Pilgrim's Progress

by John Bunyan

Hopeful’s head bobbed his agreement. “I do believe, as you say, that fear tends to benefit men and to make them right at the beginning of their pilgrimage and to prompt them to go the right way.” Christian grew enthusiastic. “Without a doubt this is what happens, if it is the right fear. For the Word says the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). “How would you describe right fear?” Hopeful asked. “I’d say you can know that it is true or right fear based on three things: By its arousal. It is caused by conviction of sin. It drives the soul to believe in Christ for salvation. It gives birth to and maintains in the soul a great reverence of God, his Word, and his ways. So this soul is kept tender by making it afraid to turn to the right or left from these affections to anything that may dishonor God, break its peace, grieve the Spirit, or cause the enemy to speak of God with reproach.”