Is it okay if fear is the thing keeping me from sinning? Yes. But it should not be the only thing.
Fear can be useful. When temptation hits, sometimes remembering the consequences is exactly what gets you out of the situation.
Joseph understood that when he ran from Potiphar’s wife:
“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9, KJV)
Paul tells us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, KJV).
And Proverbs says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10, KJV).
Sometimes fear is the thing that gets you out of the room. Thank God for it.
But there is a problem with living in fear alone. Fear can control what I do without changing what I want. A man who does not cheat because he is afraid of getting caught has made the right decision. But if he still wants to cheat, the decision has not necessarily changed his heart.
David prayed for something deeper:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10, KJV)
Not just controlled behavior. A clean heart. And that is where love comes in.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.” (1 John 4:18, KJV)
So are we supposed to fear God or love Him? Probably both.
There is a fear that comes from reverence: God is holy, my choices matter, and sin has consequences. But there is another fear that makes us believe God is waiting for us to fail. That kind of fear makes us hide from Him.
Scripture says we have received something different:
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15, KJV)
The goal is not to spend our lives terrified of God. It is to become close enough to Him that obedience starts coming from love. At some point, “I better not” has to become “I do not want to.”
Fear says, “What will this cost me?” Love says, “Why would I choose this over God?”
Maybe that is why Scripture calls fear the beginning of wisdom and not the destination. Fear can stop you tonight. Love can change what you want tomorrow.
Fear will get you out of the room. Love is what keeps you from wanting to go back.
If you want to submit an article to this column, please follow the attached document.
Email [email protected] with any questions.
Future_Voices_Contributor_Guide_2025.
About Future Voices
Future Voices is a Sunday-morning column in The Dallas Express in which young Texans share how faith and perseverance shape their lives. These stories remind readers that God often speaks through the honesty and courage of the next generation.
