Have you ever been afraid? Is it wrong for Christians to fear? That may depend on the situation.
There are natural safeguard emotions built into all humans for self-preservation purposes. Should one not be afraid to step too close to the edge of a cliff or ride a roller coaster with a heart condition? It is right and natural to be fearful in such conditions. This applies to believers and unbelievers alike. Does fear exist just in the physical world? Does fear exist in the spiritual world? Is faith the absence of fear? Fear is the motivational element in both the physical and spiritual worlds.
The fear of harm and danger to the physical causes humans to seek security measures. We buy insurance to secure our property. We enlarge the cosmetic industry to enhance our beauty or prolong our youthfulness because we fear old age. We create giant pharmaceutical companies because we fear death. Then, at some point in our life, we consider our eternal soul and its destiny.
(Job 14:14) “If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” Solomon says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7). This is not physical fear. This is a fear of the unknown in the spiritual realm. The fear of eternity and final destiny.
In the Book of Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Jesus is stating the contrast between the fear of man (physical) and the fear of God (spiritual). The word fear concerning God is different from physical fear. This fear is an affectionate reverence to the bitter wrath and sweetness of the love of God.
Hebrews 12:28,29 tells us, “ Wherefore we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire.” This type of fear being connected to believe and trust, creates a fellowship either within human relations or between human and the divine.
These two types of fears are demonstrated by our Lord in Mark 14: 32-36, “And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here and watch. And he went forward a little , and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”