Sermon Title: "The Spirit of Fear: Avoidance as a Shield for Complicity."

Series:** The Full Gospel: Exposing the Dangers of a Watered-Down Faith

Scripture Focus:** 2 Timothy 1:7, Revelation 21:8, Ezekiel 33:6

Introduction:

Good morning, Church! Today, I want to talk about something that weighs heavy on my heart—the idea of avoidance in the Christian faith and how it connects to cowardice, unbelief, and even complicity in falsehood. There is a growing trend among believers, and even in the pulpits, where we allow fear and comfort to dictate the message we preach and the faith we live out. Instead of preaching the truth of God's Word, many are tempted to offer a watered-down Gospel—a message of grace without justice and love without repentance. But Scripture warns us that avoidance is dangerous and leads to destruction.

Let's open our Bibles to 2 Timothy 1:7. It says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind."

I. Cowardice in the Church

- **Scripture:** *2 Timothy 1:7* – "For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind."

The Bible makes it clear that we are not called to fear but to power, love, and a sound mind. Yet, many churches and preachers today allow fear to shape their messages: fear of offending someone, fear of being rejected, fear of losing the world's approval. This fear leads to a watered-down Gospel that avoids the hard truths about sin, repentance, and the coming judgment.

The spirit of fear causes many leaders to preach only what is comfortable and popular. They focus on God's love but avoid speaking about His justice. But the Gospel is not a feel-good message—it is a life-saving message! And if we avoid preaching the full truth, we are not only failing our calling but also being cowardly. We cannot let the fear of man silence the truth of God.

- **Application:**

We must confront the fear-based culture that silences the truth in our churches. As followers of Christ, we are called to be bold in speaking His Word, even when it makes us uncomfortable or unpopular. Where in your life have you allowed fear to dictate your faith? Where have you been silent because you feared what others might think?

II. The Sin of Silence

- **Scripture:** *Ezekiel 33:6* – "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone's life, that person's life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood."

In Ezekiel, God speaks to the watchman's responsibility—the one tasked with warning the people of coming danger. If the watchman sees the threat but remains silent, he is held responsible for the following destruction. This is a powerful reminder to all of us, especially those called to preach and teach God's Word.

~~~By staying silent when danger arises, we become accomplices in causing harm to others.

Too often, leaders and believers avoid speaking hard truths because they don't want to be seen as harsh or judgmental. But silence is not an option when souls are at stake. Avoiding the message of repentance, sin, and judgment is not an act of kindness—it is an act of cowardice. It leaves people vulnerable to the enemy's lies and ultimately leads them toward destruction.

- **Application:**

God has called us to be His watchmen, to proclaim the whole counsel of His Word, not just the parts that make people feel good. Where have you been silent when you should have spoken? Have you shied away from warning others because you feared their reaction? Today is the day to ask God for boldness to proclaim His truth, even when it's uncomfortable.

III. Consequences of Avoidance

- **Scripture:** *Revelation 21:8* – "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Revelation 21:8 is a sobering reminder that cowardice and unbelief are not minor issues in the eyes of God. In this verse, cowardice is listed alongside some of the most grievous sins—murder, idolatry, and sexual immorality. Why? Because cowardice is a rejection of faith, a refusal to trust in the power and truth of God. When we avoid speaking the whole truth of the Gospel out of fear, we are not only being disobedient, we show unbelief in God's power to change lives.

The consequences of avoidance are clear: cowardice leads to destruction. We are walking down a dangerous path if we allow fear to dictate our faith. This is a warning to preachers, leaders, and all believers. Avoiding hard truths may feel more comfortable in the moment, but it leads to spiritual death. We must remember that the Gospel is a message of life, but it must be preached in its entirety—Grace and Justice, Love and Truth.

Application:

Challenge yourself to examine your own heart and life. Where have you been avoiding hard truths? Are there areas where you've chosen comfort over conviction? Today, let us repent of any areas of avoidance and ask God for the boldness to stand firm in the truth of His Word.

Conclusion: A Call to Boldness

As we close today, I want to remind you that we are not called to fear but to boldness in Christ. We have been given a Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. The world may try to pressure us into avoiding the whole truth of the Gospel, but we must stand firm. We must be watchmen unafraid to blow the trumpet and warn others of the coming danger.

God's Word is clear: cowardice and avoidance lead to destruction. But boldness in Christ leads to life. Let us not be counted among the cowardly or the unbelieving. Let us be a people who preach the entire Gospel with love and conviction, knowing that God's truth will set people free.

Let's pray together and ask God to fill us with His boldness so that we may proclaim His Word in its entirety without fear or compromise.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and the power of Your truth. Forgive us for when we have allowed fear to dictate our faith and avoided hard truths because they were uncomfortable. We ask You to give us boldness, to fill us with Your Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind. Help us to stand firm in Your Word, to proclaim the entire Gospel with courage and conviction. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.