The Fear of God
Ecclesiastes 12:13 ‘Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.’
In today’s world, the feeling or emotion of fear is probably more prevalent than it has ever been. In many countries, especially where conflict and terrorism is a part of everyday life, people live in daily fear for their safety. Throughout the Bible the word fear appears over three hundred times, and in a variety of contexts. In many of them, as in the above text, Christians are commanded to fear God as an integral part of Christian duty. In Proverbs 1:7 we are told that ‘the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ And in Matthew 10:28 we are cautioned to ‘fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.’ These verses might lead one to think the God wants His people to live in a constant state of fear. However nothing could be further from the truth. 2 Timothy 1:7 assures us that ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’
While God wants everyone to recognize that He is an all-powerful God, and that His judgement and punishment is to be feared, the fear of God which believers experience is not one of dread or terror. Christian fear is of the kind which is referred to in Hebrews 12:28, where we are urged to ‘serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.’ This fear is a respect for the goodness, love, mercy and holiness of a God Who provides, protects and presences Himself with His children, even though they are undeserving of such mercies. With this fear of God, we have a motivation to be obedient to God and live a life pleasing to Him. It is a principle that inspires us to reach for the goal of godly living as described in 2 Corinthians 7:1 ‘perfecting Holiness in the fear of God.’ Rather than fearing God’s wrath or judgement, a genuine fear of God enables a Christian to have confidence that living in obedience to the will of God is the safest and most rewarding place to be.
Personal questions to consider
Is Godly fear a reality in your life?
What do you think is the source of any fear of God you have?
How would you seek to overcome an unhealthy fear of God?
Why do you agree a healthy fear of God is a good thing?
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