Be Not High-Minded, But Fear
“Thou standest by faith: be not high-minded, but fear.”—Romans 11:20
So we are called upon by the spirit of prophecy, ‘Behold (give the most earnest attention, let this truth sink deep in your hearts) his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him.’ Hab. 2:4. Standing by faith, and living by faith, are ever opposed to pride, vain confidence, and a high conceit of our own attainments. True faith in Jesus sinks the soul in humility, works by real love to God, is accompanied with a child like fear of offending him, and excites to a godly jealousy over our own souls, lest we fall—fall into sin, fall away from the gospel, fall from the precious privileges of Jesus, and the comforting sense of his love. Without this, what is profession but an empty name, talking ever so highly but a sound of words, pretension to the greatest things but a vain shadow, while the substance is not enjoyed.
It is the glorying of believers in Jesus that they are “delivered out of the hands of their enemies, that they might serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life.” Luke 1:74, 75; and it is added, ‘without fear.’ But are we to cast off all kind of fear of God? No verily: no more than faith in him, love to him, and hope of enjoying him. One would dread such a state most of all, the Lord himself being Judge. ‘Know therefore and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord of Hosts.’ Jer. 2:19.
Glory to Jesus, by his grace the bands of legal bondage are broken asunder; the cords of slavish fear, of wrath and hell, we cast from us; yet faith and fear go hand in hand. And this is the blessedness of everlasting love and new covenant grace: ‘I, saith Jehovah, will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me: so shall they fear me for ever for their good.’ Jer. 32:40. This is the precious fear the apostle exhorts to, which is ever to be cherished in the heart, and attended to in one’s daily walk. A fear of departing from the Lord Jesus tends to keep the soul close to him, fear of offending causes watchfulness, hope in a sin-pardoning God produceth fear, a sense of pardon encreaseth it. ‘There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.’ Ps. 130:4. ‘Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.’ Prov. 28:14.
Forbid it Lord, that I forget
My standing is by faith;
This ever humbles at thy feet,
Well pleased at what thou saith.
If I withdraw my trust from thee,
I soon high-minded now;
Forget thy fear, grow proud in self,
So prove I nothing now.
M.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
