What Does It Mean To Fear The Lord In The New Testament?
Question : What does it mean for you to walk in the fear of the Lord? We agree that we are not to live in servile fear before our Father, especially since fear has to do with punishment (1 John 4:18). But what do you make of verses like these, addressed to believers? "And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourning. For you know that you were not redeemed from your vain way of life inherited from your fathers with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:17-19).
Answer : Greetings in Jesus wonderful name! The fear of the Lord does not means a man made fear of God through the law of the commandments of men through tradition which they teach us usually to walk from which if we fail to do it all, we are threatened that we will be punished by God (Matt 15:1-2, 3-6, 7-9), but it is a love, awe, respect, reverence, adoration and gratitude for what God has already done for us in Christ Jesus with which we avoid doing evil in our lives (Prov 8:13).
I can say even if we are in servile fear to God, it does not bind us in bondage to low self-esteem (Gen 3:9, 10), but it actually frees us not to fear anything in life except Him and Him alone in love (Acts 10:34, 35; Rom 8:31). 1 John 4:18 says that "perfect love expels all fear." In other words, if we fear God, we do not have to fear any man which is a snare, or fear the devils which has no power over us except what God gives it to test us of which He will not allow beyond our ability (Prov 29:25; John 10:10; Matt 10:28; Luke 22:31; John 19:11; 1 Cor 10:13).
Scripture is full of examples of how fearing God, frees us from the fear of tyrants of men and devils alike. Joseph wins the trust of his Brothers when he said that he was a God-fearing man (Gen 42:18). The midwives who were commanded by Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew boy babies did not do so because of the fear of God, so they were blessed by God (Exo 1:17). Pharaoh brought disaster on his nation because he did not fear God (Exo 9:29-31). Moses chose leaders under him who feared God and would not take bribes in giving justice to people (Exo 18:21). Moses also told the Israelites that God did terrifying display of his power, so that they will fear Him and would not sin (Exo 20:20). Mosaic law states that in fear of God they should treat the disabled and elderly well (Lev 19:14, 32). God not only told all the Old Testament people to fear Him, but He has also repeated the same in the Gospel's of the New Testament given through Jesus (Matt 10:28). Also apostle Paul repeated the same and told all the believers to fear the Lord God and work towards complete holiness which God expects from them to remain under His favor (2 Cor 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
In the New Covenant which God has made with Jesus, we keep the commandments not out of compulsion which brings fear of failure, but out of love for what He has already done for us spiritually by freely giving us forgiveness of sin and salvation in Christ Jesus (John 14:15; Col 1:13, 14; Rom 4:24, 25). We love God in the New Testament, because God loved us first to save us from sin and death (1 John 4:19). As we walk with the Lord, we will discover that God will always pose a continuous threat to our pride and ego to deflate it, but not to the real us who are already hidden with Christ in Him (Col 3:3). He then rescues us from the delusions of the sinful fallen soul when we keep our self humble, and then reveals the truth of what Jesus has already done for us that sets us free (Jam 4:5-6; Psa 25:14; John 8:36, 31-32). He casts us down when we are proud, only to lift us up again after we become humble (Prov 16:18; 1 Sam 2:6, 7, 8; Jam 4:10). He sits in judgment of our sin so that we will not partake when the world is condemned by God (1 Cor 11:32; 1 Peter 4:17-18), but forgives us nevertheless and turns us close to his heart to embrace us and keep us always near to Himself (Heb 12:8; Luke 15:17-24, 25). Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion (Prov 9:10; 1:7; Psa 111:10; Eph 3:17-18, 19, 20; 1 Cor 13:13). As a father corrects his son because of his love for him, so does the Lord command us to fear Him and above all wants us to obey Him out of our love for Him.
So according to me the verses that says, "And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourning. For you know that you were not redeemed from your vain way of life inherited from your fathers with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:17-19), which conveys the precious truth that because God has forgiven all our past, present and future sins already once for all time through the precious blood of Christ, as of a substitutional lamb without blemish and without spot of sin, and also has guaranteed to keep us in His Presence when we sin through confession of our sins to Jesus Christ our High Priest, in gratitude to the Father God who impartially judges according to each one's work, let us conduct ourselves in fear during the time of our sojourning on earth so that our love for Him may be perfected through our obedience now, and the reward for obedience might be given to us joyfully by our Father now itself and also soon in heaven for eternity ahead. God did not just promise us with silver or gold as like our earthly Father's had given us and have taught us their traditions to follow them, but He has called us to become partakers of His Divine Character and to exhibit it to others around to glorify Him, for our obedience He as our Father has promised a great reward of a beautiful heavenly life of purpose to live now on earth and a extravagant blissful life of service and enjoyment in heaven and in the new heaven and new earth in our afterlife for eternity ahead (2 Peter 3:13).
Much Blessings....
Answer : Greetings in Jesus wonderful name! The fear of the Lord does not means a man made fear of God through the law of the commandments of men through tradition which they teach us usually to walk from which if we fail to do it all, we are threatened that we will be punished by God (Matt 15:1-2, 3-6, 7-9), but it is a love, awe, respect, reverence, adoration and gratitude for what God has already done for us in Christ Jesus with which we avoid doing evil in our lives (Prov 8:13).
I can say even if we are in servile fear to God, it does not bind us in bondage to low self-esteem (Gen 3:9, 10), but it actually frees us not to fear anything in life except Him and Him alone in love (Acts 10:34, 35; Rom 8:31). 1 John 4:18 says that "perfect love expels all fear." In other words, if we fear God, we do not have to fear any man which is a snare, or fear the devils which has no power over us except what God gives it to test us of which He will not allow beyond our ability (Prov 29:25; John 10:10; Matt 10:28; Luke 22:31; John 19:11; 1 Cor 10:13).
Scripture is full of examples of how fearing God, frees us from the fear of tyrants of men and devils alike. Joseph wins the trust of his Brothers when he said that he was a God-fearing man (Gen 42:18). The midwives who were commanded by Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew boy babies did not do so because of the fear of God, so they were blessed by God (Exo 1:17). Pharaoh brought disaster on his nation because he did not fear God (Exo 9:29-31). Moses chose leaders under him who feared God and would not take bribes in giving justice to people (Exo 18:21). Moses also told the Israelites that God did terrifying display of his power, so that they will fear Him and would not sin (Exo 20:20). Mosaic law states that in fear of God they should treat the disabled and elderly well (Lev 19:14, 32). God not only told all the Old Testament people to fear Him, but He has also repeated the same in the Gospel's of the New Testament given through Jesus (Matt 10:28). Also apostle Paul repeated the same and told all the believers to fear the Lord God and work towards complete holiness which God expects from them to remain under His favor (2 Cor 7:1; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
In the New Covenant which God has made with Jesus, we keep the commandments not out of compulsion which brings fear of failure, but out of love for what He has already done for us spiritually by freely giving us forgiveness of sin and salvation in Christ Jesus (John 14:15; Col 1:13, 14; Rom 4:24, 25). We love God in the New Testament, because God loved us first to save us from sin and death (1 John 4:19). As we walk with the Lord, we will discover that God will always pose a continuous threat to our pride and ego to deflate it, but not to the real us who are already hidden with Christ in Him (Col 3:3). He then rescues us from the delusions of the sinful fallen soul when we keep our self humble, and then reveals the truth of what Jesus has already done for us that sets us free (Jam 4:5-6; Psa 25:14; John 8:36, 31-32). He casts us down when we are proud, only to lift us up again after we become humble (Prov 16:18; 1 Sam 2:6, 7, 8; Jam 4:10). He sits in judgment of our sin so that we will not partake when the world is condemned by God (1 Cor 11:32; 1 Peter 4:17-18), but forgives us nevertheless and turns us close to his heart to embrace us and keep us always near to Himself (Heb 12:8; Luke 15:17-24, 25). Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion (Prov 9:10; 1:7; Psa 111:10; Eph 3:17-18, 19, 20; 1 Cor 13:13). As a father corrects his son because of his love for him, so does the Lord command us to fear Him and above all wants us to obey Him out of our love for Him.
So according to me the verses that says, "And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your sojourning. For you know that you were not redeemed from your vain way of life inherited from your fathers with perishable things, like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Pet. 1:17-19), which conveys the precious truth that because God has forgiven all our past, present and future sins already once for all time through the precious blood of Christ, as of a substitutional lamb without blemish and without spot of sin, and also has guaranteed to keep us in His Presence when we sin through confession of our sins to Jesus Christ our High Priest, in gratitude to the Father God who impartially judges according to each one's work, let us conduct ourselves in fear during the time of our sojourning on earth so that our love for Him may be perfected through our obedience now, and the reward for obedience might be given to us joyfully by our Father now itself and also soon in heaven for eternity ahead. God did not just promise us with silver or gold as like our earthly Father's had given us and have taught us their traditions to follow them, but He has called us to become partakers of His Divine Character and to exhibit it to others around to glorify Him, for our obedience He as our Father has promised a great reward of a beautiful heavenly life of purpose to live now on earth and a extravagant blissful life of service and enjoyment in heaven and in the new heaven and new earth in our afterlife for eternity ahead (2 Peter 3:13).
Much Blessings....
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