THE FEAR OF THE LORD
Dr. Russell K. Tardo
I. Why Should Believers Fear God?
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is whole duty of man. [Eccl. 12:13]
The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. [Ps. 34:7]
Believers should have a wholesome fear of displeasing God. The scriptures say that all of life is vanity; life is empty, meaningless. The entire duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. The angel of the Lord referred to in the above passage in Psalms is the pre-incarnate Christ.
II. Assurances to the Believer
There are three things of which the believer who fears God can be assured:
A. Deliverance.
B. Provision.
C. God’s Presence.
III. Self-Examination
A. A Heart that Fears God.
Let’s examine some Scriptures that tell believers ways to know if they have hearts that fear God.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. [Prov. 8:13]
1. What is your personal attitude toward sin?
He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord; but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. [Prov. 14:2]
2. What is your personal attitude toward error?
Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. [Ps. 119:4]
Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. [Jer. 2:19]
There is no fear of God before their eyes. [Rom. 3:18]
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. [2 Cor. 7:1]
B. To Know God.
Those who know God fear Him. Those who have no fear of Him don’t know the God of the Bible. One of the reasons so many Christians today are backslidden is they do not know they should fear God. Some of the blame is to be put upon the ministry because they fail to stress to their congregations that man should fear God. While they teach the love aspect, and that is a very important consideration, it leaves the people with a soft view of God. That is one of the chief reasons there is so much immorality within Christian circles. It is the reason why so many are indifferent, shallow, critical, etc. People are left without a true picture, having heard only half and that is God’s love. They have not been taught of His righteousness, His mercy, His justice, His wrath or His power.
20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold 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 shall be cut off. [Rom. 11:20-22]
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. [Prov. 8:13]
C. To Avoid Sin.
If a man fears God, he avoids sin. He will not entertain sinful thoughts. If one truly fears God, then he will feel the same way about sin that God does. He will flee from sin, not run toward it.
12Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [Heb. 3:12-13]
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! [Deut. 5:29]
Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. [Ps. 33:8]
In this latter scripture, the word awe in Hebrew means to tremble, to be in great dread, to the point of being in terror or having a horror. The fear of God is that sense of awe and unworthiness that believers feel in the presence of Almighty God.
Don’t fear the one who can kill the body, but fear the one who has power to cast your soul into hell.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. [Job 42:5-6]
Have you ever considered why Abel’s offering was acceptable and Cain’s was rejected? What is the significance of this event? Abel’s trembling heart caused him to fear God and he went before God looking for a place to hide. His fear caused him to bring a sacrifice because he felt unworthy and fearful before God. Cain, on the other hand, pleased with himself and thinking well of himself, brought a present to the Lord.
Here’s another significant benefit in the believer having a reverent and awesome fear of God:
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. [Prov. 10:27]
D. A Right Attitude.
As believers, do we fear God or do we think too highly of ourselves? Can we come before Him with a sense of casualness or frivolity? Read what happened to Isaiah when he met the manifest presence of God (chapter 6).
Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. [Isa. 6:6]
To determine if we, as believers, have the kind of heart that God is looking for, ask yourself: What is my attitude toward God? Toward the word I’m hearing? Is there a sense of brokenness, conviction, weeping? Or do I have a proud heart, an unyielding spirit? How do I come into the church assembly? What thoughts and attitudes do I have upon entering? Am I there to worship and do I come in reverence? Or is it just routine? What’s in my heart?
God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. [Ps. 89:7]
Lack of fear produces lack of godliness, lack of holiness, lack of faithfulness.
18For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
[Rev. 22:18-19]
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. [Ps. 147:11]
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. [1 Ti. 5:20]
1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. [Heb. 4:1-2]
Well may we all ask, "Lord, give us a heart of fear and mix it with faith."
O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever! [Deut. 5:29]
In God’s presence, believers should stand in awe and reverence when contemplating His power, His glory, His holiness, His mercy, etc. Realizing how great He is and how small and insignificant we are should make us humble before Him. Realizing how great is His mercy and grace should help us to see how unworthy we are. The fact that we are here tonight is evidence that God chose us. It is the believer’s responsibility to recognize that all unrighteousness is sin, all bitterness, anger, resentment, criticism, impatience, and the list goes on and on.
This is a promise which every believer should claim.
38And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. [Jer. 32:38-40]
E. The Coming Judgment.
Though many do not fear God now, there is coming a day when they will. On that day, the day of the Great White Throne judgment, there will be no place to hide as they do now, behind such sins as drink, illicit sex, and other bad habits.
11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [Rev. 20:11-12]
25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire.
[Heb. 12:25-29]
F. Incentive for Holy Living
Fear of God is an incentive for holy living. Fear of Him will keep believers from being overly casual and taking too much for granted. Because of the blood of Jesus, believers can come boldly before God with their petitions, but always remembering not to do so with presumption or irreverence.
Worthy of note: Religion is man’s attempt to find God. Whereas, Christianity is God’s revelation of Himself to man.
20Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying, 21Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: 22Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? 23But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. 24Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. [Jer. 5:20-25]
The people in Jeremiah’s day found themselves in a backslidden state, having been left because of a lack of fear of God in their hearts. Where there is no fear of God there is rebellion, defiance, backsliding and many other sins -- all found in the church today. Some backslide frequently and the chief cause is simple trivia -- insignificant details and nonsense.
Many scriptures admonish believers to have a healthy fear of God. Following are a few:
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. [Ps. 2:11]
The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. [Ps. 99:1]
6And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. 7And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. [ 2 Sam. 6:6-7]
Here we see that a man died, just for touching the ark of God.
19And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. 20And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us? [1 Sam. 6:19-20]
The penalty for those who were not authorized to look into the ark was significant. The scripture says that 50,070 men died for their thoughtlessness.
In Old Testament times, only the High Priest was permitted to go into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God where the Ark of the Covenant was housed, and then only once a year. When the High Priest went in, he had to prepare himself by cleansing himself outwardly and inwardly. He wore a special robe and bells were tied to the garment so that those on the outside could hear him moving about, thereby determining that he was still alive. A rope was also tied to his leg so that if he were struck down in death while in the presence of the Lord, his body could be dragged out as no one else could enter the most Holy Place. One can imagine the seriousness with which the High Priest made his preparations, both physically and spiritually. Surely, he was a man who had great fear of the Lord.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. [1 Cor. 11:30]
Many have died because of experiencing a frivolous attitude toward God.
G. Promises to the Believer.
God has given promises to the believer who fears Him:
1. God will honor those who fear Him.
In whose eyes a vile person is condemned; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord.... [Ps. 15:4]
2. God will teach and instruct those who fear Him. [Psalms 12 and 14 in entirety.]
3. God will watch over those who fear Him.
18Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. [Ps. 33:18-19]
4. God will give protection, deliverance, and provision to those who fear Him.
7The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. [Ps. 34:7-9]
5. God will give salvation to those who fear Him.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. [Ps. 85:9]
6. God will extend mercy to those who fear Him.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.... 13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.... 17But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children. [Ps. 103:11, 13, 17]
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. [Lk. 1:50]
7. God will extend His blessedness to those who fear Him.
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. [Ps. 112:1]
11Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.... 13He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. [Ps. 115:11, 13]
8. God will give the believer who fears Him the fulfillment of his desires.
He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
[Ps. 145:19]
9. God will give long life to those who fear Him.
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. [Ps. 10:27]
10. God will give contentment and preservation from evil to those who fear Him.
The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. [Prov. 19:23]
11. God will give true riches and wealth to those who fear Him.
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life. [Prov. 22:4]
H. To Give God Pleasure.
The believer who fears God brings Him pleasure.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. [Ps. 147:11]
The apostle Paul’s admonition to believers is found in the New Testament book of Philippians.
10That at the name of Jesus ever knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Wherefore, 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. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14Do all things without murmurings and disputings; 15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. [Phil. 2:10-15]
