The Fear of the Lord

“The fear of the Lord” is an expression that appears many times in the Bible. In several passages we are told to do just that: “to fear the Lord” (some examples are Deut 31:12, Josh 24:14, and Psalm 34:9). As a pastor, I’m frequently asked, “What exactly does that mean? Does God want me to be AFRAID of him?”

People are usually surprised by my answer. It’s been my experience that most Bible teachers try to soften the word “fear” into something less harsh. They’ll say something like, “No, God doesn’t want you to be afraid of him. When the Bible says to fear God it means to have respect and reverence for him like you might have for your parents.” And that seems to satisfy people. They’re comfortable with a God who is relatively safe, harmless, and no threat to anyone.

Me? I don’t believe in toning it down. It’s better to tell it like it is. So I say, “Yes, God wants you to be afraid of him. Be VERY AFRAID.” Jesus himself said that you ought to fear the One who can destroy both your body and soul in hell (Luke 12:5). The prospect of spending eternity under God’s wrath in hellfire is supposed to terrify you. God hates sin and he’s promised to punish everyone who violates even one of his commands. We do people a grave disservice when we describe the Lord as a nicey-nice, namby-pamby wimp who is not filled with righteous anger at our offenses. And that’s really the problem: most people have no genuine fear of the Lord nor do they fear his coming judgment.

If they did they would be much better off because as Psalm 111:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Those who fear the Lord understand that they are accountable to God and will one day stand before him to be judged. And because they know that they have sinned countless times, that thought fills them with a deep sense of dread. It’s precisely that sense of fear that leads them to appreciate the perfect love and wisdom of God in providing a means of rescue: he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save sinners. Jesus faced the frightful wrath and judgment of God for us when he suffered and died on the cross. And now everyone who possesses this wisdom, that is, everyone who trusts in Jesus and what he did to rescue them, receive what he came to give: forgiveness for all of their sins.  So yes, by all means, be VERY AFRAID of the Lord precisely so that you may know his perfect salvation and peace in Jesus Christ the Savior.