Fearing God

In the Old Testament, to fear God was to view Him with reverential awe and bow to His sovereign authority. In Psalm 34 David wrote, "Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it" (vv. 11- 14). His son Solomon added, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. . . . Fear the Lord and turn away from evil" (Prov. 1:7; 3:7).

The concept of fearing God isn't limited to the Old Testament. Paul said, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12), "Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1) and, "Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ" (Eph. 5:21).

Our fear of God compels us to worship Him and conform our lives to His will. If you fear Him, pleasing Him will be your greatest delight and displeasing Him, your greatest disappointment.

In Psalm 19:9 David uses "fear" as a synonym for God's Word, implying that Scripture is God's manual on how to worship Him. "Clean" (v. 9) is a comprehensive term that speaks of the absence of sin, corruption, filthiness, defilement, imperfection, and error. The message Scripture conveys is always "flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times" (Ps. 12:6, NIV).

Because it is so perfect, Scripture endures forever (Ps. 19:9). That's why Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Mark 13:31). It never needs to be updated to accommodate contemporary thinking. It stands forever as authoritative and unyielding. Those who judge it, slander it, or ignore it are in grave peril. Far better to fear God and bow to His revealed will.

JMac does well to see that Proverbs 3:5 and 6 remain coupled inseparably with verse 7.

If anyone has not heard the everlasting Gospel, here it is:

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (Rev 14:6,7 AV; my emphases).

This Gospel was in force before the Fall, and will be still proclaimed when there is no longer salvation by faith after death, Hell, Satan, His angels, and human miscreants are cast into the Lake of Fire.

To fear The Loving God as His child is to dread to disappoint or worse, to disobey Him. Only God's chastisement and the Indwelling Holy Spirit reigning over one's will empowers this fear to bear righteous fruit (Heb. 12:5-11).

Summed up in one line:

"Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD, that walketh in His Ways" (Psalm 128:1)

Again, every one. The human saved by faith alone in the Person, Work, and Word of Jesus The Christ alone needeth never ever fear again for condemnation of his/her soul from God's Three-Fold Presence (John 14:23,26), for he/she cannot habitually practice sin (1 John 3:9).

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