One
biblical phrase that has troubled many people is the command to fear God. What
does fear of the Lord mean, and why does God ask us to fear Him?
01/20/2018
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“If you [really] love Me, you will keep and
obey My commandments. John
14:15
And I will ask the Father, and He will give
you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener,
Standby), to be with you forever— the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot
receive
[and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him
because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in
you. “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved,
and helpless]; I will come [back] to you.
After
a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I
live, you will live also. On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in
My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. The person who has My
commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My
Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself
real to him].” Judas (not
Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, what
has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”
Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My
words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s
who sent Me. “I
have told you these things while I am still with you. But the Helper (Comforter,
Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom
the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things.
And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as
the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it
be afraid.
[Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and
strength for every challenge.] You heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away,
and I am coming back to you.’ If you [really] loved Me, you would have
rejoiced, because I am going [back] to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it
happens, so that when it does take place, you may believe and have faith [in Me]. I will not speak with you much
longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor
anything that he can use against Me]; but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do
exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him]. Get up, let us go from here.
John
14:16-31
When the unbeliever
hears the words to fear God in their mind they what they are hearing is to fear the judgment of
God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews
10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The
believer's fear is reverence and awe of God. Hebrews
12:28-29 is a good description of this: “Therefore, since
we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer
to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe;
for our God is [indeed] a consuming fire.” This reverence and awe is
exactly the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the
Universe.
Proverbs
1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until
we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have
true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He
is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy
10:12, 20-21
records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear
the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your
God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and
serve him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name. He is your praise;
He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw
with your own eyes.” When we truly fear God in this way we will enjoy walking
in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.
Some have redefined the fear of God for believers to mean “respecting” Him.
While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is
more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes
understanding how much God HATES sin and fearing God’s judgment on sin—even for
the believer. Hebrews
12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in
love (Hebrews
12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline
from our parents prevented us from many evil actions. The same should be true
in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline so much that we
seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.
Believers should not be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him.
We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans
8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews
13:5). Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a
great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him,
obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.
We fear many bad things: Crime, auto accidents, devastating storms,
West Nile virus, chemical weapons, mass murderers, terrorists, earthquakes,
demons and Satan himself!
Why would God, our Heavenly Father tell us to fear Him?
Wrongful fear of God
First, realize that there is a fear of God that doesn’t produce good
results. This terrifying and paralyzing fear is likely the type of fear that
comes to mind for many.
The Bible shows several examples of fear gone wrong. Consider these
passages:
·
“You believe
that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James
2:19).
·
·
The unprofitable
servant was corrected for being wicked and lazy after he made the excuse, “I
was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground” instead of using it
productively (Matthew
25:25).
·
·
Revelation
21:8 even tells us the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sorcerers, idolaters, occultists, and ALL LIARS will not be in God’s Kingdom.
·
Such fear does not have a positive end. Obviously this fear is not what
God is looking for.
So what type of fear does
God want us to have?
Meaning of the fear of the
Lord
The main Hebrew and Greek words translated fear in the Bible can have several shades of meaning, but in the context of the fear of the Lord, they convey a positive reverence.
The Hebrew verb yare can mean “to fear, to respect, to
reverence” and the Hebrew noun yirah “usually refers to the fear of
God and is viewed as a positive quality. This fear acknowledges God’s good
intentions (Exodus
20:20). … This fear is produced by God’s Word (Psalm
119:38; Proverbs
2:5) and makes a person receptive to wisdom and knowledge (Proverbs
1:7; 9:10)”
(Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old
Testament, 2003, pp. 470-471).
The Greek noun phobos can mean “reverential fear” of God, “not
a mere ‘fear’ of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of
displeasing Him” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New
Testament Words, 1985, “Fear, Fearful, Fearfulness”). This is the type of
positive, productive fear Luke describes in the early New Testament Church:
“So
the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without
persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the
fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy
Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers].” (Acts
9:31)
One resource includes this helpful summary: “The fear of God is an
attitude of respect, a response of reverence and wonder. It is the only
appropriate response to our Creator and Redeemer” (Nelson’s NKJV Study
Bible, 1997, note on Psalm
128:1)
Purpose of fear
If you study the Bible, there is no mistaking the repeated commands to
fear God. Wise King Solomon put it this way in explaining his reason for
writing the book of Proverbs:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs
1:7).
Why? Consider these words of the psalmist: “The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the
alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and
a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His
praise endures forever.”
(Psalm
111:10).
In Psalm
34 King David also tells us about learning the fear of the Lord:
“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. …
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from
evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (verses 11, 13-14).
A healthy fear of God includes the fear of the consequences of
disobedience. There may be times of temptation or trial when we may forget some
of the better reasons for obeying God, however the consequences for
disobedience should make you want to do what is right (Exodus
20:20).
Reverence of God helps us to take Him and His beneficial laws
seriously. Being in harmony with the spiritual laws that govern the universe
has astounding benefits. Many of these come in this life, but the greatest
benefits will be experienced in the life to come (1
Timothy 4:8; Psalm
16:11).
This is what Hebrews
10:26-31 tells us: “ For if we go on willfully and
deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no
longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further
offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and
terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put
themselves in opposition to God]. Anyone who has ignored and set aside
the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two
or three witnesses. How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve
who has rejected and trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has
considered unclean and common the blood of the covenant that sanctified
him, and has insulted the Spirit of grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and
blessing of God]? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of
justice rest with Me], I
will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful and terrifying
thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and
wrath].”
Family rules
Consider this biblical analogy: Children learn their family rules
partly through fear of correction. (Hebrews
12:9-11) Of course, when they grow older, they should continue to
follow the rules out of love.
God, whose family rules are even more important, also trains us to obey
for our own good.
As incredible as it sounds, God wants us
to actually be His children!
Since we live in a world that is deceived and ruled by Satan; we must
come out of Satan’s ways—we must not be children of Satan (John
8:44). Instead we should learn the way of God’s family—the way of
love. God is love (1
John 4:8), and His laws can be summarized as love for God and love
for fellow man (Matthew
22:37-40).
Forgiveness and the fear
of the Lord
Sadly, however, everyone sins and earns the death penalty. If everyone
is just going to die forever, what would be the purpose of fear? Sure, we might
be depressed and terrified, but is that what God really wants?
Consider this fascinating passage: “If You, Lord, should keep an account of our sins and treat us
accordingly, O Lord, who could stand
[before you in judgment and claim innocence]? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared and worshiped [with submissive
wonder].” (Psalm
130:3-4).
God’s offer of forgiveness to those who repent gives us a reason to
fear—a reason to change. It also gives us a reason to be eternally grateful so
we can grow in love to be more like our loving Creator!
How does love cast out fear?
The reverential fear of the Lord is designed to help us grow to become
more like God—to grow in love. And this growth removes any need to be terrified
of God’s judgment. As the apostle John put it:
“In this [union and fellowship with Him],
love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence
in the Day of Judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He
is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love [dread does not exist].
But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves
[the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s
judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient
understanding of God’s love].”
(1
John 4:17-18).
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature by Arndt and
Gingrich gives an excellent explanation of the use of phobos in verse
18. In the specific context of the verse, the meaning is “slavish fear … which
is not to characterize the Christian’s relation to God.”
The same shade of meaning is applied to the word fear in Romans
8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’”
Though we are to voluntarily yield ourselves as bond servants or slaves to God,
He is not an abusive, cruel slave driver who terrorizes and torments us, which
is the point of this verse.
Some misunderstand and think that love casts out the law along with
fear. However, John explains that God’s laws actually define God’s love:
“For
the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments
and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His
precepts are not difficult [to obey].” (1
John 5:3). This connection between God’s love and His 10
Commandments is also made clear in Paul’s writings and the Gospels (Romans
13:9-10; Matthew
22:37-40).
God wants His laws written on our hearts. For example, even if we had
no fear of being caught, we should choose to never steal from others—because we
love them and God.
We must never lose our respect and appreciation for God, but we should
grow beyond being motivated solely by fear and rather be motivated by God’s
love—having a deep love and respect for God and His words.
A different Greek word for fear is found in 2
Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice
or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of
sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm,
well-balanced mind and self-control].” The Greek deilia means “cowardice, timidity, fearfulness”
(Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study New Testament). Deilia
is consistently used in a negative manner, unlike phobos. Revelation
21:8, referred to earlier, uses deilos, the adjective form
of this word.
Eternal benefits of the fear of the Lord
So, rather than a paralyzing terror, the positive fear of the Lord
taught throughout the Bible is a key element in change. It helps us have a
proper, humble perspective of ourselves in relation to our awesome God; it
helps us in times of temptation when we need to remember the serious
consequences of disobeying God; and it motivates us to become more like our
loving Creator.
By doing these things, the fear of the Lord helps bring eternal
benefits:
- “Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation], But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord day by day. Surely there is a future [and a reward], and your hope and expectation will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:17-18).
- “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that leads to obedience and worship] is a fountain of life, So that one may avoid the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:27).
- “The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” (Proverbs 19:23).
“God is love” is a direct quote from two different verses in the Bible—1
John 4:8 and 1
John 4:16. However, this truth, which is a description of the
fundamental nature of God, is expressed many times in other scriptures.
Another often-quoted verse is John
3:16, “For God so loved the world.” In John
16:27 we read, “For the Father Himself loves you.” The apostle John,
again, speaks of God’s love in 1
John 3:1 when he says, “See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to
us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and
counted the children of God! And so we are! For this reason the world does not
know us, because it did not know Him.”
These verses are simply a sampling of the many times this truth is
expressed in the Scriptures. God is love, and He expresses His love in many
ways.
When commenting on the verse “God is love,” commentators speak of God
being “benevolence itself” (Barnes Notes). Or, as the Jamieson,
Fausset, Brown Commentary records, “God is fundamentally and essentially
LOVE: not merely is loving.”
However, none of the commentators explain the ultimate purpose of
God—what God is doing because of His nature of love. The greatest expression of
His love toward humanity is revealed in the purpose for our creation.
God's Purpose
God's Purpose
One of the verses quoted above reveals the incredible truth of what God
is doing because of His love. The apostle John wrote in 1
John 3:1, “See
what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would
[be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of
God! And so we are! For this reason the world does not know us, because it did
not know Him.” God’s
purpose for creating humankind is that He wants a family—children. God wants a
family of sons and daughters of His own kind. Please let the incredible reality
of that statement register in your mind.
In 2
Corinthians 6:17-18 the apostle Paul records this awesome truth when
he wrote, “So
come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; and I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with
favor], and I will be a Father
to you, and you will be My sons
and daughters,” Says the Lord Almighty.
God’s plan and purpose for human salvation is to offer all humanity the
opportunity to become His own sons and daughters in His own family—on His level
of life.
God is love. Love is the fundamental essence of His nature and
character—His very being. God is perfect in love. God’s love is manifested by
His absolutely pure desire to care for, share and give.
At present, the God family is composed of three members—God Most High
(who is known to us now as God the Father) and the Word (the member of the God
family who became the flesh-and-blood human being Jesus Christ—John
1:1-2, 14)
and God the Holy Spirit by which a person must be saved (John3:5).
These three members of the God family make up Elohim. Elohim
is the first word translated “God” in the Bible (Genesis
1:1). Elohim is a plural word, the plural of Eloha.
Elohim can be viewed as the family name of God.
God’s purpose for creating humankind is to give all of us the
opportunity to become heirs with Christ, a part of the ruling God family—to
become the sons and daughters of God—brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ (Romans
8:14-17; Hebrews
2:9-11; Titus
3:7).
John recorded further in 1
John 3:2, “Beloved,
we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what
we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is
revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just
as He is [in all His glory].” Once we receive the Holy Spirit, God considers us His children; but
we must complete a process of spiritual development before the fullness of the
process of birth into God’s family can occur.
Our destiny (if we submit to God and go through the process of
conversion) is to become a member of the God family like God’s firstborn Son is
now. If we inherit life in God’s family, we will become like God the Father,
Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This is why God (Elohim) created us
the way They did.
In Genesis
1:26 we read, “Then God [Elohim] said, ‘Let Us make man in
Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion.’” We were
patterned after God’s (Elohim’s) image and likeness because Elohim
in Their love want us in Their family. With power and authority in the family
of God also comes the requirement that all must be done in love, not in
selfishness, pride, greed or arrogance. We must become like God in character
and nature if we are to become like Him in being!
The love of the Father
and the Son
“God is love” not only describes the nature of God the Father; “God is
love” also describes the nature of God the Son (Jesus Christ) as well as God
the Holy Spirit. These three members of the God family deeply love each other.
Love is their nature.
John
3:35 records, “The Father loves the Son.” We also read in John
5:20, “For the Father loves the Son.”
We also know that Jesus loves His Father. John recorded Jesus’ words in
John
14:31, “But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as
the Father gave Me commandment, so I do.”
Further, we see in this verse what Jesus’ love for His Father leads Him
to do. Because of Their bond of love, Jesus always seeks to do whatever pleases
His Father. John records in John
8:29, “And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me
alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
The love that the Father and the Son have for each other produces a
bond of oneness between them. Jesus said in John
10:30, “I and My Father are one.”
Because God did not want to leave mankind helpless once Jesus came to
claim His rightful place in Heaven, He sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us
showing the world the LOVE of the Godhead through each of us. In Matthew
28:18-20 we learn that they Holy Spirit is indeed the third member
of the Godhead - Jesus
came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule)
in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations
[help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I
have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you
perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”
Love—the motivating force
behind salvation
The end result of the salvation process is to become the actual sons
and daughters of God. In Their love, God Most High and the Word along with the
Holy Spirit decided that they wanted to share Their way of life with others
just like Themselves. They decided that They wanted to share all that They are
and have with others.
As a result, they ordained a plan and created human life with the
purpose of giving human beings the incredible opportunity of becoming actual
members of Their family. This plan for offering sonship to humankind is called
salvation.
The requirements of receiving salvation
The requirements of receiving salvation
To receive this incredible gift of eternal life in the family of God,
all that God wants to see us do is to learn to grow toward loving Him as much
as He loves us. The question that must be answered is, How does God want us to
show love toward Him? God answers that question in His Word. John records, “For the [true] love of
God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain
focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not
difficult [to obey].”
(1
John 5:3).
“Loving God” and “keeping His commandments” are two truths that are
often linked in the Bible in the Old and New Testaments. Numerous passages
reveal this:
“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments
which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them
in the land which you are crossing over to possess. … You shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy
6:1, 5).
“And
now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from
you, but to fear [and worship] the Lord your God [with
awe-filled reverence and profound respect], to walk [that is, to live each and
every day] in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul [your
choices, your thoughts, your whole being], and to keep the commandments
of the Lord and His statutes which
I am commanding you today for your good?”
(Deuteronomy
10:12-13).
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the
blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind
among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you. … And the LORD your
God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul that you may live. …
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,
that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your
God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your
life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the
LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them” (Deuteronomy
30:1, 6, 19-20).
“ I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “O Lord, the great and awesome
God, who keeps His covenant and extends lovingkindness toward those who love
Him and keep His commandments” (Daniel
9:4).
“Teacher, which is the
greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all
your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly
seek the best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two
commandments.” (Matthew
22:36-40).
“If you love Me, keep My commandments. … He who has My commandments and
keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My
Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. … If anyone loves Me,
he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
make Our home with him” (John
14:15, 21, 23).
“And
this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to
understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually
keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings). Whoever
says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused
on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings), is a liar, and the
truth [of the divine word] is not in him. But whoever habitually keeps
His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its
entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and
has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:
whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as
God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct
himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.” (1
John 2:3-6).
These passages are just a sampling of the many scriptures that link
these two truths.
The meaning of “God is love”
God is love. God in His love wants us to become His sons and daughters.
All we have to do to become His children—to become at one with Him—is to learn
to love Him, His family and His creation, as He loves.
“I have given to them the glory and honor which
You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I
in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into
one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You
have loved Me.” (John
17:22-23).
This is the meaning of “God is love.”
The Fear of God – The
Beginning of Understanding
Throughout the Jewish scriptures we learn that “the fear of God is the beginning of understanding... wisdom... knowledge.” Indeed, the fear of God is a primary theme throughout the entire Old Testament:
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline. (Proverbs 1:7).
The [reverent] fear of the Lord is the beginning (the prerequisite, the absolute essential, the alphabet) of wisdom; A good understanding and a teachable heart are possessed by all those who do the will of the Lord; His praise endures forever. (Psalm 111:10).
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight. (Proverbs 9:10).
But He is unique and unchangeable, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desires, that He does. He performs what is planned (appointed) for me, and He is mindful of many such things. Therefore I would be terrified at His presence; when I consider [all of this], I tremble in dread of Him. For God has made my heart faint, and the Almighty has terrified me (Job 23:13-16).
‘Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble [in awe] in My presence?
For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree and a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass. Though the waves [of the sea] toss and break, yet they cannot prevail [against the sand ordained to hold them back]; Though the waves and the billows roar, yet they cannot cross over [the barrier]. [Is not such a God to be feared?] (Jeremiah 5:22).
Worship the Lord and serve Him with reverence [with awe-inspired fear and submissive wonder]; Rejoice [yet do so] with trembling. (Psalm 2:11).
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether. (Psalm 19:9).
Let all the earth fear and worship the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. (Psalm 33:8).
Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience]. (Psalm 34:11).
Teach me Your way, O Lord, I will walk and live in Your truth; Direct my heart to fear Your name [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder]. (Psalm 86:11).
When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person. (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
The Fear of God – The
Real Meaning
In these “Fear of God” scriptures, the word “fear” is derived from Hebrew words such as yir’ah (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; Psalm 2:11; 19:9; 34:11), yare’ (Psalm 33:8; 86:11; Jeremiah 5:22; Ecclesiastes 12:13) and pachad (Job 23:15), which actually mean “fear,” “terror,” or “dread.” Although many Christian teachers will downplay the “fear of God” and use replacement words such as “respect,” “reverence,” or “honor,” the Hebrew language is pretty clear. In addition, there are other Hebrew words that portray softer meanings, such as kabad (Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother…” Proverbs 3:9 – “Honor the LORD with your wealth…”)
The Fear of God – The
Rest of the Story
The good news is that the fear of God is only the beginning of understanding. We’ve got to read the rest of the story! In fact, the great news is that the Love of God reflected through Jesus Christ in the New Testament scriptures has the power to cast out this fear and set us free!
There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]. (1 John 4:18).
Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and
seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves
[others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. The one
who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did
know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an
enduring attribute of His nature.] By this the love of God was displayed in us,
in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly
unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through
Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His
Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying
offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin
and placating His wrath]. Beloved, if God so loved us [in this incredible way],
we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. But if we
love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the
love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in
us. (1
John 4:7-12).
But God clearly
shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans
5:8).
“This is My commandment, that you love and
unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his
friends. (Jesus to His disciples in John
15:12-13).
The Fear of God – The
Love of God
How can we comprehend the utterly Great News of Jesus Christ if we don’t first appreciate the fear of God? Without total awe, wonder, terror, dread, reverence, and respect for a perfectly holy, righteous, and just Creator, can we truly appreciate what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for us on Calvary’s cross?
It ultimately comes down to perspective and position. Who is God and what is my perspective on His nature, power, and justice? Who am I and what is my human position relative to this Almighty God?
Once we understand and accept the entire story, we can walk out our lives in a special appreciation of co-existing truths -- the “Fear of God” and the “Love of God.”
Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” (Psalm 118:4).
The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness. (Psalm 147:11).
And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God [with awe and reverence], and give Him glory [and honor and praise in worship], because the hour of His judgment has come; [with all your heart] worship Him who created the heaven and the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Revelation 14:7).
WHAT
DO YOU THINK?
- We have all sinned and
deserve God's judgment. God, the
Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in
Him. Jesus, the
creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that
He died for our
sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from
the dead according to the Bible. If you
truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior,
declaring, "Jesus is
Lord," you will be saved from judgment and spend
eternity with God in heaven.
- We have all sinned and
deserve God's judgment. God, the
Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in
Him. Jesus, the
creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that
He died for our
sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from
the dead according to the Bible. If you
truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior,
declaring, "Jesus is
Lord," you will be saved from judgment and spend
eternity with God in heaven.Isaiah 43:25 (AMP)
“I,
only I, am He who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake,
And I will not remember your sins.
And I will not remember your sins.
Psalm 103:8-14 (AMP)
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in compassion and
lovingkindness.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins [as we deserve],
Nor rewarded us [with punishment] according to our wickedness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father loves his children,
So the Lord loves those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
For He knows our [mortal] frame;
He remembers that we are [merely] dust.
He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins [as we deserve],
Nor rewarded us [with punishment] according to our wickedness.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Just as a father loves his children,
So the Lord loves those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence].
For He knows our [mortal] frame;
He remembers that we are [merely] dust.
For those who fear God, He has great
mercy (verse 11). (To fear God means to reverence God or to have awe for Him,
but it also means literally to fear God, if we think we can live in habitual
sin!) He has removed our sin from us as far as east is from the west (verse
12). He pities us and knows that our human frame is weak (verses 13 and 14).
The [reverent]
fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly
awesome] is the instruction for wisdom [its starting point and its essence];
And before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33
And before honor comes humility. Proverbs 15:33
If you truly want to have ALL that God
promises to those who fear (respect with deepest reverence) and love HIM (by
keeping His commandments) then you will study His Word (with the Holy Spirit
teaching you) for instruction on how to live your life to the fullest through
the Son (Jesus Christ).
Study and
do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial]
who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully
teaching the word of truth. 2
Timothy 2:15 {AMP}
Blessings and Peace,
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