NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, tell the unbeliever, "Everything is going to be okay" or "You have nothing to be AFRAID of because God loves you." This is the message of the false prophets who say, "Peace, peace!" when in fact there is no peace (cf. Jer. 6:14). Isaiah 48:22 is very clear: “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

The message for the unbeliever is "BE VERY MUCH AFRAID!" Terror beyond comprehension lies just ahead. Unending torment is awaiting. Your destination is "the lake of fire" which is characterized by "outer darkness" and the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (cf. Mt. 8:12; Rev. 20:15). Revelation 20:10 indicates that those cast into the lake of fire "will be tormented day and night forever and ever." Eternal DAMNATION is ever but a breath away for those without Christ. Sheer horror night and day should be their state until they get right with God through Jesus!

Mankind in hardened depravity has no fear of God (cf. Rom. 3:18). They are cocky and arrogant in their defiance of God. But that is about to change! At the moment of death they SUDDENLY will be "utterly consumed with terrors."

Psalm 73:18–19 (NKJV)
18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction.
19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.

It was Jesus Who said: "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Mt. 10:28). In contrast to Jesus, today we have a plethora of false teachers who NEVER mention the threat of hell. They present a God who is all love and not to be feared. This is NOT the God of the Bible!

In Psalm 2 after describing the defiance of the world and the FACT that the Son (Jesus) is one day going to "break [the nations] with a rod of iron" and "dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel"; the Psalm then concludes with this warning call:

Psalm 2:10–12 (NKJV)
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

In Philippi a hostile mob tore the clothes off of Paul and Silas and had them beaten with "many stripes" and thrown into the jail. Paul and Silas responded by praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. God then responded with "the jailhouse ROCK"! Acts 16:26 says, "Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed." That will get your attention! That will put the FEAR OF GOD in you - at least it SHOULD and it did for the Philippian jailer!

The Philippian jailer "ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas" saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:29-30). They responded, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). And the text says, "they spoke the word of the LORD to him" (emphasis mine).

Properly understood saving faith involves the element of FEAR - the fear of God. In taking the gospel to the Gentiles Peter made this observation:

Acts 10:34–35 (NKJV)
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.
35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

The issue is the nature of a true saving faith! It always involves a proper fear of God, or what we might call a REVERENCE for God. It is a "Lordship" issue that properly recognizes God for Who He is as "My Lord and my God!" (Jn. 20:28)

In salvation there is what is seemingly a paradoxical experience. The song Amazing Grace so aptly states it: "T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear, And Grace, my fears relieved". BOTH are true! "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10). There is NO true biblical wisdom apart from a FEAR of God. And yet, in salvation a MOST WONDERFUL reality takes place. Romans 5:1 says, "having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ".

This changes EVERYTHING! As believers we no longer cower in abject terror before God. We no longer "tremble" like the demons do (cf. Ja. 2:19). Jesus now says to us: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (Jn. 14:27). We now have "boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus" (Heb. 10:19). We now can "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" (Heb. 10:22).

It's not that we no longer fear God. We DO! However, now it is from a "parental" perspective that knows God as a loving Father. He is HOLY and revered, but at the same time we know His LOVE in Christ which casts out fear (cf. 1 Jn. 4:18). Psalm 130:4 says, "there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared." God's forgiveness enables us to LOVINGLY REVERENCE Him for the Holy and Loving God that He is. This is all made possible through Jesus Christ the wonderful LORD and SAVIOR of all who believe in Him.

So note the twin truths: We fear God and in Christ our fears are relieved! For the TRUE believer both are true!

Proverbs 14:27 (NKJV)
27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.

1 John 4:18 (NKJV)
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Praise God for His Amazing Grace. Indeed, "T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear, And Grace, my fears relieved".