Q: #26. Should a Christian fear God?
A: Yes! The Bible says that it is wisdom to fear God (Prov 1:7)(Prov 15:33)
(Prov 9:10)(Ps 111:10)(Job 28:28). The word that most use to describe what
"fear" means is to have reverence, respect, or awe for God. That is most
certainly one way the word "fear" is used in the Bible. However, should we truly
FEAR, as in be afraid of God, as well? Yes! This lack of fear is a huge problem
amongst Christians today. Nearly every Christian will agree "God is love," and
He is indeed that, however, what SO many fail to see is that God is equally a
"God of justice."
God HATES sin, and we are sinners. He can and does punish sin amongst His
children. Let's look at a few Bible verses on this.
(Rev 3:19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent.
(Job 5:17-18) ... despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: (18) For he
maketh sore, and bindeth up: He woundeth, and his hands make whole.
(Heb 12:5-6)(NASB) ... "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; (6) For those whom the Lord loves He
disciplines, And he scourges every son whom He receives."
(Ps 118:18) The Lord hath chastened me sore: But he hath not given me over unto
death.
(Deut 8:5) ... as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Do you fear God's punishment and chastisement? I certainly do... While I
realize that His punishment and chastisement is meant for my own good, and meant
to correct me and turn me in the right way, I most certainly want to avoid it.
Did you, or do you now, fear discipline from your earthly father if you have
done wrong? If your father has trained you up in God's ways (1.e. using the rod
for correction and discipline of wrong behavior Prov 13:24, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15)
I suspect you fear it a LOT! And, while your earthly father might not see and
discipline each sin you commit, your heavenly Father sees them ALL.
Do you think God isn't going to punish your sins? Do you think you are
getting away with them? The Bible says in (Num 32:23) "Be sure your sins will
find you out." You are NOT getting away with them, punishment WILL come unless
you confess and repent. And, while God's punishment can vary from light to severe,
it is not pleasant.
God can and does at times make people sick in response to sinful rebellion
(Num 12:9-10)(Num 11:33)(Gen 12:17)(Num 5:21-22)(2 Kin 6:18)(1 Cor 11:29-30)
(Ex 7:14-12:30: The 10 plagues on Egypt).
God has even taken the lives of people for sinful rebellion (Gen 6-7: The
flood)(Ex 12:29-30: The firstborn of Egypt)(Gen 19:26)(Num 21:6-9)(Gen 38:7-10)
(Acts 12:23)(Ex 14:23-28)(Lev 10:1-2)(Gen 19:12-29)(1 Sam 6:19)(1 Sam 25:38)
(2 Kin 19:35)(2 Chr 13:20)(2 Chr 21:18-19) and more...!
Do you think this doesn't happen today? Do you think that the God of today
is different than the God who did those things in the Bible? Let me tell you,
the Bible says God does NOT change (Mal 3:6)(James 1:17)(Ps 102:26-27). He is the
same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8).
Take a look at what is going on in the world today. As I write this, the
greatest natural disaster in the history of the Unites States has just occurred
in a city where many evil things have been done. Was this God's judgment? I don't
believe anyone can know that... What we DO know for certain though, is that
nothing can happen that God does not allow. I would certainly not want to be
blatantly and unrepentantly flaunting sin before God. In fact, we are seeing an
increase in disasters all over the world: acts of terrorism, tsunamis,
earthquakes, hurricanes, etc... Why is this happening? Can anyone say with
certainty that it isn't God's judgment on this increasingly wicked world?
Does this mean that every time something bad happens, it is judgment or
punishment from God? No... But, we should not discount that possibility.
Of course, we know that Satan has power also, and certainly has the ability to
cause tragedies (take a look at what he did to Job). However, just as he could
not harm Job without God's permission, he can do no harm to God's children
without God's permission. So... either way, when bad things happen, God is
ultimately in control. In addition, for God's children, we have a promise from
God that He will work ALL things for our good in some way (Rom 8:28).
We are told in (Phil 2:12) "work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling." What does the word "trembling" mean to you? When I looked at some
definitions, what I found was basically to shake or quiver uncontrollably in
response to something like fear or cold. Does the fear of God cause you to
tremble? God says it should:
(Jer 5:22) fear ye me not? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence...
(Ps 119:120) My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; And I am afraid of thy
judgments.
(Ps 114:7) Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord...
(Isa 66:2) ...But to this man will I look, Even to him that is poor and of a
contrite spirit, And trembleth at my word.
(Jer 10:10) But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an
everlasting king: At his wrath the earth shall tremble, And the nations shall not
be able to abide his indignation.
(James 2:19) ... the devils also believe, and tremble.
Some very prominent people in the Bible were afraid and terrified of God.
Moses feared and quaked because of God (Heb 12:21), and was afraid of God's anger
and hot displeasure (Deut 9:19).
Job was terrified of God (Job 23:15-16), and said destruction from God was a
terror to him (Job 31:23).
David was greatly afraid of God when He killed Uzzah for touching the Ark of
the Covenant (2 Sam 6:7-9)(1 Chr 13:10-12).
Adam and Eve were afraid of God and hid themselves because they had disobeyed
God's command (Gen 3:8-11).
The Israelites feared God would kill them because they had sinned against God
by asking for a king (1 Sam 12:18-19).
Great fear came upon those who saw God take the lives of Ananias and Sapphira
for lying to Him (Acts 5:5,11).
The disciples were terrified "sore afraid" when they heard God's voice
(Mt 17:5-6).
We are told in (Eccl 12:13-14) to "Fear God, and keep his commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man. (14) For God shall bring every work into
judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
(Also see: 2 Cor 5:10) Does this refer to some commandments, or just the 10
Commandments? He means ALL of His commandments. Each thing we do, both good
and bad, will be judged, not for salvation, but for rewards in Heaven. Many will
suffer great loss on that day as their "works" are burned by fire (See:
1 Cor 3:10-15).
While it is by blessed grace through the blood of Jesus that our sins are
covered, and our salvation secured as Christians, we will live a life of misery,
a life of separation from a close walk with God, a life of no victory, a life
with no joy or peace, if we fail to strive with all we have, to follow God's
commandments through seeking His help, and humbly confessing and repenting when
we give into temptation and sin.
If we fear the Lord, we will hate evil (Prov 8:13), and depart from evil
(Prov 16:6). (Ex 20:20) says the fear of God will keep you from sinning.
(Jer 32:40) says if we have the fear of God in our hearts, we won't depart from
Him. (Prov 14:27) says the fear of the Lord will help you avoid the snares of
death.
"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb 10:31).
"Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29). God told Isaiah that he should fear
and dread Him (Isa 8:13). We should as well. God loves us. He is gracious and
compassionate (Ps 111:4)(Ps 112:4)(Ps 145:8), merciful and longsuffering (Ex 34:6)
(Num 14:18), full of lovingkindness (Ps 36:7)(Ps 40:1-11)(Ps 63:3)(Ps 69:16),
and slow to anger (Neh 9:17)(Ps 103:8)(Joel 2:13)(Jonah 4:2)(Nah 1:3) towards us.
But, if we live a life of rebellion and unrepentance, He WILL take action.
He is EQUALLY a God of love and justice! Let us remember His justice as much
as we seem to remember His love. If we do, and we FEAR God, we have these promises
from Him.
God has mercy on those who fear Him (Lk 1:50)(Ps 103:13).
God has compassion on those who fear Him (Ps 103:13).
Those who fear God are blessed (Ps 112:1)(Ps 115:13)(Ps 128:1,4).
God takes pleasure in those who fear Him (Ps 147:11).
The fear of the Lord prolongs life (Prov 10:27).
The fear of the Lord leads to life (Prov 19:23).
Happy is the man who always fears God (Prov 24:14).
P.S. For those non-Christians reading this: "fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell." (Mt 10:28)(Also see: Lk 12:4)
You should have the greatest fear of all, for you stand to spend eternity apart
from God... Please see the
Plan Of Salvation link on our main page to see how you can be saved
from your sins and become a child of God.
