Per last week’s post, we are going to spend a few weeks talking about sin. I hope you took the time to study and read the verses and passages from last week. We will use Revelation 21:8, which is partially repeated in 22:15 (those without). The list in 21:8 does not comprise all sin, it’s a short list. There are many other lists of sins in both the Old and New testaments as well, the thing to know is that NO sin: one or many, small or big, can come into the presence of God (heaven): it is Jesus’ blood that takes away our sin and allows us to come before God. We’re using the list to get a setting as we go deeper into the talk about sin.
— But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. — Revelation 21:8 (KJV)
— But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. — Revelation 21:8 (NIV)
— τοῖς δὲ δειλοῖς καὶ ἀπίστοις καὶ ἐβδελυγμένοις καὶ φονεῦσιν καὶ πόρνοις καὶ φαρμάκοις καὶ εἰδωλολάτραις καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ψευδέσιν τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ λίμνῃ τῇ καιομένῃ πυρὶ καὶ θείῳ, ὅ ἐστιν ὁ θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος. — Direct Greek
— tois de deilois kai apistois kai ebdelugmenois kai phoneusin kai pornois kai pharmakois kai eidololatrais kai pasin tois pseudesi to meros auton en te limne te kaiomene puri kai theio, ho estin ho thanatos ho deuteros. — Direct Greek with Roman-lettering
Diving right into the list the very first on it is: “the fearful”. Notice that the KJV uses fearful and the NIV uses cowardly. Going to the direct Greek text, the word is “δειλοῖς”/”deilois” which is translated to: fearful, cowardly or timid.
The definitions of fear and coward are:
an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fear
to be worried or frightened that something bad might happen or might have happened
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fear
one who shows disgraceful fear or timidity
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowardSo how is it a sin to be fearful considering that it is a natural emotion, that the Bible even tells us to fear some things like: “fear the LORD”, as well as recounts the fear of others such as Job?
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. — Job 3:25 (KJV)
Fear just like anger can get out of control and be sinful, that’s the fear that God is talking about in Rev 21:8. Just as Paul explains in Ephesians 4:26-27, the same is true for not only fear, but many other emotions.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. — Ephesians 4:26-27 (KJV)
The key here is: “Neither give place to the devil”. The devil will gladly take your emotions and exploit them to make you sin.
Uncontrolled fear produces other ungodly emotions and causes people to act irrationally. Had Job not checked and controlled his fear, he could have given into a spirit of hoarding/greed, mistreating/exploiting, and cutting off people around him. We see this everyday today with the rich and well off in our society.
Further, it causes people to hate their brother or sister simply because of their skin color, or even to kill their neighbor because of anticipation. In America if you shoot and kill someone, the defense and first thing you are supposed to say is “I feared for my life”. That’s the “core” justification the US legal system may want to hear to exonerate you, but not so with God. In fact, you may have very well been fearful, but He’s going to look at what you have been feeding the root of that fear. People feed their minds, using many different sources, so much hate, prejudice, paranoia, suspicion, gossip, etc., that they become fearful and cowardly. There is no love in any of those words. Love: a commandment which Jesus gave us, He himself does and is full of, and which is the essence of His word.
As we opened with this verse in last week’s post, here it is again:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. — 1 John 4:18 (KJV)
“He that feareth is not made perfect in love“; this is why the fearful are without.
If you are not saved/redeemed please do so today.
Come to God open, empty and without statements.
Ask him to be real to you and believe in Him.
Humble yourself before Him, confess who you are, and tell Him that you are sorry for your sins.
Ask Him to forgive you and to come into your life and start a personal relationship.
Believe this and be born again!
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old in the faith, in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom