The bad meaning of fear.

A. Fear is debilitating. The one talent man failed to multiply because "And I was afraid" (Matt. 25: 25).

B. Fear when not correctly channeled often produces the very thing that is feared (Matt. 25: 24-30).

C. Fear can cause people not to confess Christ and fail to do other acts that are to be characteristic of the Christian (cp. Jn. 12: 42, 43).

The good use of fear.

A. The wise man wrote of fear positively, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov. 1: 7).

B. The essential purpose of man is, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole of man" (Eccl. 12: 13).

C. The writer of Hebrews penned, "Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12: 28, 29).
In review, the Bible uses fear both positively and negatively. We must never be afraid to do what is right (Matt. 10: 28). Fear will be responsible for many being lost (Rev. 21: 8). Fear can be a powerful motivator, initially (Acts 10: 34, 35). In time, though, love will become the dominant means of actuating the Christian to submit to God's teaching (I Jn. 4: 17, 18, Gal. 5: 6).