We are all familiar with Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”. The word ‘fear’ in this passage has the same root word translated as ‘fear’ in today’s passage from Psalms. One way to translate the word is ‘moral reverence’. “Moral reverence of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom…”
We live in a day when everyone expects everything to be ‘warm and fuzzy’ all the time. Fear has become a bad thing – it makes people very uncomfortable. People cannot even understand the concept of moral reverence. Sadly, even much of the church has fallen into the belief that faith is entirely about the grace of a loving God. This idea is not without merit – our relationship with God is all about the grace of Christ that covers our sins. But I will stand on a limb and say this; if you do not know the fear of God (if you have no moral reverence for him) you have never had a relationship with Him.
We are at a point in the church today where we preach a gospel (not the gospel) that has nothing to do with fear of the Lord. Many come to the alter because they are driven by ‘a feeling of emptiness’ or ‘the need for love’. We all have these needs in our lives, and the Lord can overcome them, but the thing that ought to drive us to the alter is the scripturally substantiated fact that we are all sinners and are condemned to eternal damnation if we do not accept God’s plan of redemption from sins – the acknowledgment that Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins.
We so often quote John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world…” and forget that two verses later Jesus said, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.” There is an element of fear at the beginning this relationship that cannot be denied. Without the fear there is no true desire for repentance. Without repentance, there is not true salvation. Without salvation, there is not true relationship with God.
Beyond the beginning of our relationship with God, fear plays a continuing role in our lives as we grow in grace. Today’s passage states the Lord confides in those who fear Him. He makes His covenant known to them. When we reverence Him, he draws close and reveals Himself and His will to us. If you have not heard from Him in awhile, perhaps your heart is not in the proper place. Is there some sin that you have attempting to hide? Bring it to His feet with fear and trembling and lay it before Him in repentance, and you can be in right relationship with Him once more!
Lord – Help us to understand the concept of ‘fear’ as you have stated it in your
Word. Develop in our hearts a correct moral reverence for you that will allow us
to come to that place where you we live in your confidence and know your
covenant with us. Let us with reverence lay all things at your feet, that
through fear we may come to know you more and live in obedience according to
your loving kindness. Amen.
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