The Bible has a lot to say about the fear of God. In the scriptures, the fear of God entails an awe-filled reverence that centers on loving obedience. While the fear of God can arise from the dreadful wrath and judgment of God for human sin, it also refers to joyful service that results from appreciating God’s holiness (Psalm 2:11). Living in sin signifies a lack of the fear of God. Those who live in sin have no boundaries, as Abraham feared they would kill him and take his wife (Genesis 20:11). The fear of God involves our emotions, our minds or intellect, and our will. Our hearts are usually stricken by the glory of God, eliciting feelings of reverence; our minds acknowledge his authority over our lives, aligning us to do his will rather than our own.
The Principle of Ethics
Ethics refers to the moral principles that guide our behavior. For Christians, the fear of God must shape our day-to-day conduct. While employees are instructed to obey their earthly masters in the fear of God, employers are also advised to treat their employees with reverence to God (Ephesians 6:5-9). Kings and judges of the earth are instructed to serve the Lord with fear, else God’s wrath falls on them (Psalm 2:11). Nehemiah refused to be economically oppressed out of fear of God (Nehemiah 5:15). The fear of God shields us from a sinful life. During the Mt. Sinai experience, fear and grace were used as a test for God’s people, preventing them from living in sin and thus shielding them from God’s wrath (Exodus 20:20). In fact, Proverbs alludes to the fact that to fear God is to actually hate what is evil (Proverbs 8:13).
Contrast between Other Fears and the Fear of God
Fear is a natural response to danger or threat. Often, we respond to the object of our fear with a readiness to fight, flee, or freeze. Everyone has something they are afraid of. Some valiant servants of God in the scripture also had fears. God ministered to them in a way that addressed their specific issues. A few examples are given below.
- Abraham: He was afraid of being killed and having his wife taken away from him (Genesis 12:10-20; 20:1-18). He lied in Egypt and in Gerah out of fear. God, however, encouraged him not to fear, assuring him that he would be his shield and his great reward (Genesis 15:1).
- Elijah: He had just defeated the prophets of Baal when Jezebel threatened him (1 Kings 19:1-3). He received some threats and feared for his life. He even thought he was the only prophet left. However, God encouraged him by informing him that many had not bowed down to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).
- Peter: During the crucifixion of Jesus, Peter was identified as one of Christ’s followers (Matthew 26:69-75). For fear of his life, he denied Christ three times. Christ later came to him after the resurrection and restored him to himself (John 21:1-14).
- Gideon: He was hiding from the Midianites and threshing wheat on a wine press (Judges 6:11) when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and referred to him as a mighty warrior. Isn’t it ironic that the Angel of the Lord was addressing one who was so afraid of his enemies as a mighty warrior? God used Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites.
- Joshua: God commanded Joshua not to fear but instead to be courageous (Joshua 1:8-9). At this point, Joshua was taking over the leadership of Israel after the death of Moses. It must have been scary to have interacted with a great leader like Moses. Fitting into his shoes was going to be an uphill task. God, however, called him to be courageous and to depend on him for this new journey.
Naturally, fear takes away from us rather than fostering a joyful life. It will many times bring with it immense anxiety and desperation. It is characterized by lots of anxiety about life and what it brings forth.
The fear of God is completely different from the fear of what man will do to you! The fear of God centers on the vertical relationship that informs how we live horizontally. Many blessings come with it, as we shall see below.
Benefits of Having the Fear of God
- Blessings and prosperity (Psalm 128:1-3): Those who fear and walk according to his ways have been promised many blessings and even prosperity.
- Abundant life: The fear of God is a fountain of life and turns one from the snares of death (Proverbs 14:27). It leads to life and satisfaction in life (Proverbs 19:23).
- Knowledge, wisdom, and Understanding: The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). True wisdom begins from having respect and awe for God. Everyone who follows the precepts of the Lord has a good understanding (Psalm 111:10).
After trying everything humanly possible, the author of Ecclesiastes asserts that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commands (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Unfortunately, he came to this realization in his old age, after having wasted his youth. Often in life, we learn too late what truly matters in our world. It is good for young people to make the most of their youthful life before the days come when they can no longer do as much. Old age usually brings us to reflect on the youthful life that we lived; may we live so that we are fulfilled rather than full of regret. A fulfilled life begins with a humble acknowledgment of God’s Sovereignty, recognizing that he has already planned the course of life. Our duty, hence, is to uphold the fear of God and humbly align with his good purpose.