The Doctrine of Fear - Publications - Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries / Grace Bible Church

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The Doctrine of Fear

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Note that the Lord searches the heart, but He tests the emotions. He searches the heart for doctrine, and He tests the emotions to see if they are subordinate to the heart, or if they control the heart. If the emotions dominate the heart, then the modus operandi of the believer is heretical, as it is with many believers who give prominence and dominance to the emotions. "Examine me, O Lord, and test me; test my emotions and test my heart" (PSA 26:2). The heart must be tested for its content of doctrine and its control of the emotions. "And all the churches will know that I am He who investigates the emotions and the right lobes [hearts]" (REV 2:23). God is constantly investigating your heart for doctrine, without doctrine a vacuum is created, causing your emotions to dominate. This results in emotional revolt of the soul. "My son, if your right lobe [heart] is wise, my own right lobe [heart] will be glad; and my emotions will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Do not let your right lobe [heart] envy sinners, but live in respect for the Lord all the day" (PRO 23:15-17). When you hear truth, you have a norm and standard for truth from doctrine in your heart (right lobe), and therefore, you respond emotionally. When you live in respect for the Lord all day, your right lobe controls your emotions and is occupied with the person of Jesus Christ.

Even normal emotion is not the criteria by which you are to evaluate your spiritual life. Your spiritual life is what you think, not what you feel. Believers who make emotion the criterion for their spiritual life generally have four basic problems:

1. Such a believer's emotional pattern distracts him from the execution of the PPOG. Now I urge you, brethren, be alert for those who are causing dissensions and apostasies contrary to the doctrine which you have learned. For such believers do not obey our Lord Jesus Christ, but they obey their own emotions, serving themselves; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts [right lobes] of the stupid (ROM 16:17-18).

2. Emotion hinders the perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine. O you Corinthians, our mouth [means of communicating doctrine] has been open face to face with you [in doctrinal teaching]; our right lobes have been enlarged [by learning more doctrine]. Therefore, you have not been hindered by us [Paul, Apollos, Timothy]; you have been hindered by your own emotions (2CO 6:11-12).

3. Such a believer makes a god out of his emotions. When emotion becomes your god, you're fragmented and ripe for such things like the tongues movement. Many [cosmic] believers keep walking, concerning whom I have communicated to you many times, and now continue communicating even though weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose destiny is destruction, whose god is their emotion, whose fame is by means of dishonor [whose glory is their shame], who keep on thinking about earthly things [wrong priorities from a fragmented life] (PHI 3:18-19) (authors corrected translation).

4. Such a believer's unrestrained or uncontrolled emotional pattern is the basis for criminality, violence, hatred, anger, total involvement in the arrogance complex, which means bitterness, vindictiveness, jealousy, implacability, self-pity, and guilt reaction.

Applying the emotional sins of fear, worry, anger, and anxiety to the problems of life not only fails to solve them, it makes them worse. When you add nothing (emotion) to your problems, the problems remain unchanged. Fear removes all ability to think, courage, on the other hand, is the ability to think under pressure.

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