We live in an age of high anxiety. From the constant buzz of our phones to the weight of our bank accounts, we are told that fear is the enemy. We spend billions on self-help books and apps designed to help us stop worrying and start living. But what if our problem isn’t that we fear too much, but that we fear the wrong things? In 1674, a pastor named Richard Alleine wrote a book that turns our modern understanding of mental health upside down. In his classic work, Godly Fear, Alleine argues that the only way to truly be happy is to live in a state of constant, holy trembling. As a pastor who looks to the Westminster Confession to anchor my soul, I found Alleine’s insights to be a necessary corrective to our shallow, “fear-free” Christianity.
True happiness is actually built on a foundation of fear
At first glance, the title of Alleine’s book sounds like an oxymoron. How can fear lead to happiness? We usually associate fear with a racing heart and a sense of doom. But Alleine points out that the Book of Proverbs actually calls the man who “feareth always” happy. He distinguishes between the “faint-hearted” fear of a coward and the “godly fear” of a saint. This godly fear is not a feeling of being terrified that God is going to strike you down; it is a wise and wary ordering of your steps.
This is impactful because it suggests that the most secure person in the world is the one who is most aware of danger. If you know where the landmines are, you can walk through the field with a quiet heart. Alleine suggests that this holy fear is the sentinel that stands on the wall of your soul. While the rest of the world is “secure” in their ignorance and eventually destroyed, the fearing man is safe because he is watching.
Happy is the man that feareth always. . . . He that walking under an awe and reverence of God, and a sense of the danger he is in, wisely and warily orders his steps, that he be not surprised by Sin or by Wrath.
Fear is not the opposite of love; it is Love’s personal assistant
We often quote the verse that says “perfect love casteth out fear” to argue that we should never be afraid. Alleine brilliantly flips this on its head. He argues that while love eventually removes the fear of a slave, it actually creates the fear of a friend. He calls fear “Love’s Servant.” If you love your child, you fear for their safety. If you love your reputation, you fear a scandal. Therefore, if you love God, you will fear anything that might grieve Him or cause you to lose the sense of His presence.
This reflection is vital for those of us in the Reformed tradition who prize the love of God. Our love for Him is proven by how carefully we guard that relationship. This isn’t about a lack of assurance; it is about the intensity of our affection. The more you prize a jewel, the more you fear losing it.
Sincere Love worketh Fear. Fear is Love’s Servant, whose Office it is to preserve what and whom we love, from being offended, hurt, or lost. He that loves, will fear to lose or grieve, what and whom he loves.
God uses our fear as a safety rope to keep us from falling
As a pastor who holds to the Westminster Standards, I believe in the perseverance of the saints—the idea that God will keep His people to the end. But how does He do it? Alleine shows that God doesn’t just keep us through an invisible force field; He keeps us by putting fear into our hearts. He describes fear as a “cord” that God uses to hold onto us.
This is a surprising takeaway for many who think that fear is a sign of weak faith. Alleine suggests that if we ever stopped fearing, we would be in the most danger. When we become “bold and venturous” and forget our danger, we lay down our armor and get hit. Godly fear is the very means by which God ensures we stay on the path to heaven. It is a gift of grace that keeps us from wandering away.
I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. . . . God makes use of our Fear of losing all, to prevent our loss. As if we should cease to believe, so if we should cease to Fear, we should be undone at last.
One big fear is the only cure for a thousand small ones
Alleine addresses the very relatable problem of being afraid of what people think or what might happen to our bodies. He offers a simple, powerful solution: if you fear God enough, you won’t have any room left to fear men. He calls the fear of God a “fortress” against the fears of the world. When you are standing in the presence of a roaring lion, you don’t worry about the barking of a tiny dog.
This is a massive comfort for the laity and pastors alike who feel the pressure to compromise under the scoffs and scorns of the world. By focusing on the “severity of Christ” and the weight of eternity, the temporary “storms” of this life begin to look like a light mist. The “greater fear” of God’s displeasure swallows up the “lesser fear” of human rejection.
He that feareth shall be most free from fear, the Fear of God will fortify him against the Fears of the World. . . . Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell. I say unto you, Fear him.
Your “quiet life” might actually be a symptom of a deadly disease
Perhaps the most sobering part of Alleine’s book is his warning about “carnal security.” He notes that most people who are going to hell are perfectly calm about it. He compares them to people sleeping in a house that is on fire. Their lack of fear isn’t a sign of peace; it’s a sign of blindness. They are “ignorant” and “unbelieving,” and so they walk to the edge of the pit with a smile on their faces.
This hits home for those of us who might be coasting in our faith. If you haven’t felt a healthy sense of concern for your soul lately, Alleine would say that is a reason to be very afraid. He reminds us that the “unclean spirit” loves to dwell in a heart that is at rest and has no “watchfulness” or “jealousy” against sin. A soul without fear is a city without gates or bars, ready to be taken as a spoil by the enemy.
Behold the Sinners all asleep. . . . Secure Sinners lay themselves open to all manner of mischiefs; the Tempter may come, the Avenger may come upon them before they are aware; and he that may come will come.
Why you should read this book
You should read Godly Fear because your heart is more prone to drift than you realize. Richard Alleine writes as a spiritual doctor who knows exactly where we are vulnerable. In a world that encourages us to be “comfortable,” this book is a necessary “alarm clock.” It doesn’t just tell you to be afraid; it shows you how to turn that fear into a “refuge” and a “joy.” It provides a map through the “wilderness” of this life, reminding us that the safest place to be is trembling at the feet of the King of Glory. If you want to find a peace that actually lasts, you have to start by finding the fear that Richard Alleine so beautifully describes.