“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” - Proverbs 9:10
There are many who teach that fear is always bad. They say that it is important for people to overcome their fears. According to them, unresolved issues with fear brings an unhealthy balance to life.
I agree that there are unhealthy fears. Perhaps the most common unhealthy fear is our fear of others. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” The fear of public speaking is a variation of this fear. Many people refuse to speak in front of others due to this fear. We resist witnessing to a friend or enter social dialogue with strangers because of our fear of man. Truly, it is a snare to us. It is a bad fear, an unhealthy fear that we need to be liberated from.
Not all fears are bad. I think it is good to have a healthy fear of electricity. Many have died from electrocution because they were careless about electricity and its dangers. While it may be good to have a healthy fear about dangerous situations, they shouldn't paralyze us to the extent of making us bedridden.
Yet there is one fear that most avoid, yet it is the most important fear of all. Proverbs 9:10 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Fearing God is a good fear. Fearing God is not the summation of wisdom, just the beginning of wisdom. Unless a man fears God, he is not wise at all.
I used to think that fearing God was simply having a healthy respect of God. Certainly, fearing God includes this, but it goes far beyond that. When I was growing up, I loved my father. But I also feared him. I knew that if he caught me telling a lie, showing disrespect to others or misbehaving, I would face his discipline. I feared his discipline, so I feared him. Was this a bad fear? I don't think so. He disciplined me because of love.
In a similar manner, God is to be feared because of who He is. He often disciplines His children. His discipline can be rather painful and severe at times. Hebrews 11:6 says, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
Many well-meaning Christians believe that we should love God, but never fear Him. They believe that fearing God is only an Old Testament teaching. Obviously, this is incorrect. In the New Testament, Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Fearing God consists of more than just having a healthy respect and reverence of God. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” When we fear God, other fears pale in comparison.
To many, it is unthinkable that we should fear the Lord. Love Him, yes, but fear Him, no. Yet the Bible teaches us to fear the Lord. Both the Old and New Testaments teach us to fear God.
Our nation is undergoing moral and spiritual destruction right now. One of the reasons for our nation's indulgence in sin is that people do not fear God. I blame this, in part, on many people-pleasing, lukewarm preachers in America. There are preachers who refuse to preach against sin or warn against hell. They may be popular among people, but refusing to warn others of impending judgment is a dereliction of duty. As a result of such weak preaching, many do not fear the Lord.
Furthermore, we must accept responsibility for our own failure to speak the truth about these matters. Are we trying to make God popular, hip, cool and relevant to people, or are we attempting to please Him by boldly sharing the facts? When a watchman is derelict in his duties by failing to warn the people of an approaching army, God held the watchman responsible for the blood of the people. Today, believers are serving in such a capacity. You are a watchman on the wall. I am a watchman. Do we care enough for the people and fear God enough to warn them of the judgment to come?
Yes, unbelievers need to fear God. Unless they repent, they will face His wrath. Yet believers need to fear God as well. A healthy fear of God will cause us to be more circumspect in our living. If we fear God as we should, we will live holy lives. We will live humble, committed lives.
Here's the inescapable truth. All of us must stand before God one day. His judgment will be true and final. If you feel cocky about judgment day, you aren't ready for it. If you think you will arrogantly strut into His presence, you are in for a surprise. The One who sits on the throne is holy and righteous. We should reverence Him. Respect Him. Fear Him.
That is a good fear.
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