When there is no fear of God, people live as though: God does not matter; God does not see; God will not judge; God has no rightful authority over them. This is the essence of sin and ungodliness: to live independently of the Creator. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Human nature does not fear God, so it excuses sin, it minimizes sin, it sensationalizes sin, it normalizes sin, it has pleasure in sin, it rejoices to do evil, it loves sin, and it even celebrates sin during PRIDE MONTH.
The Fear of the LORD is a holy fear and respect for God that causes us to hate evil, beginning with the evil that still remains within our own hearts. It is a sincere desire to flee from sin, because sin is committed against the God Who is infinitely holy, good, and very worthy of our sincere love. The Fear of the Lord reminds us to be Kind to God, and makes us dread offending our gracious Father, grieving the Holy Spirit, and bringing reproach upon the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You were created for one supreme purpose: to glorify God and delight in Him. The more deeply you know His holiness, mercy, and love, the more you will hate the sins that dishonor Him. As our love for God grows, our love for sin diminishes. The wisdom that is from above is "first pure," and the fear of the Lord leads us to pursue that purity. As we turn from evil and seek to walk in obedience, we enjoy sweeter fellowship with God and the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
Remember to always ask God daily for Him to put His fear into your heart, so that you will not depart from HIM. (Jeremiah 32:40) The Fear of God helps us to Remember God and stay in fellowship with Him.
The fear of God causes believers to ask: "Will this honor God?" "Will this please my Savior?" "Will this grieve the Holy Spirit?"
Without the fear of God, the questions become: "What do I want?" "What makes me happy?" "What benefits me?" Self replaces God as the center of your life.
Sinful man naturally ignores God's holiness. He invents a god like himself—less Holy, less Just, less Great and Glorious, and therefore easier to ignore and contain to a building or day or ceremony.
The Cross of Christ teaches us both the greatness of God's love and the exceeding sinfulness of sin. Our sins were so serious and evil that nothing less than the suffering and sacrificial death of the eternal Son of God Himself could atone for them. Every temptation resisted, every sinful desire forsaken, and every act of obedience is a grateful response to the Savior who loved us and gave Himself for us.
To fear the Lord is to love what He loves and to hate what He hates. It is to depart from evil, pursue holiness, delight in His will, and seek the glory of His name above all else. It is not the terrified fear of a slave before a cruel master, but the reverent love of a redeemed and adopted child who longs to please his heavenly Father. We do not obey God in order to earn His favor, but because, in Christ, we have already received His grace. Our obedience is the fruit of His saving love, not the price of it.
Ultimately, the fear of the Lord is not a servile terror that drives us away from God, but a reverent, loving awe that draws us ever nearer to Him. It teaches us to trust Him completely, worship Him sincerely, and walk humbly before Him. At the cross we behold the perfect harmony of God's holiness, justice, mercy, and love. There we learn to fear Him rightly—with humble reverence, grateful faith, joyful obedience, and wholehearted worship. As the Scripture says, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity."
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom. To fear God is a holy reverence for God's infinite majesty and holiness. It is a hatred of evil, especially the sins within our own hearts. It is humble submission to His Word, loving obedience to His commandments, and the fulfillment of the purpose for which we were created—to glorify God. The Fear of the LORD is a safeguard against temptation, a fountain of spiritual life, and a guide that leads us away from the snares of death. It walks hand in hand with God's mercy and truth, shines brightly in the life of every mature believer—as seen in Job—and is perfectly compatible with the comfort, joy, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The fear of the Lord is the joyful attitude of a heart that treasures God above all else and longs to honor Him in every thought, word, and deed.
