Fear of God is good—it is precious to nurture and develop. An understanding of ‘Fear of God’ is required to grow in this. In this quiz on Fear of God, you can greatly improve your understanding of ‘fear of God.’ As you go through this, you are bound to experience a significant growth in ‘fear of God.’
Question 1) Why is ‘fear of God’ good?
Question 2) How can we learn ‘fear of God’?
Answer 1) The ‘fear of God’ is essential for every Christian. Loving God and fearing God go hand in hand. Just like a child loves his/her parents as well as fears them. In a healthy marriage, the spouse loves the other as well as fears them. Here are the keys to why fear of God is essential. These are based on the Bible.
a) The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him. This is a great reason to desire and grow in fear of God. Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness. (Psalm 33:18)
b) The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. And all of us need wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding.
c) The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear God. The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness. (Psalm 147:11)
d) Those who fear God lack nothing. Their wants are met. O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear. (Psalm 34:9)
e) The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear God. Thus, the protection of the Lord is there for those who fear God. The angel of God fears Him and delivers Him. In Psalm 34:7, we can read this: The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe], and each of them He delivers.
f) Fear of God keeps us away from sin, sinful paths. Thus, we are shielded from slipping into sinful thoughts, words, and actions. Fear of God warns us at the very first instance from continuing on a path of sin. The fear of the Lord keeps one away from sin. (Proverbs 16:6)
g) Fear of God keeps us away from pride, arrogance, evil, and perverted speech.
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance, and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)
h) Fear of God is also a fountain of life. This keeps us away from the traps of sin.
Reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so one may avoid the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:27)
i) Fear of God is a key to receiving the mercy of God. And His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on those who fear Him with godly reverence, from generation to generation and age to age. (Luke 1:50)
j) God gives the desires of those who fear Him. God hears when they cry.
He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.(Psalm 145:19)
k) A great friendship of God is there with those who fear God. The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. (Psalm 25:14)
When love matures and reaches perfection, there is no fear. There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]. (1 John 4:18) We can understand this when a child always walks in total and complete obedience and no consideration of disobedience reaches his thoughts; he does not have any reason for fear. Only love exists. This is a state of mature and perfect love.
Answer 2) Now that we know the goodness associated with ‘fear of God’, we certainly want to learn this and grow in it.
Reading the Bible regularly is the key. The Bible is the Word of God. In reading it we get to hear from God. As we hear and meditate on what we have read, we get to remember the instructions of God.
Psalm 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Reading the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament should be the first goal before venturing into reading the Old Testament. The New Testament has the New Covenant after the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us.
In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. (John 1:1-3)
Want to read other exciting blogs on fear? Check out a few more below:
Understanding fear of God? Seven keys from the Book of Proverbs
Why fear God? How to grow in fear?
Fear God and be blessed
Declarations against Fear and Anxiety
