By Larry Rosenbaum
A few days ago, I watched a video of the revival that is taking place in China. In the midst of tremendous persecution, millions of people are coming to Christ in that nation. These people pray for hours with great intensity and faith, and are seeing many miracles, including reports of people being raised from the dead. Thousands have been imprisoned for their faith, under conditions that we can hardly imagine, and some are still being martyred.
But the thing that impressed me most about this video was seeing many of these Christians holding church right out in the street, worshiping the Lord openly and witnessing boldly to others. How strange! In China, Christians witness openly and boldly, even though they may go to jail or die. But in America, Christians are afraid to witness.
Dennis Balcombe, the missionary who made this video, gave the reason for their boldness. The Chinese Christians fear the Lord. Jesus said, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” Matt. 10:28. The Chinese Christians do not fear the police who can imprison or kill them because they fear God. American Christians are uncomfortable with the concept of fearing God. We tend to think of this as an Old Testament concept.
But the concept of fearing God is as much in the New as the Old Testament. The Greek term “phobio/phobos” is as strong as the Hebrew word “yare/yirah.” Three times the word is translated “terror.” “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” 2 Cor. 5:11. What was Paul talking about here? First, he knew that those who do not know Christ are headed for the torments of Hell, so he persuaded them to avoid that horrible fate. Second, he was concerned about his own fate when he would one day appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). In an earlier letter, Paul had written, “Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” 1 Cor. 9:16. And surely he remembered the words of Jesus who said, “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father” Mark 8:38.
It is Paul who said “I am not ashamed of the gospel” Rom. 1:16. He warned Timothy that “God has not given us the spirit of fear…be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord” (2 Tim. 1:7-8) and “preach the word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not” (2 Tim. 4:2,5 LB). Timothy, like many of us, was often fearful of witnessing to others, and Paul had to encourage him to witness boldly and consistently, even when it was not convenient.
A person who is truly saved will show an enduring change in his life that will be demonstrated by good works (Eph. 2:10). The scriptures teach that the truly saved person will consistently confess Christ before men, with his words as well as his life style. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before the Father…but whosoever shall deny me before men, him I also deny before by my Father” Matt. 10:32. The Greek verbs for confess and deny are aorist and constative, indicating an entire life of confessing or denying, not a single one-time event (such as a sinner’s prayer or baptism). “If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus…you shall be saved…with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed” Rom. 10:9-11.
When we truly fear God, we will walk in holiness and will boldly witness to others. We will not fear persecution, imprisonment, death, loss of reputation, or allow any obstacle to prevent us from reaching as many people as possible with the gospel. “Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety” Prov. 29:25. God, forgive us for the many times we have been ashamed of you, and failed to confess you before men. Put your fear in our hearts, that we will obey you and persuade others to turn to you!
