The purpose of this website is to provide free sermon manuscripts and sermon videos to pastors and missionaries throughout the world, especially the Third World, where there are few if any theological seminaries or Bible schools.

These sermon manuscripts and videos now go out to about 1,500,000 computers in over 221 countries every year at www.sermonsfortheworld.com. Hundreds of others watch the videos on YouTube, but they soon leave YouTube and come to our website. YouTube feeds people to our website. The sermon manuscripts are given in 46 languages to about 120,000 computers each month. The sermon manuscripts are not copyrighted, so preachers can use them without our permission. Please click here to learn how you can make a monthly donation to help us in this great work of preaching the Gospel to the whole world.

Whenever you write to Dr. Hymers always tell him what country you live in, or he cannot answer you. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net.

A catalogue of sinners is given here, all of which will spend eternity in the flames of Hell. My purpose this evening is not to go through this entire list, but simply to take the first category of sinners - "the fearful." The Greek word is "deilos." This word denotes cowardice and timidity and is never used in a good sense.

It doesn't refer to being scared. There is another Greek word for that, the word "phobos." Our English word "phobia" comes from that. The Greek word "phobos" means to be afraid, full of dread and terror. That is not the word translated "fearful" in our text.

"But the fearful…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

No, in our text the word does not mean that they are filled with terror, that their hair stands on end because they are frightened. This is not phobos. This is not being scared.

No, this word "deilos" is a much softer and more subtle word. It refers, not to an act of fright, but to a person's character. It doesn't mean that he suddenly got scared. No, it refers to his character. "Deilos" means timid, cowardly, fainthearted, hesitant, fearful of taking action - inadventurous. There you have it! The timid, cowardly, fainthearted, hesitant, cowardly, inadventurous person, fearful of taking action, will have his

"…part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

It's like an elderly woman who jams her foot on the gas pedal and the brake at the same time - so fearful, and hesitant, and timid, and afraid of making a mistake, that she is jammed, locked in, her feet on both pedals, like you - "taken captive by [the Devil] at his will" (II Timothy 2:26).

These are cowardly people, said Dr. Gill, who

are not valiant for the truth, but who through fear…make no profession of Christ and his Gospel…lest they should be exposed to tribulation or persecution; these are they that are afraid of the beast, and live in servile bondage to him [held in slavery by the Devil] (John Gill, D.D., An Exposition of the New Testament, The Baptist Standard Bearer, 1989 reprint, volume III, p. 858).

"But the fearful…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

Who are these timid, cowardly, faint-hearted people? And why are they fearful of coming to Christ?

I. First, there are those who are afraid of man.

They hesitate, they are fearful of coming to Christ, because they are afraid of what someone who is lost may think of them. Are you like that? Are you afraid of what some lost kid might think? Are you afraid that they will snicker and grin, and make fun of you if you become a Christian? What folly! What utter foolishness! "The fear of man bringeth a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). The fear of man is a dangerous trap! Away with such cowardly fear! Put it away! Forget about what others will say! Come to Christ and do it now, for if you hesitate and wait any longer you will never be saved. God will not strive with you forever. "My spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3). Soon God will give up on you.

"But the fearful…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

II. Second, there are those who are afraid of losing something.

They are fearful, they hesitate, they put off coming to Christ because they are afraid it will cost them too much.

Are you like that? Are you afraid that it will harm you some way if you become a real Christian? Christ says, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40). He says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

Think man! Think! "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26). Better to lose everything than to lose your soul! Doesn't that make perfect sense? Isn't that an absolute truth in the Word of God? Of course it is!

Then, why wait? Why put off your salvation even one more hour? What sense does it make to go on the way you are? Why go on halting between two opinions?

"How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him" (I Kings 18:21).

But consider the consequences of halting, hesitating, afraid to come to Christ. The consequences of your delay are more fearful than any fear you feel now, for

"The fearful…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

III. Third, there are those who are afraid of making a mistake.

They hesitate, they put off coming to Christ because they are afraid they won't really come to Him. They pull back because they are afraid they will make a mistake. They are especially spoken of in our text. They are among "the fearful [who] shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

Listen to great Spurgeon if you are afraid to believe in Jesus. He said,

"It is an odd product of our unhealthy nature - the fear to believe. Yet I have [seen] it often…If [they] were afraid to disbelieve there would be good sense in [that] fear; but to be afraid to trust [Christ] is at best an absurdity…Jesus has said, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" [John 6:37]… Dismiss all fear when you trust the Saviour… [Do you think] that it would be a horrible thing if you were to trust Jesus and yet perish? It would be so. But [since] you must perish if you do not trust, the risk at the worst is not very great…you have nothing to lose, for you have lost everything already; therefore make a dash for it, and dare to believe in [Jesus]" (C. H. Spurgeon, Around the Wicket Gate, Christian Focus Publications, 1987 reprint, pp. 35-36).

Come boldly to Christ! Throw yourself upon Him by faith! "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" (Mark 4:40). Toss out your fear! And throw yourself upon Jesus Christ by simple faith. Spurgeon said, "Fall into the arms of Jesus. This is a major part of faith - giving up every other hold, and simply falling upon Christ. There is no reason for fear: only ignorance causes your dread of that which will be your eternal safety…Come by faith to Jesus, for without Him you perish for ever" (ibid., pp. 37, 39). Or, as that sensitive Puritan hymn writer Joseph Hart put it,

Venture on Him, venture wholly;
   Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus, none but Jesus,
   Can do helpless sinners good.
("Come, Ye Sinners" by Joseph Hart, 1712-1768).

Venture on Him! Throw yourself upon Him! He will not cast you out!

"But the fearful…shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8).

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers' sermons each week on the Internet
at www.rlhymersjr.com. Click on "Sermon Manuscripts."