Fear Is Not a Sin: It Is a Call to Action

by Edward T. Welch

Fear Is Not Sin explores what the Bible says about fear, emphasizing God’s compassion and his many promises to be near his people when life dismays and threatens them.

When life takes a turn for the worse, our natural response is fear and anxiety, even though God commands his people many times in scripture to not be afraid. However, as bestselling author and biblical counselor Edward T. Welch explains, those commands do not mean that our fears are inherently sinful. Instead, they are an invitation from God to go him with our troubles.

Fear Is Not a It Is a Call to Action guides listeners to respond to fear by going to God and learning to pray his words back to him. Listeners will be encouraged that the fears they experience are an opportunity to grow from a “little-faith” to a “big-faith” that takes God at his word and trusts him in an uncertain world where things can and do go wrong.

Listeners will learn that fear is an opportunity to grow in faith, courage, and confidence. Short, easy-to-listen-to, will help listeners interact with what the Bible says about fear and God’s help. Biblical, practical counsel and reflective exercises help listeners navigate their fears and anxieties with faith and trust in God.

80 pages, Paperback

Published October 13, 2025

About the author

Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He has counseled for thirty years and is the best-selling author of many books including When People Are Big and God Is Small; Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave; Blame It on the Brain?; Depression: A Stubborn Darkness; Crossroads: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Addiction; Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest; and When I Am Afraid: A Step-by-Step Guide Away from Fear and Anxiety. He and his wife Sheri have two daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Reviews

[Amanda E. (aebooksandwords) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In “Fear Is Not a Sin: It Is a Call to Action,” Ed Welch, a psychologist and faculty member of CCEF, invites us to see fear as a reason to draw close to God in our anxieties rather than shaming ourselves for lack of faith. The book helps us see that our fear is an opportunity to grow in our faith and relationship with God.

Welch’s premise is this: “Fears identify what we want, what is important to us, and what we desire. If such desires are always wrong, fear is sinful. But such desires are not always wrong.”

Where God’s Word says “Do not be afraid,” Welch puts forth that this is not a command or rebuke. Instead, these words which beckon us to be unafraid flow from the heart of our Father: He wants to help us in our fear rather than condemn us. Taking it further, we must be on our guard when we experience fear. We can choose to draw closer to God and trust Him despite being fearful. It is important to also note that this emotion can lead us to respond in sinful ways if we succumb to temptation.

I do wish the book had gone a bit deeper, differentiating more clearly between fear that is naturally felt in certain circumstances (e.g. encountering a bear while hiking) versus when anxiety can morph from a feeling into a sinful thought or action. I definitely longed to read more from Welch on the topic.

That said, I found this short book to be a helpful companion. I would recommend it as a gift especially for new or young believers because of Welch’s down-to-earth, compassionate words that point us to Christ with truthful wisdom rather than condemnation.

Highlights:

“Fears and anxieties can choke spiritual life. Confession keeps us vigilant to Satan’s lies about ourselves and God.”

“Weakness means that we need help from God and other people. The good news is that God’s help is available to all who ask.”

“Growth in courage will not abolish fear, but it might help you be less paralyzed in the midst of it.”

“Even in suffering, we have a rich hope that he makes us fruitful now and he will make all things new.”

“Fear and anxiety are not sinful. Left unattended, however, they can be dangerous. If you don’t bring them to Jesus, you are left trusting in yourself, which is sin, and that will choke your soul.”

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Lauren DuPrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review contains affiliate links

I received Fear is Not A Sin compliments of New Growth Press in exchange for my honest review.

Fear is Not A Sin is the latest book by biblical counselor Edward T. Welch. What initially attracted me to this book is its title. I've struggled with fear as long as I can remember, and have been taught multiple times that it is a sin. I've read Welch's books before, and his voice is one I trust, so I was very curious about his thoughts on fear. At just under 70 pages, this book helps readers understand fear through a biblical lens.

The book begins by encouraging readers that, "Fear and anxiety are not sinful. Left unattended, however, they can be dangerous. If you don't bring them to Jesus, you are left trusting in yourself, which is sin, and that will choke your soul (Mark 4:19)," (pg.3).

Regarding the many commands in Scripture to not fear or be afraid, Welch helpfully pointed out, "When we say, 'Don't be afraid' to children, it is the equivalent of 'I am here; everything will be okay.' If they cry, we don't rebuke them. We hold them," (pg. 5).

With tender compassion, Fear is Not A Sin: It Is A Call to Action guides readers through 5 brief chapters and points them to Jesus in each one. Each chapter concludes with a Reflect & Journal section with Bible verses and space for journaling, as well as a journaling prompt based on the verses. Fear is Not A Sin: It Is A Call to Action is a short and incredibly sweet counseling tool that I believe will greatly benefit Christians who struggle with fear.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be better thought of as a one-to-one mentoring workshop rather than a book. It’s very short (easily read in an hour), but if the prompts at the end of each chapter are done with consideration and time, it becomes an in-depth bible study and personal reflection. Welch addresses the misconception that to have fear (or anxiety) is sinful. God knows that we have fears and concerns. He meets us in them with compassion, and invites us to grow in faith, courage and confidence in him. Yet, it is also a prompt to check if we are turning to the Lord or not in our concerns, or if our worries are evidence that our desires are becoming idols. As it is so short, it stays at a general level and there aren’t many practical examples. I found it hard to grasp onto at points. Therefore, the real benefit would be the time spent in the exercises, which lead you to reflect on scripture and write responses to it.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Fear Is Not a Sin, Edward T. Welch explains that fear is, instead, a call to action. This short book serves as a practical guide to overcoming fears and anxieties by taking opportunities to strengthen your faith.

The book begins by explaining that “don’t be afraid” is actually an expression of Christ’s care and compassion. It’s meant to comfort those who come to Him.

Fuller Faith

After reading, I am motivated to have more courage and confidence as I come to God with my fears. I am challenged not to complain but to cry out to the Lord.

This hope-filled book is a balm that helps us believe the Father’s love is stronger than our fears. It will free you to be a person little faith who honors the Lord as you grow into fuller faith.

I received a media copy of Fear is Not a Sin and this is my honest review. @diveindigdeep

[Caroline McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - This is a short little book and I feel like I need to noodle on the thesis a bit more. I love Ed Welch, and appreciate what he's trying to do here - differentiate between legitimate feelings of fear and anxiety (and a compassionate God who cares for us in that) and the sinful reactions we can wrongly have as we experience fear. But again, the book was short and I feel like I need to think more deeply about it to consider whether or not I fully agree. At the very least, it is thought provoking.

[Jon Varner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic little book on how we should view and respond to fear. Many Christians believe that fear in and of itself is sinful, but according to the author this is not the case. Fear is a natural response to external things. He argues that what can be sinful is how we respond to fear. Do we allow fear to draw us closer to God or move us away. If you, or someone you know, struggles with fear or anxiety this is a fantastic book to read. Really any Christian would benefit from reading it.

[Cover Lover Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fear is Not a Sin is a brief read. It is partly Bible study, spiritual growth book, and reflection journal. Personally, I love all three, so this is perfect for someone like me.

I like how the booklet focuses on the call to action that we aren’t to fear because we have Jesus to lean on, depend on, pray to, and trust in. It’s certainly an encouraging and uplifting book that makes me see things in a new and fresh light. I love how this quick read makes a lasting impact.

#CoverLoverBookReview received a review copy of this book. Opinions are 100% my own.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some helpful pastoral help for those who are debilitated by fears and anxieties. However, I'm just not persuaded by his thesis. It would have been helpful to distinguish between natural fears (safety, loss of someone, etc.) vs. sinful fears (fear of man, fear of false gods, etc.)

[Evan Magelssen · Rating 3 out of 5]

great little book about a misunderstood subject