Fear

By: Jon Henegar

A man went to his doctor for a routine examination. The doctor ran some blood work and then sat down with him for a consultation. The doctor told him that he was overweight and was a borderline diabetic. He also told him he needed to lose weight, start exercising and eat better. He sternly warned him that if he stayed on the path he was on, in all probability, his life would be shortened. As he was driving home, he thought about his wife and children and his grand kids. He thought about how he enjoyed having them in his life. He thought about being there when his grandchildren graduated from high school, maybe even college. How much he wanted to grow old with his wife . He was Christian and he wasn’t afraid to die, but he didn’t want to die. He wanted to enjoy this wonderful gift called life God had given him for as long as possible. The doctor put fear in the man’s heart.

To many Christians, the idea of presenting the gospel with any element of fear is wrong. This concept says that motivating someone to salvation by using fear is similar to spiritual terrorism. God’s mercy, love and grace are all that is needed in sharing the gospel. To mention Hell, eternal separation from God and the abandonment of all hope is just cruel and unnecessary and makes Christianity very unattractive to the unbeliever. I do think that God’s mercy and grace is the most important aspect of the message of salvation. His love for us is beyond measure and nothing short of amazing, but there is more to the Gospel for it to be complete. Jesus warned or talked of Hell at least 15 times in the New Testament and these are just the times he called Hell by name. There are more passages that refer to Hell but he didn’t use the name in all of his warnings. It is a real place and a real consequence and it is a part of the whole Gospel. It is uncomfortable to talk about, but it is a part of the Gospel just the same. Was Jesus using spiritual terrorism, or was he just presenting the truth in love? Was he trying to scare people into salvation with fear, or was he warning them, because he loved them, of impending danger?

The man heeded his doctor’s advice and lost weight. He started walking with his wife on a more regular basis and he was eating healthier. At his next examination his blood sugar was lower and his blood chemistry was much better. He now had a better chance at seeing his grand kids graduate from high school. He now might be able to grow old with his wife. Yes, the doctor warned him and that warning caused the man to fear, but it was a good fear, a healthy fear, for it motivated him to get off the path of destruction. The man was thankful that his doctor cared enough to warn him and put that fear in him. I should know, you see, I’m that man.

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