Should a Christian fear the Lord?
The fear of the Lord is that reverent attitude compounded of love, awe, and gratitude that distinguishes men who have realized their own unworthiness and have found salvation in God’s gracious plan. Believers have no reason to be scared of God. While, for the unbeliever, the fear of God is the dread separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31), believers have His promise that nothing can separate them from His love.
Paul writes, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). The apostle says, that whether the believers live or die, they are the Lord’s (Romans 14:8). Jesus promised that nothing can pluck them out of His arms against their will (John 10:28). Christians have His promise that He will never leave them or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).
Fearing God means having such a reverence for God that it will greatly impact the way the believers may live their lives. To fear God is to respect Him, obey Him, and to worship Him in awe. The Psalmist says, “O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth” (Psalm 96:9).
Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until Christians understand who God is and develop reverential respect of Him, they cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding the character of God and that He is holy, just, and righteous. If knowledge does not lead to the surrender of life to Jesus Christ, it has missed its aim. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
