The Holman Bible Dictionary says fear is an emotion that can dictate how we live our lives. Triggered by perceived danger, it's helpful when it leads to our protection but harmful when it hinders our safety. The Bible associates godly fear with wisdom. It's a wise response to God, presented in different ways—from awe and reverence to dread and terror. Managing godly fear can be life or death spiritually. So, choosing the proper fear at the right time is vital.
This guide discusses wisdom's role in fearing God, balancing godly fear healthily, and putting it (fear) into practice. But let's begin with the basics.
Who Should Fear God?
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!" (Psalm 33:8 ESV)
"Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD."(Psalm 34:1 ESV)
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ESV)
"So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied." (Acts 9:31 ESV)
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12 ESV)
"Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law," (Deuteronomy 31:12 ESV)
"that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long." (Deuteronomy 6:2)
The Bible teaches that all men, women, and children of every generation, regardless of status or salvation, are to fear God. No one's exempt, and the practice must start at a young age. However, please don't feel guilty if you're learning to fear God as an adult because growing in the Lord is a lifelong process. The time is always right to begin. Besides, though we tend to worship together, we spiritually mature at different rates.
Why Must God Be Feared?
"but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love." (Psalm 147:11).
"You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— for the LORD your God in your midst is a jealous God..."(Deuteronomy 6:14-15)
"Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you." (1 Samuel 12:24)
One might wonder why God would act so high and mighty by desiring we fear Him or think God is starved for affection. However, God isn't acting high and mighty; He indeed is High and Mighty! The Lord looks down on the earth from the heavens and watches all we do. That may sound intimidating to some, but scaring you isn't my intent. Still, my mind can't help but think of a child misbehaving behind its parent's back, except we can do nothing without our Heavenly Father's awareness.
While it seems an invasion of privacy for the Lord to watch us, understand God is sovereign, righteous, and just. Therefore, He watches over us, which is another way to view it. From His throne, the Lord makes provision, saves, and delivers those who fear, trust, and hope in Him.
Who can you think of more worthy of respect than God? He created an entire universe and all its inhabitants, which He sustains effortlessly every day, independent of human assistance! Isn't that beyond amazing? And He oversees the plans of all humanity. Why? Because He'll not allow anything to happen outside His will. The Lord didn't pass away and leave anybody in charge. God is fully alive and in sovereign control of His creation. And God isn't starved for affection, either. He doesn't need love; He is love. Painfully, however, He often has an unrequited love for His creation.
Nor does the Lord need humanity for Him to exist and be God. But He created us for His glory and obligates Himself to helping us. He cares for and loves us unconditionally, and we are to wholeheartedly love, serve, praise, worship, and glorify Him. That's the essence of our relationship.
Thankfully, the Father is compassionate and good toward us all because, like children, we lack the same knowledge He does. God knows what's best for us and pursues us because deciding to reject Him ultimately leads to eternal death. So, He goes after our hearts, and we should go after His. By the way, it's more than just seeking God for personal needs. Since the fall of creation due to man's rebellion, it's all about reconciliation, repentance, submission, and fellowship with God.
In the Bible, David is a remarkable example of someone who got godly fear right. He wasn't perfect, but he recognized the importance of fearing God as an essential aspect of passionately serving, obeying, worshiping, hoping in, waiting on, and trusting Him. God referred to David as a man after His own heart.
Every relationship comes with expectations, like those between a husband and wife, parents and children, bosses and employees, etc. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is no different. We must honor and respect God just as we do our spouses, parents, employers, etc. But reverence for the Lord should be unmatched.
Per the Bible, we must not worship the created, only the Creator (Romans 1:25). The Lord hasn't been made, nor has a beginning or end (Joshua 24:14). What being on earth possesses all the qualities of God? No one! Nothing on earth compares to Him. Thus, we haven't any reason to serve an idol. We only exist because the Lord created us. Therefore, it's a sin and an offense to God to turn from Him to worship any part of creation.
Given God is the Creator of all things and out of respect for His Son's sacrificial death, God is justified in setting explicit standards for the world to be in right standing with Him.
Consider these:
God created the earth, seas, and everything in them (Psalm 146:6) but gave humans dominion over all earth (Genesis 1:28).
God sacrificed His only Son, Jesus, for humanity so we could be reconciled to God and have eternal life (John 3:16), though we've rejected Him throughout history.
God saves us from the adversary, Satan, whose aim is to wreak chaos in our lives (Psalm 106:8), yet we rebel against the Lord instead.
What more is there to say? Plenty! There are countless reasons to fear God, including what He's achieved in your life personally. Whatever the Lord's delivered you from is your testimony alone, but He saved you so others may know Him. Therefore, praise Him, witness, and testify to all God has done for you.
Whom Should We Not Fear?
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28).
We are born into a world shaped by social hierarchies and various cultures. Our actions are guided by social norms, laws, customs, and beliefs passed down to us through different channels. Regardless of the origins of these norms, laws, customs, and beliefs, we must seek to uphold God's commands when the rules and activities of those around us go against His Word - His Truth.
Take, for example, apostles Peter and John, whom the Sadducees, a socio-religious sect, commanded not to teach nor speak in the name of Jesus. In Acts 4, the apostles refused to follow such an order, boldly citing, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19-20)
On earth, people can inflict tremendous suffering on one another, including physical death. However, we shouldn't fear these impermanent afflictions since our time here is temporary. Instead, we should fear God, as He's the Judge of all and can condemn us to death everlasting.
Two Ways to Fear God
How we fear God is indicative of our heart toward Him. For example, we show God-fearing behavior in two ways: reverently and dreadfully. Reverential fear derives from respect for God's goodness and authority and usually produces obedience. In contrast, dreadful fear derives from fear of God's punishment, usually heightened by disobedience. It's necessary to strike a healthy balance between the two, as both are vital to a successful spiritual journey.
I'm not suggesting you execute obedience fifty percent of the time and disobedience the other fifty percent to achieve balance. That would be bad for your spiritual health. No, you should comply with God's Word a hundred percent of the time. It's necessary, however, to possess a healthy balance of both types of fear. Later, I'll explain why.
Wisdom's Role in Fear
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!" (Psalms 111:10)
Fearing God is the start of wisdom because one can't be wise and simultaneously not fear the Lord. It's fundamentally unwise not to fear the very source from which knowledge and everything comes. While fear is the start of wisdom, it takes wisdom to manage fear correctly.
To become God-fearing, we must know God and His attributes revealed in His Word. To do so requires us to read the Bible. During Bible reading, we gain wisdom to acknowledge the Lord's sovereign power as awesome and terrifying at the same time. As God's Word increases our knowledge, our fear of Him also increases. Wisely, we put that fear into practice by obeying His commands, demonstrating a good understanding of the Lord's instructions.
We can apply awe-filled truths from Scripture to our lives using wisdom. Here are several examples:
Humanity isn't truly free but under Satan's rule until we're set free from the bondage of sin. Thus, we get freed forever by Jesus, the Son (refer to John 8:36), under the Kingdom of God.
God will bring every person's actions to His judgment (refer to Ecclesiastes 12:13). So, we live righteously and conform to His ways.
God loves the world, but we'll surely perish without God's gift of eternal life (refer to John 3:16). As a result, we promptly accept His offer of redemption and spread the good news of salvation.
Salvation comes only by God's grace, not human ability and effort (refer to Romans 9:16); thus, we acknowledge and proclaim the world desperately needs Jesus, our Savior.
The Lord preserves us through His patience, kindness, mercy, grace, and love (refer to Psalm 103:8). Therefore, we continuously express gratitude to God for our lives and surrender it to Him.
Like the Israelites who sacrificed freewill offerings to the Lord in their days to honor His goodness, we can present our God-fearing hearts today as praise to the Lord forever for His greatness and eternal Word, which guides us away from folly and ruin.
The Healthy Way to Fear
"At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the men who are complacent, those who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will he do ill.' " (Zephaniah 1:12, ESV)
Believers can achieve a healthy balance of fear by not becoming complacent with fearing God, remembering He's good and holy. When we do wrong, we're all subject to His righteous judgment.
I recall my spiritual journey before surrendering to Christ. I lived sinfully, had an unhealthy relationship with the Lord, and didn't honor Him.
I could blame my transgressions on a lack of self-respect, but the main issue was that I failed first to respect God. I didn't revere the Lord enough to obey Him, nor was I afraid enough not to take chances with sin. Instead, I was willing to reap the consequences of my misconduct. I had an imbalance of fear. Better yet, I was fearless.
Whatever you do, resist taking a fearless posture toward God where you neither respect nor dread Him. Such an approach might bring victory in conflicts against our enemies since the Lord instructs us not to fear man. However, we will not win against our Creator. I was hostile to God's Word as if I were His enemy. Now, I'm just grateful for the mercy and grace He's shown by not dealing with me to such a degree.
When we revere God, we'll practice sin avoidance. If we're frightened of His judgment enough, we'll want to repent immediately and receive His mercy. We must be equally in awe of the Lord's wrath as we are of His goodness. Both actions occur out of respect for God.
Terrifying fear usually arises from a negative place. However, from a positive perspective, when well-managed, its ability to make us afraid whips us into shape. That is, provided we don't run from God when we transgress but seek His help and forgiveness instead.
Reverential fear derives from a positive place. Yet, when poorly managed, it leads to the misconception that the Lord is always pleased with us and won't discipline us because of His love. This is false! By all means, God's love is perfect! Like any good parent, God's blessings mixed with discipline exemplify His complete love.
Balancing the two fears is essential. After all, God's a good Father, and our heart's desire should be to please Him. Not only will He acknowledge the good we do and reward us, but He'll also recognize the bad and chastise us. So, to achieve a healthy, God-fearing relationship with our Lord, we must continuously revere and obey Him, repent, and turn away from sin.
Putting Fear into Practice
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Fearing God involves thoughts, speech, and deeds. The best way to always show respect for the Lord is by obeying His commands, which entails following His Word and the Holy Spirit's guidance. However, this godly fear may not come naturally and may require practice.
Fortunately, we can cultivate a deep reverence for the Lord through various means. For instance, you can conduct regular fasts from food and refrain from social media or anything competing for your time and attention, so you devote more time to God.
Other practices include but are not limited to:
Praying daily.
Setting aside specific prayer times.
Engaging in Bible reading, journaling, and study.
Listening to worship music centered on the Bible.
Memorizing and meditating on Scripture.
Indulging in quiet time with the Lord, and much more.
Making these practices an everyday part of your life allows you to achieve greater intimacy with God and gain a higher reverence for Him.
Another way to cultivate a deep reverence for God is to practice gratitude. Taking time each day to reflect on God's blessings and giving thanks for His goodness and provision can deepen your awe and respect for Him.
It's also essential to seek volunteering opportunities within your church or community. This can help you strengthen your appreciation for God's creation – humanity and the earth.
I hope this information is helpful. Can you think of other ideas to put into practice? If so, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section of this blog. Write them on the worksheets provided in the practical resource below as well.
May you be strengthened, and your hearts be shaped, friends! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Disclaimer: While this guide aims to reinforce the teachings found in the Scriptures and assist you in living a godly life, it is important to acknowledge that the Bible is the ultimate and primary source for all aspects of holy living, maturity, growth, fruitfulness, and more. The Bible contains everything necessary to achieve wholeness and be thoroughly equipped for every good work. This secondary resource is only intended to supplement and support your understanding, providing additional insights for your journey.