Godly Fear

In a previous post, we identified the secret place of God as the fear of God. It is where one may dwell to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. However, we ran out of space to pursue the thought about how you fear God, and so we will continue in this post. You could also call it Godly fear.

We must clarify this Godly fear and differentiate it from earthly fear. Otherwise, some people would choose to do without the peace and security under the shadow of the Almighty rather than fear God. Once you understand that fearing God is different from fearing your earthly parent, you will opt for it to enjoy all the benefits of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.

Each time I think of Godly fear, I recall a tenant I used to have, a godly man. His fear of God manifested in his dreams as large, open wounds on his chest. It turned out his earthly father was a disciplinarian, and the man feared that father. When my tenant turned to God, he reflected his earthly father’s ways onto God. Consequently, He feared God as the headmaster of a strict school. Eventually, he came to appreciate that godly fear is not like his fear of that biological dad.

An Understanding Of God Breeds Godly Fear

We ultimately helped him to see the difference so he could start to love God instead of being in deadly fear of Him. On the other hand, there is this lazy but gentle young man. I conclude (I may be wrong) that his earthly father’s child-rearing style was relaxed. He loves and respects his father, but would not tell a lie, not even to make himself look good (there is no excuse for lying). In my view, that is closer to godly fear than the first example.

God is not our buddy, or as some would say, “our paddy man.” He created the heavens and the earth. Psalm 89.7 says it well. “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” You see, as creator, God is greater than the greatest (king, president, pastor, pope, chief, etc.)

Every time I write a statement like that, I get an interesting picture in my mind. Imagine that you just finished cooking a great (or so you think) meal, and the meat in the meal jumps out of the pot or pan. Then it points its forefinger at you, asking you why you did not salt it sufficiently. It could be the vegetables in the meal, complaining of being overcooked. I do not need to ask you what would happen because I know what I would do. Without waiting to turn the heat off, I would take off and possibly never return.

Hold God in Awe

That is precisely what God says in Isaiah 10.15.  Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!” Check out the exclamation mark at the end of God’s complaint. He is telling us not to go there.

If that were not plain enough, God reiterated the concept in Isaiah 45.9, this time, accompanying it with a curse (ouch!).  “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?”

We must never forget that we are merely God’s handiwork as we seek to live in Godly fear. This is particularly true of those who serve at His altar. God, not an actor or a great sportsman or any earthly ruler, is to be held in awe. Awe is a quality that should only apply to God, but that is a story for another day.

Once we appreciate the unique awesomeness of God, we begin to understand the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice. The Bible says Jesus brought us near to God; He removed the curse. Before Jesus, if you as much as touched the ark of God, even to steady it, you died instantly. If you doubt me, ask Uzzah when you see him. In Christ, that death is balanced by godly fear. As long as we obey Jesus’ commandment of love, we can approach God without fear of death.

The Commandment of Jesus

Perhaps, anytime you see the word “commandment,” you think of the Ten Commandments. But that is not what Jesus’ commandment is, which is why we take the time to explain here. Jesus said to His disciples (you and me?) in John 13:34, while teaching them godly fear: ^“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

A new commandment? Did the Ten Commandments not start with this very act of love? Jesus highlighted the most important of those ten rules as loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself. No doubt, this is all very confusing, but hold on. You loved God and your neighbor as yourself in the old way. But Jesus is saying, if you want to practice godly fear, you must love one another as He loved us.

How many of your neighbors would die for you? How many of your children (forget neighbors) would you die for? With the new command that Jesus gave us, He raised the bar to heaven. That is the basis of the reconciliation between man and God. Once you start to love as Jesus loved, you have nothing else to fear.

Every word He utters is your command, just as it was for Jesus when He walked the earth. First, Jesus said in John 14.31: “he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me” (emphasis added). Secondly, Jesus said, “My food is to complete the work my Father gave me. The moment you begin to do exactly what God commands and to consider every commandment of God as your food, you are living in godly fear.

Maranatha!