“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.”
(Matthew 10:28)
What is your greatest fear? The answer to this question varies from person to person. As humans, we tend to have a range of things we fear: failure, the unknown, loneliness, rejection, public speaking, animals, heights, death, etc. The list is endless, and every person fears more than one thing.
But how many people do you know would say that the one thing they fear the most is the Lord?
Personally, I can count the number of people who truly fear the Lord on my hand. When posed with this question, many people may wonder, “if God is such a loving being, why do we need to ‘fear’ Him?” The answer, however, has already been written:
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
(Ecclesiastes 12:13)
It is our duty to fear God. However, this fear should not be seen as a “punishment”—but rather as respect. When we have a fear of God, it is because we love Him and we do not wish to depart from Him at any point. The fear of God is to have a love and respect for His wishes, with full knowledge that He will protect us from our other fleshly fears:
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
(1 John 4:18)
As we grow in the fear of the LORD, we learn more about Him and we begin to have less fear in things that torment our minds. The majority of the things we fear are either physical or perceived; this type of fear is manifested by Satan. Satan uses fear as a tool of torment to forward his agenda—to make us feel insecure in our thoughts and actions. Everything that Satan is, God the Father is the opposite: the fear of Satan relies on torment and brings on more fears; the fear of God is a perfect love that casts out all other fears.
The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
(Proverbs 1:7)
Once we begin to have a fear of the Lord, the scales will be removed from our eyes. We begin to seek God’s knowledge and wisdom, and we become more confident in His love and rebuke of evil. The fear of God is seen as knowledge and wisdom, a hatred of all things evil (Proverbs 8:13, Job 28:28). Those “artificial and superficial” fears become nothing more than illusions—a perception of our own minds.
- Why fear loneliness when we know God is with us always? (Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9)
- Why fear the unknown when the mysteries of God have been given to us to understand? (Jeremiah 29:11, Colossians 1:26, Matthew 13:11)
- Why fear failure when God has given us confidence? (Proverbs 14:26, Deuteronomy 31:6)
- Why fear the evil deeds of others when God has given us protection? (Psalm 27:1)
- Why fear rejection when God will comfort us? (Psalm 23:4)
- Why fear making a mistake when God has given us power, love, and self-control? (2 Timothy 1:7)
- Why fear and be anxious of anything when God has given us peace? (Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7)
- Why fear death when we know the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life? (Proverbs 10:27, Proverbs 14:27)
As we learn more about the Father, there becomes no more fear of death because we know—beyond a shadow of doubt—that we have achieved true salvation and will live with God and Jesus in heaven. We prioritize His will over our own and we strive to warn and persuade others, through our words and actions that glorify Him, so that others may receive the same peace and security that we have been assured.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
[11] Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”
(2 Corinthians 5:10-11)
The wages of sin is death, and possessing this understanding is critically important (Romans 6:23). Once we understand that God—our Creator and Father of all things—is the judge, jury, and executioner of sin, it is our duty—our obligation—to speak and teach His will. Yes, we will be persecuted for His sake, but this is a light burden for us. The benefits of eternal life, peace, and joy vastly outweigh the consequences of rejecting His glory. Those who refuse this are fools, says the Lord.
True Christians are Always at Peace
As heartbreaking as it may sound, most people who die do not “rest in peace.”
When we stay as sinners, we become progressively more and more hardened toward God. Therefore, we begin to amass more and more sins that will be used on the Day of Judgment against us. As Christians, we become hardened to intentional sin through our relationship with both God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
“Happy is the man that feareth [the Lord] alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”
(Proverbs 28:14)
Those who do not have God live in constant torment. They are constantly worried about something within their life. While these things can happen to Christians as well, those who are truly close to God will not worry for much because they know the Father will provide us a solution. If we have unhappiness in us, it is because we need to become closer to the Father. Oftentimes, Christians who view Jesus as God are the recipients of this anxiety because they do not understand the difference between the Father and the Son. Peace can only be given to those who know the full truth of the gospel and rejoice in the Father’s glory:
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
[28] Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.”
(John 14:27-28)
Jesus is the very model of peace on earth. He is the representation of the Father; it was the Father who sent Jesus to speak His will and promise of peace. The Father dwells in Jesus. This peace was manifested in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ peace comes from the Father. Only the Father can provide peace and understanding because He is the source of all love, power, and security. The only time that Jesus was not at peace was when he took upon the sins of the entire world and he was, briefly, separated from God so that we could experience the same peace that the Father has given to him.
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
(Matthew 27:46)
In those hours, Jesus bore the sins of the world so that we may have peace through faith in him. Jesus became separated from the Father for the first time in his life—ever since he came forth from God’s foreknowledge before the world was made (John 16:25-27). This is what makes the resurrection of Jesus so powerful, not because he himself is God, but because he chose to willingly give his life for our sake—because that was the will of the Father. Faith is belief of the unseen: it is the belief that Christ sacrificed his own life so that we can be reconciled back to God the Father and peace and eternal bliss can only be obtained through salvation by accepting his words as truth.
“But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
[32] Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
(Luke 12:31-32)
As followers of Christ, we must have complete faith in Jesus’ testimony and be in agreement with the Father’s will. Heaven belongs to the Father, and only those who fear Him and keep His commandments will receive the inheritance of the kingdom.
There is only one we should fear, and that is the Father.
Amen.