It’s Not Fear

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. II Timothy 1:7

I read yesterday that Christian economist, Dave Ramsey, recently held an event where those who attended and those who put on the event were encouraged not to wear masks despite recommendations from health officials to do so. His reasoning was that as Christians, we don’t live in fear. Implied in this is the suggestion that to wear a mask is a sign of a lack of trust in God and a capitulation to government control over the free exercise of religion.

I’ve read similar things from others who suggest that believers should continue to gather without regard to the concerns of the virus. Why? Because we aren’t people of fear. If we lose our lives in the free expression of religion, then so be it. We are simply carrying out our faith. After all, Timothy reminds us that we haven’t been given a spirit of fear. So case closed. Or is it?

As I think about these things, nagging questions come to mind. Is wearing a mask during the middle of a pandemic a sign that we have caved into our fears? Are we showing a lack of faith if we alter our religious meetings as a safeguard to health? Are we dishonoring our Lord if we choose not to gather as per normal to study the Bible, conduct ministry and more? I don’t think so.

I appeal again to the same passage in Timothy. In my mind, I think some people stopped reading a little too soon. It is true that we haven’t been given a spirit of fear. We no longer have to live in fear of the law and our inability to keep it. Nor do we need to be afraid that God will remove His love for us should our performance not be up to standard. Thank the Lord for that.

But we have also been given a spirit of power, love and sound mind. Power here is the ability to live differently than the world lives. In particular Paul indicates in this verse that the power we possess enables us to love and exhibit the discipline and self-control that flows from a sound mind.

I think this is very instructive. Much of the argument about not living in fear is based on the self. “I have the right to do what I want.” “I live in America. I am free to wear a mask or not to wear one.” “If I get the virus and die, that’s my right.” On it goes. But this is not the way of love nor of a sound mind’s self-control.

As followers of Christ, we are called to live for the sake of others. This is the way of love. I may have the right not to wear a mask and to gather as I want with others. But I do not have the right to endanger others by possibly passing on a deadly virus. Love calls us to exert self-control over our expression of rights. We do it, because the Lord has called us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.

Surely, we can love them enough to be willing to wear a mask when in public. Surely, we can love them by not encouraging risky behaviors of large public services at church. Surely, we can live without family gatherings that endanger family members. And this is especially true in light of the vaccines that are currently being distributed around the country.

So I don’t buy the argument that we’re living in fear if we follow the suggested health guidelines. To the contrary, those who are operating according to love and a sound mind have the power to choose wisely and protect others. It’s not fear.