (Hebrews 2:15).

One of my favorite verses for overcoming fear is buried deep in the Old Testament. Job 5:26 says, “You shall come to the grave in full vigor, like the stacking of grain in its season.” Job faced difficult circumstances. His friends thought he might die. He lost his children, his wealth, his business and his health. His local economy collapsed! Job 5:26 teaches four reasons believers in Jesus should not fear anything including death.

First, death is inevitable. The verse begins, “You shall come to the grave…” Death cannot be avoided. We must prepare for death. The average age of a person dying of COVID-19 in Italy is 79 years old. The average age of death in Italy is 78.5! Death comes but we can be prepared for it. Death is coming for every person. We can be ready.

Second, death for a Christian is acceptable. “You shall come to the grave…” It doesn’t say that we will be dragged to the grave. No. A believer in Jesus will come to the grave.

Martin Luther wondered how a sinful person could stand before a righteous and perfect God. He discovered the secret is what he called “a foreign righteousness” or “an imputed righteousness.” The righteousness of Jesus is given to a person through faith.

Jesus Christ offers His righteousness to us. The gospel is good news. At the cross Jesus was treated as if He lived my sinful life. He was punished for my sins. I am treated as if I lived His perfect life. The righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to my account through faith. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Repentance and faith in Jesus produce eternal life.

Third, the death of a Christian is timely. “You shall come to the grave in full vigor….” The Bible teaches that every person is born with an expiration date. Jesus asked in Matthew 6:37, “And which of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” God calls us home at the proper time. “Full vigor” means that God’s timing is always perfect. He knows what He is doing.

My grandfather died at age 43. My grandmother died at 92. My sister died at 44. Both of my parents are still alive at 77. We do not die until God’s work for us is complete.

Fourth, the death of a Christian is honorable. “You shall come to the grave in full vigor, like the stacking of grain in its season.” The Bible is using an agricultural metaphor. The “stacking of grain” is harvest time. We are saved in order to serve Christ forever in His presence.

A wise farmer harvests his grain at the proper time. God brings us home at the perfect time. Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of God is the death of His godly ones.” Luke 16:22 teaches we are carried into God’s presence by His angels. To depart and be with Christ is “very much better” (Philippians 1:23).

Let’s don’t live in fear today. Is there an alternative to living in fear? Of course! We must live by faith. Faith is an unwavering confidence in God as presented in the Bible. Let’s study and obey our Bibles and get to know the Lord Jesus Christ better.

Ethan Hansen is a pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.