There are two phrases that are repeated often in the Bible, and when taken together, they seem a bit puzzling.
Fear God
Fear Not
Interesting.
Today I would like to give each of these statements a little thought.
Fear God
Many of the sermons I have heard regarding the fear of the Lord try to combine the fear of the Lord with the command to fear not. In the end they generally redefine fear in ways that no one uses while speaking English. I don’t think that kind of redefinition is necessary. Fear can be understood in the normal sense and both of those statements can still be true.
So let’s begin by discussing the fear of the Lord. It’s helpful to review how God has revealed himself to humanity over time. Whether it is the burning bush, or the fire and cloud in the wilderness, or the fires of judgment, God reveals himself in fire. In fact, in the New Testament, Hebrews 12:29 ends with the reminder “our God is a consuming fire.”
Fire does not necessarily frighten me, but the very idea of putting my hand in a fire sends sends shivers down my spine. To me this is near the heart of the idea of fearing God. When we understand who we are dealing with it should change our behavior. God is the one who created everything with a word, and He sustains everything, from the spiraling galaxies to our next breath. The thought of resisting or rebelling against such a person should send shivers of pure terror down all of our spines. It should be unthinkable, and yet, we all carelessly do things like this everyday without giving it a second thought. This is what the Bible refers to as a lack of the fear of the Lord. In proverbs we read:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Proverbs 9:10 (ESV)
The fear of the Lord should change us.
The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
Proverbs 8:13 (ESV)
When we have a proper fear of God we hate what He hates and love what He loves. But unlike the cringing debilitating fear that destroys lives and families and cultures the fear of the Lord brings about a different result.
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
Proverbs 14:26–27(ESV)
The fear of the Lord rather than destroying our health and relationships instead gives us confidence, peace, and life. We were built for relationship with God, the fear of the Lord understands who God is and therefore who we are. The true fear of the Lord keeps us safe and gives us peace.
Fear Not
It seems to me, and this used to bother me, that if I understand who God is and if I am honest about who and what I am, I would live my life in unrelently terror. Cringing and trying to hide from the power and wrath of almighty God. So why does God reassure us that were are to fear not?
How are we to fear and not fear at the same time?
The answer to this question helps to explain many of the odd and often contradictory behaviors and teachings we find in the Church throughout the centuries. As the old saying goes, “You can fall into the ditch on either side of the road.” It seems we are all reactionaries at heart. We see a problem, so we run in the other direction, but often we run straight into another problem at the other extreme. I was trained by a man who deeply believed in balance. And I am thankful everyday for the advice he and his father gave me.
Fearing God and having no fear need to be properly understood and brought into balance. What kind of fear is God asking us to lose? It is clearly not the fear of God. It is all the other fears we have, the fears that cause us to doubt God’s love and disobey Him.
The fear of God recognizes His power, and absolute authority. Then there is the fear that recognizes our guilt and shame before God but refuses to trust God for forgiveness and healing.
When we sin we should feel guilt, shame, and fear. Guilt and shame are not purely psycological issues; the guilt is real and so is the shame. It only becomes a chronic problem when we refuse to treat it at its source. This fear should drive us to God and our knees so that we can find mercy. But unbelief in God’s love turns that healthy response into a chronic and potentially terminal case of guilt, shame, and fear that paralyzes us and keeps us from finding forgiveness and rest. God has made a way for guilt-induced fear to be removed forever. So when He says fear not, He is really saying trust me, I love you and I have redeemed you. Your sins are paid for and you are free to live and love with me again.
The fear of the Lord frees us from another set of fears as well. When we understand, deeply understand, the nature and character of God. When we begin to comprehend His power, and His love for us we no longer have to fear people or the circumstances of our lives. What people think of us becomes a trivial matter when compared to God’s love for us. Whatever trouble comes is a temporary inconvenience compared to an eternity spent with God who loves us.1
So let me leave you with an encouragement from Paul in Romans 8.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:31–39 (ESV)
When we fear God as we should, we run from sin rather than to it. We will trust in His love and strength and will refuse other fears because He is for us. When we fear God as we should all our other fears lose there power over us. The proper fear of God drives us to our knees when we fail where the love of God can heal us.
If God be for us, who or what can be against us?
So this week consider this thought as we learn to fear and not fear.
Pray until the only thing you fear is disobedience
Have a great week!
Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV)
