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Fear

Mark Berry
09/06/17 - Wednesday Bible Study

Series: Overcoming Sin

Psychologists tell us we are born with two fears - the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises.  However, may of us soon learn many more fears.  There are hundreds of phobia recognized today.  Some of them are reasonable and common, while other seem very strange, but they are very real.

The bible uses the word "fear" in two ways.  First, the Bible speaks of fear in the sense of reverence and respect.  "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all" (Eccl. 12:13).  This fear is good and wholesome, leading to knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and the salvation of our sould (Acts 10:35).  The Bible also uses the word "fear" to speak of "a feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presense or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc.; timidity; dread; terror; fright; apprehension" (Guralnik).  This second understanding of fear will be the focus of this lesson.