The Fear of Man

The fear of man is awakened when we arrive at an understanding in our relationship to God, that we shall no longer live according to the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Pet. 4:2.

Doing God’s will crosses the will of other people, resulting in a break with them, and so the fear of man awakens. However, the fear of man and the fear of God are mutually exclusive. One of them has to be victorious, and the other must give way. 1 Pet. 4:4.

There is enmity between flesh and Spirit, between those who live in the flesh and those who live in the Spirit, between those who do God’s will and those who do their own will. Gal. 4:29. We sense this enmity, so that we are tempted to fear man. But then it is vital to stand on God’s side. It is almost unbelievable, but that doesn’t mean it is any less real that the person who desires to live in the Spirit will collide with the leaders of religious assemblies. They excommunicate you from their “synagogues.” John 9:22, 12:42-43, 16:2.

Convincing the world that their deeds are evil results in hatred. John 7:7; Jer. 1:17; 2 Chron. 18:7-27; Acts 7:51-54. We notice what they did with Jesus, also with Stephen and with many others. Their hatred became so intense that they would not let them live among them.

As many as follow Jesus encounter the same hatred from people who do not love the way of light. Consequently, we are tempted to fear man on all stages of faith. But Jesus, who was tempted in all points as we are, overcame all fear of man, and now we gain the same victory through Him. All praise to His holy name! Faith working through love puts its foot on the neck of the fear of man.

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is for me among those who help me; therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.” Ps. 118:6-7. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Rom. 8:31.

We love God above all, which liberates us from all fear. We are prepared to lose everything and give everything. “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also . . . His kingdom is forever.”1

“The fear of man brings a snare . . . .” Prov. 29:25. It suffocates and kills the life of Christ, forcing many souls on their knees, souls who had begun on the way.

We should definitely take Jesus’ admonition in Matthew 10:25-42 to heart.