LIVING SOBERLY OR LIVING IN FEAR
by Elder Tim Brown
In this present age, living spiritually in our practical life has become an expedient matter. When in this time of war, pestilences, disease, earthly hardships, and imminent dangers, it has become difficult to stay focused on running the race of salvation and faith. All the distractions of the earthly realm seem to be overwhelming. We have lived for so long where the expected has been the norm. Now we are living at a time where the uncertainty has become reality; I speak as a man. When looking with sight at this world we see a place of hopelessness. God has seen fit to disturb the order of our nation and His creation and all the comfort we have become accustomed to. We expected to live in a nation that was safe from foreign attacks and biological warfare and this became our norm. The uncertainty we now live in has become: Is anthrax all around? Should we all go around wearing gas masks to prevent infection? Is it safe where our children play, where we eat out, where we go for entertainment? If we fly, will we encounter terrorism first-hand, and if we fly, will this be the instrument of our physical death? Now has become our reality when we look away from God with our own physical sight. What a hopeless state to be in, to live in fear of your well-being each day. The question now comes forth: how should we as the children of God live? Should we change where we go, where we play, where we eat, whether or not to fly because of these fears?
In Titus 2:11-12, we are instructed, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” This verse should bring us great peace. The answer to how we should as the children of God live is simply no different in the times of the worldly stage of peace, the worldy times of war, and as we see now, the world of uncertainty. 1 Thessalonians 5: 6-9 says, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us , who are of the day, be sober, putting on on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation, For God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” We always should live soberly, at all times, not only now because of unrest, but at all times. God calls His children to be mindful of the times and to watch and to have faith, not fear. He causes us to stand, not act. The Greek translation of the word sober is being of sound and right mind, and being vigilant. It did not include being of preventive or restraining actions. The child of God has been revealed the grace of God and of His salvation to teach us to be sober ( how to live in a sound and right mind of godly fear to He who can destroy body and soul in hell) and watchful and vigilant to the working of God in His creation. By living in faith, not fear, we live in soberness. Fear of anything else than of God is sin, and sin is death. Sin will always be associated with one’s selfishness and self-preservation. Sin wants nothing to do with God’s will but to do the opposite. If it should be God’s will today that we die, then rejoice, for in Christ we know we already life. When God purposes us to fear something other than Him, it appears we are dead although living. If a child of God is an elect, then we know he or she lives, but when we enter into that state of fear, it becomes as though we are dead. Fear other than that of God is sin and is death.
We look in God’s creation and ponder upon the ocean. We see the revelation of God’s control and sovereignty over His creation. The ocean is held back by the Hand of God, and if He so purposed it to go beyond its boundaries, it would destroy for instance our state that of Florida that we live in. Liken this to our current situation. If we are in an uncertain state of mind that God is going to release the ocean and destroy this state, which He could do at any moment in time, should we not leave immediately to escape this day of the Lord (in order to perform preventive or restraining actions). No, we stand soberly and watch ( we stand in a mind of faith, of soundness and rightness), that our God is in control. We fear not what the ocean can do to us for it is hopeless if it be God’s purpose. We fear He who can cover the state with water,yet make His people breathe, or find safety amongst this flood, or call them at the very moment of His decree out of this state, or even put us at peace that it is time for us to called home to the kingdom ( as in Stephen and many others of the elect). To be sober is to live in faith, not living dead in fear. God holds back the infections of Anthrax and war but in His purpose, He can release their fury at any moment as is the case of the ocean. Let us stand in faith and soberness, righteousness, and godliness, that the assurance that the True and Living God is in control and working out all things in a great concert of His creation (no matter if it seem to be an instrument of death or of life) for the good of those who love Him according to His purpose. ( Romans 8:28)
The word uncertainty should bother you, for it is not an attribute of God. We as the children of God should know there is no uncertainty in God. He changes not and is perfect in all being. Let it be, I pray God’s will to be, that we may look upon Christ in peace and hope through the eyes of faith as we walk on the waters of fear and treachery toward our hope of salvation. Let us live in faith, soberness, watchfulness, expectancy, and in the Fear of God that we might be wise according to His purpose and decree.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instructions
Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a foundation of life, to depart from the snares of death.
May God give you eyes to see and ears to hear. May God’s grace be with you always.
