THE FEAR OF GOD!

 For the unbelievers, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God. "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:5) "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31) 

 For the believers, the fear of God is something much different. The believer's fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this: "Therefore since we are receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God is a consuming fire!"  This reverence and awe is exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is 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, and He is your God, that has done for you these great and terrible things, which your eyes have seen." The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.

Some redefine the fear of God for believers to "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 His judgment on sin; even in the life of a believer. The Word of God, in Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God's discipline of the believer.

5.) "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 

6.) For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.

7.) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8.) But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. 

9.) Furthermore, we have had fathers of the flesh who corrected us, and we gave them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 

10.) For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 

11.) Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." 

While God's discipline is done in love it is still a fearful thing to be disciplined by the hands of the living God. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.

As God's children, we are not to be scared of our Heavenly Father for 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). We have His promise we are saved and we will spend eternity in His presence. Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives, in a godly manner. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, loving Him whole-heartedly and worshipping Him in awe.

Although there is nothing wrong with a whole lot of "love of God" talk, we are living the end times where the world is in desperate need to hear a lot more of the "fear of God" in our teachings! May the Lord help us achieve this, in Jesus name! Amin! To God be all the glory!  God bless you Church of Christ!