The Fear of the Lord

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."(Proverbs 9:10 NAS Bible).

The fear of the Lord is a very tricky concept to understand. Fear is defined as "a distressing emotion aroused by impeding danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined" (dictionary.com). Given the definition of fear only, it can be hard to comprehend what is meant when the bible suggests that all Christians should fear the Lord.

Many who participated in this week's discussion admitted to knowing someone who took this concept quite literally. Christians who are literal in fearing God tend to be motivated primarily by the fear of being punished by God and going to hell. Of course we all fear going to hell, but we shouldn't let this fear be the only association we have to God. Often those who do, limit themselves from experiencing God's amazing grace. Christianity is more than doing right or wrong to avoid hell (or not), it is about forgiveness, passion, inspiration, reverence, and love, which motivates us to do good works that are above and beyond what we can imagine possible.

So what does it mean to fear the Lord? We came to the conclusion that there are different kinds of fear: the kind we have towards snakes, darkness, death, etc., and the fear we have towards our God. The concept of fearing God is parallel to how a child might fear his father yet still love him. One of the many hard tasks of fatherhood is discipline because it involves teaching children the consequences of life decisions, and also requires leading by example. A father's discipline can be feared, yet appreciated and revered as it guides his child through adulthood. A father's discipline demonstrates his love, which can be reciprocated by the child once he/she understands this effort.

As we grow to know the Lord better and understand his character, the dynamic of our personal relationship with him becomes one of love overcoming fear. Our fear is no longer necessary because love becomes the main motivator for our obedience and worship.

So fearing the Lord involves more than just fear itself, it involves love, truth, goodness, wisdom, and reverence. Although God is almighty and powerful enough to condemn us to hell, he forgives our sins, and he has demonstrated immense love for us in the cross.