Walking In the Fear of God

“Therefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire” – Hebrews 12:28-29.

The above scripture tells us that godly fear is a work of grace. Nowadays, there are very few teachings about the fear of God. And most of the few teachers that teach about the fear of God, define the fear of God to mean the same thing as the love of God. Others interpret it to mean reverence. But the above opening text clearly differentiates reverence from godly fear with the word “And”.

The fear of God is distinct from the love of God and reverence for God. We can clearly see this distinction by checking through the original words which they were translated from.

The love of God is from the Greek word “Agape”, meaning affection. Reverence for God, as used in our opening text, is from the Greek word “entrepo” meaning, to respect. While the fear of God which we are now discussing, is from the Greek word “eulabeia” meaning caution or dread.

Hence, we are to walk in the fear or dread of God for our own good. The Lord doesn’t want us to fear anyone or anything, but he does want us to fear and tremble before him. Hence, in the new covenant, he says he will put his fear in our hearts, so we shouldn’t depart from him (Jeremiah 32:40).

Then the Lord Jesus tells us again, that we should not fear those that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather we should fear him (God) who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).

So Why Should We Fear God?

Sometime back, while I shared this message of the fear of God with a young man, he asked me; “can you love and fear your father at the same time?” I replied, “Yes, I loved my parents for whom they were to me, but at the same time, I feared them, because if I messed up, I would be rebuked or punished”

When John talks about perfect love casting away fear, he meant condemnational fear (1John 4:18). And this condemnational (bond) fear, that John says perfect love casts away, is different from the godly fear we are talking about here.

I have felt both of them. Condemnational fear, like John says, has torment. It leads to self and people condemnation. It also leads to struggle with sin. It kills faith. As I struggled with this kind of fear some years ago, like John says, my encounter with the divine love of God by revelation, gave me eternal victory from the clutches of condemantional fear.

While godly fear on the other hand, is a gift of the Spirit of Grace. It confers mastery over sin. Godly fear helps you depart from sin and perfect holiness (2 Corinthians 7:1). Godly fear stabilises love and faith in the heart of a believer.

As a matter of fact, many Christian who confess righteousness with no practical evidence of righteousness in their characters and words, are actually suffering from the missing link of the fear of God. They get carried away with God’s love, goodness and faith. But pay absolutely no attention to the fear of God, divine severity and eternal judgement…

Because they have been wrongly taught or wrongly believe that the fear of God is the same thing as the Love of God or mere reverence or awe.

Now let’s see the scriptural reasons why we need to fear God...

Securing Our Eternal Salvation: “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”—Phil 2:12. From scriptures, we see that a saved soul can be cut off if he doesn’t work out his salvation with caution and trembling (Romans 11:20-22). Judas Iscariot lost his bishopric because he didn’t work out his salvation with fear and trembling.



Mastery in Holiness: From scriptures we see that the fear of God is the master or perfect key for Holy or godly living. Here is exactly what the word of God says concerning this:

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” 2Corinthians 7:1.

Enjoying Divine Wisdom: The bible tells us that the fear of God gives us access to divine wisdom, which is uncanny wisdom. As a matter of fact, the bible defines wisdom to mean the fear of God. Here is the exact scripture: “And unto man he said, behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding”—Job 28:28. Hence, to be walking in the fear of God, is to be walking in divine wisdom.

To Enjoy Divine Blessings: “Praise you the Lord, blessed is the man that fears the Lord that delights greatly in his commandments. His descendants shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endures forever”—Psalm 112:1-3. So the man or woman that walks in the fear of God enjoys divine blessings amongst which is wealth and riches.

So the list above, are the major biblical reasons we must have to walk in the fear of God. God does not want us to be afraid of anyone or anything. Neither does he want us to have condemnational or tormenting fear. But he does desire and instructs us to fear him for our ultimate and eternal good.

Remain Blessed!

Emeke Odili

You have a pretty good understanding of the difference between fear of the Lord. Phil 2:12, Salvation, in the Greek translation means "a deliverance" can mean eternal deliverance, and it can mean a timely deliverance that we receive here on earth, such as, there is a deliverance (salvation) when we pray for healing and God answers our prayer. I think that most of the salvation scriptures have reference to timely deliverance. When we work out our timely deliverance, is when we are trying to follow God's commandments, and when we sometimes disobey his commandments and repent, asking for his forgiveness and he forgives us, it is a timely deliverance. The child of God does not lose his eternal deliverance when he is disobedient. I believe that we lose our fellowship with God while we are in the state of disobedience, which some scriptures word it as being dead to his fellowship. I did not understand the difference in the deliverance ( salvation ) until I was 62 years old ( I am now 83 ). When I was fifty years old I was sick and tired of having the scriptures (seemingly) contradict each other and thought if I purchased a concordance I would be smart enough to straighten out the contradictions. After twelve years of hard studying, I made no progress, until I said, in my mind, I give up! and would have to continue my life of confusion about the scriptures. It was not a very long time after that the Spirit within me began to reveal some truths to me. I began to think why it took so long, and come to the conclusion that if the Spirit would have revealed it to me earlier when I thought I was smart enough to figure it out, I would have taken the credit, because of my intellect. Jesus says, "deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. That is the reason God says "grace is not of works, lest any man should boast".

Heb 12:28-29, I believe the scriptures teach that Christ has a kingdom here on the earth which is the church that he set up when he was on earth, as a man and God. Heb 12:22-23, But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

A person that Is reborn will respect GOD and have GODly fear knowing our GOD Is a consuming fire.

GOD Is omnipotent,omniscient and omnipresent and nothing can be In HIS presence holding a secret because anything that Is not righteous would be burnt up.GOD Is not like man,seeing the outward appearances but GOD sees all the way to the heart.

A lot of people do tend to interpret the fear of God to mean something other than the meaning of the Bible.

Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

The fear of the LORD in the Old Testament is to hate evil, and to do what is good, and is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge.

People that do not fear the LORD engaging in sins cannot have the wisdom, and knowledge of God, for they reject it by their holding unto sins.

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

The fear of the LORD is to keep His commandments, and do goodness, hating evil, for God will punish all evil doers that does not let go of sin, and does not hate sin.

The New Testament says the same thing, and nothing has changed, but the fear of the LORD is the same throughout the Bible.

2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

If a person holds unto sin then the blood of Christ cannot wash it away, and if they do not correct themselves then they will not be saved.

And that is the fear of the LORD that we do what is right according to His commandments, and hating evil, and loving goodness, and allow the Spirit to lead us to accomplish that, for God will punish all evil doers that do not hate sin.

Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

There is no difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament, but whoever does not hate sin, and does not want sin, will be cut off like the Jews in the Old Testament.

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

When we are saved then the responsibility falls on us to keep ourselves right before God by hating evil, and allowing the Spirit to lead us to abstain from sins.

2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

God gives a warning to not go back to the sinful lifestyle after you are cleansed, for if you do and do not correct yourself then it would of been better to not have known the truth, than to turn from the truth which is to abstain from sins, and hate sin, which it is possible for a person to fall from the truth by the deceitfulness of sins, for there is a warning in the Bible concerning it.

Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Some have erred from the truth, in which they need to be converted again, and that is by repenting of their sins, and giving them up, and meaning it, and while they are holding unto sin the Bible says they are a sinner, and their soul is in a position of death.

The Bible says a person can go back to the sinful lifestyle, and not be saved, for there would not be a warning in the Bible if it could not happen if a person believes a wrong interpretation of the Bible in which they think they are alright despite their sins.

Some who claim Christ, and say they have faith, do not have the fear of God, for if they did they would not be hypocritical, and would hate sin, and not want it, and would not say sin does not affect their relationship with God.

For the fear of God is to hate sin, and not want to do it, and there is no difference between the Old and New Testament concerning the fear of the LORD.

When we confess Christ, and repent of our sins, we ask God to forgive us of all past sins, and to turn away from sins, which Paul said we should not live in sins anymore, and rebuked people who were engaging in sins, and told them to stop it.

That is what saved us by repenting of our sins, and the blood of Christ washes away our sins, and turning from sins, and not wanting sins.

Every time we sin we forfeit the repentance we did to be saved to where it does not count until we get rid of the sin, and many people hold unto sin and think they are alright with God, but then they forfeit the repentance that caused them to be saved in the first place.

I have noticed that when you say to fear the Lord, people say but he is a loving God. That means to reverence him just as you said. But I know to fear the lord means to get scared, because you can tie the lords hands with your sin and he cannot except you. If you die in your intentional sin you will go to hell. If you get scared, you will stop sinning. Those crazy and bad thoughts that pop into your mind is covered under grace. There is an enemy who tries to poison your thoughts as much as possible.

I suppose depending on how one views the word fear when applied to God one can see it as either being fearful or holding in high respect possibly even both. But you know I have seen this fear of the lord do horrible things to the minds and hearts of other believers I have had to do everything I could to raise terrified broken souls who who feared so much they were hell bound because of their sin that they couldn't find that connection of love with him. And I understand that this is the enemies doing not so much the idea of fearing God however there is also a difference in fear and being fearful, if one applies fear of the lord as to hold in high respect and regard they naturally grow in him and come to understand his reverence that they hold so high. I mean a soldier fears his commander in the sense that if given an order they don't talk back but they aren't fearful of their commander as if he would kill or hurt them.

I mean I hold father in very high regard and honor but I don't fear him I am not afraid of him, every time I am with him or in his presence even if it's just talking or taking in his words I only feel his love and him encouraging me building me up and teaching me to be strong in him even when I sin and screw up he is there for me telling me not to give up and to keep moving forwards in his righteousness.
When I think of how many times in sin and my filth when he could have shown me his anger and wrath, when I saw myself in my sin as nothing more than pathetic weak lowly sinner wrapped the shredded clothing of my own doing when I expected his hand of smite I was instead greeted with arms wrapped around me and a small whisper telling me who and what I really was instead of what I allowed myself to see and think.

The way he is and the way he rushed to the wounded and sinners who wallow in their own filth and tells them what he really sees and thinks of them, how he raises those who have fallen so far down and have only their tears for company.... For me I could never hold more respect and reverence for such a person and fear is nowhere to be seen I simply just don't have it in me. even the scriptures say that fear is not of God and fear itself hinders it does not build up nor does it heal we all have enough fear in our hearts of many things and yet how many times has God said to his children do not fear for I am with you?

Maybe the description of the word fear has it's merit and maybe I am wrong in my thinking but with the pattern in the bible and with how he has always interacted with me and used me to help others likewise I think the fear of the lord is indeed holding in high respect and reverence and the fear as in being fearful is of the enemy

Hello
Hello Blain, every time I read the words that you put on the page, I feel the love of God coming from you. You are such a sweet and loving person. I'm glad to have met you here. You have a gift of encouragement. I want to explain to you what the fear of the Lord is to me. I love the Lord with everything that is in me. But fear him. It keeps me from committing sin. He is the only one who is rightious and good.

It is not that God do not want to except one who is continuously sinning, it's that he can't. He is white as snow he can not except any spot or wrinkle.

I'm sorry about all these fragments, I was on my phone, but I am back at home now. God loves everyone, but he can't except everyone. Because light cancels out darkness. You have the gift to encourage. I have the gift of helps. I tell people straight out of love. Because the truth will set them free. They get mad at me. But it is in me to do. You keep your loving way, that is how God made you.

People can get mad or offended but never underestimate the power words can have. People need to understand that correction is not an attack and personally even correction is given to me in an unkind way I still value the lesson that can be taught from it. I appreciate your words and will sit upon them and see what God can glean from them for me

Tie God's hands???? What..??? Need to explain a bit more don't get where your coming from

He means like how if we are in sin he can distance himself and it can even effect our prayers, or at least that is what I was told long ago. I do notice when I am in sin God seems more far away to me

God loves everyone. He do not wish for anyone to go to hell, but because of his righteousness, and goodness, he is without spot or wrinkle, if someone continues in sin they are not able to unite with him, because they are unclean. It's not that he don't want to except them, it because he cannot except them. It is not possible. That scares me. I love the lord with everything that I am. Thinking about when I leave this world I would be separated from him for eternity scares me, and being in utter darkness for eternity scares me. That keeps me from consciously sinning.

I'm a woman blain.

It's torture enough being away from him physically being away from him eternally must be worse than fires of hell itself, I am glad that this fear of yours helps you to keep from sinning. You honor him with your diligent heart

Fudge I did it again lol they really need to make our names pink and blue or something my apologies

An old lady to be exact 53.

Oh your not that old my foster mom is 61 and my grandpa is 89 plus age is just number I am living proof of that