A preacher or one who brings any counsel from God must be above the fear of men, for he represents God who does not fear any. What would happen if God were to be filled with fear about speaking to sinners when there are such firm things to be said to them, when he must judge them for their wickedness? What a terrible reversal this would be! But God tells us exactly what we need to hear. It is we who need to change and not him and therefore his words must be strong and unbending. So also must be the words of his servants. In preparing him for his ministry, the Lord said to Ezekiel, ‘Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house’ (Ezekiel 3:8-9).
A man who is going to be used by God will have a horror of flattery within him. Besides anything else, it is useless for helping others who need correction. Someone who has gone astray cannot be asked what he wants to hear and be given only instruction that he finds acceptable, because his will needs to be crossed and a certain amount of force is needed with him. A counsellor who is in the grip of the fear of man will be constantly anticipating how his words sound in men’s ears, since they are more immediate to him than God. What real good can he do?