The above verses are very encouraging but, again, they do not prove we are to "enjoy" God! On the other hand, there are dozens of verses throughout the Scriptures which speak of the important command to FEAR the Lord.
To understand fear from a Biblical perspective, consider that the same word as used in Matt. 10:28 for being afraid of God is also used in a negative sense in that same verse as not to fear those who kill our bodies. In other words, the emotion we aren't to have in a dangerous situation where we may be killed, we are to have towards God! Please remember this definition as you proceed. Also, since there are so many verses which speak of the fear of the Lord, we will cite only a few.
Also, Jesus told the Smyrna church not to be afraid of the imprisonment and persecution they were about to suffer. If they were faithful even to the point of death, they would receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). We should conclude from these passages that we are to fear God and His power to condemn us, but not to fear dying for the cause of the Lord. Remember, "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps. 116:15).
Notice how Paul told the Romans not to be arrogant, but to be afraid because God might not spare them from being cut out of the root (11:17-23). The opposite, then, of fear must be arrogance! He also told the Philippians not to be frightened in any way by those who would oppose them. This was a sign to them that they would be destroyed and the Christians saved because they didn't give way to fear in persecution (1:28). Here again, we see we are not to fear physical harm! This is also clear from Heb. 13:6, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (He quoted Ps. 118:6,7.)
The early church lived in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31). Are we like them today? Fear seized those in Ephesus after they heard that the demon possessed man beat the seven sons of Sceva bloody. But this caused the name of the Lord Jesus to be held in high honor (Acts 19:17)!
In Acts 5, we find Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit, and falling down dead as a result. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events (5:11). This occurred under the new grace covenant, our covenant with God. So if you think you can live any way you please because of grace without incurring severe consequences, remember what happened to them!
Korah, Dathan and Abiram became insolent and rose up to oppose Moses and Aaron (Num. 16). The next day the earth swallowed them, their wives and children, and all their possessions (v. 31:32). They went down alive into the grave (v. 33). They sinned at the cost of their lives (v. 38). God has the power to easily kill us, if He wants to!
Someone might mention 1 Jn. 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." However, can we ignore all the clear Scriptural warnings about fearing God because of this verse? No, we must understand it as it allows for all the evidence dealing with the fear of God. A quick look at verse 17 shows that we can have confidence on the day of judgment if we are like Him in this world. We will not face the judgment the world faces. A good example of perfect love could be Stephen, the martyr of Acts chapter 7. He had no fear of dying. Nor was he afraid to testify about the Lord to the evil religious leaders of his day. He held no animosity toward those who were stoning him to death, but asked the Lord to forgive them! Wow, what love. Lk. 1:74,75 read, "[God] enables us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."
What about Jesus telling the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled and not to be afraid in Jn. 14:27? If you read the chapter, you will see that Jesus was comforting them about His own death. However, in the next chapter, He warns them to produce fruit so as not to be cut off the true vine by the Father. Then he speaks of remaining in Him eleven times in the first ten verses of chapter 15! So he was not saying that they need not fear God, but that His children need not fear death! Remember that the servant in Lk. 19:21 and Matt. 25:25 was unjustified for claiming that his fear kept him from serving God and was condemned! Therefore, don't let fear of failure or people stop you from serving and obeying God!
Paul wrote the Romans about the depravity of man in 3:10-18 and included a lack of the fear of God in his description (v.18). Should we be like depraved men? In Rom. 8:15, he tells us we did not receive a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear, but he's referring to suffering for Christ's sake (v.17) or death, as exemplified in Heb. 2:15: "and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Remember that Paul, the grace teacher, wrote to the Corinthians that he knew what it was to fear the Lord (2 Cor. 5:11). He counseled the Ephesian slaves to obey their masters with respect and fear just as they would the Lord (6:5). The Philippians were to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (2:12). Ps. 2:11 also speaks of serving the Lord with fear and rejoicing with trembling.
Take a moment to reflect on these Old Testament passages about the desirable things that come to those who fear God:
Nowhere in Scripture are these promises extended to those who enjoy God!
To fear God is to hate evil (Pr. 8:13) and avoid evil (Pr. 16:6). There is no fear of God before the eyes of the sinful wicked (Ps. 36:1). Those with an undivided heart fear his name (Ps. 86:11). Rightfully so, since great fear is due him (Ps. 90:11)! God said through the prophet Jeremiah that we should fear Him and tremble in His presence because He made a boundary for the sea and gives autumn and spring rains in season (5:21-24). We have a direct command from God to fear him in Lev. 19:14; 25:17,36,43. God longed for his people to fear him so that it might go well with them forever (Deut. 5:28-6:2). God inspires us to fear him for our own good so we will not turn away from him (Jer. 32:39-40). Moses said God came to test the people so that the fear of God would be with them to keep them from sinning (Ex. 20:20).
Noah is in the faith chapter as one who built the ark in holy fear (Heb. 11:7). Moses trembled at the terrifying sight of the burning mountain of God (Heb. 12:18-21). God was the Fear of Isaac (Gen. 31:42). Job feared God and shunned evil (1:8) and God called him blameless and upright. The godly writer of Ps. 119:120 had flesh that trembled in fear of God. Whoever wrote Ps. 33 said, "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him (v.8, NKJV). Asaph in Ps. 76 said God alone was to be feared (v.7). Ethan declared God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones (Ps. 89:7). Shouldn't we fear God as these righteous men did?
[We have a cassette tape on the fear of God available for only $3.00. Send your request to the ministry address.]
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