Fear of God Meaning: What Does It Mean To Fear God?

The fear of God is an idea that is frequently expressed throughout the Bible.

This theme is always repeated as something of great importance.

But what is the fear of God specifically?

Today, I would like to share a fragment of a bible story to illustrate that idea.

Not long after God freed the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, God evidently visited them on Mount Sinai.

On this occasion, they saw a series of supernatural events around that mountain.

These events reminded them of the immense power of God and the sanctity of his presence.

Moses was the only one who could go to the mountain and talk to God.

At one point, Moses goes down to talk to the people.

The people, seeing the evil in their hearts, contrasted with the holiness of God and his greatness, think they can die.

For this reason, they ask him to please continue to talk to God and give instructions to them.

They ask Moses to tell God not to talk to them directly.

In that context, we find the following bible text.

I will use it to illustrate the topic:

Moses spoke to the people: “Don’t be afraid.

God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won’t sin.”

Éxodo‬ ‭20:20‬ ‭

The word fear in our minds has connotations that do not necessarily correspond to what the Bible is trying to express in its general context.

When we think of fear, we think of danger, we think of death.

However, the first thing Moses tells them is, “Fear not.”

Do not be afraid.

The Bible says that “perfect love cast out fear”.

That is, those of us who truly love God and accept his love need not be afraid of him.

The fear of God, therefore, is not primarily related to being scared.

The fear of God is related to respect and admiration for his holiness, his greatness, his power, his authority, and his love.

The bible text says, “instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won’t sin.”

That is, to correctly experience the fear of God generates in our minds a notion of obedience that is fundamental.

Let me try to address these ideas using a couple of examples.

Think maybe about the experience with your parents or children, whether you had good parents or if you are a good parent.

A son has a relationship of love and intimacy towards his father, but there is also respect and obedience within the framework of something that we could call, from a point of view, close to the biblical “fear”.

A good son loves his father and, for this reason, he “fears” challenging his authority because he respects him.

Similarly, our relationship with God, when it develops healthily in a context of love, derives in us such an experience.

I once heard a preacher talk about the fear of God in the following terms, he said that the fear of God is something like when a person is going to jump off a plane using a parachute.

No one with a healthy mind would jump without a parachute.

Similarly, the fear of God is for us like that experience that motivates us to use parachutes in that risky situation.

It’s a good thing, it’s an experience that helps us take precautions to safeguard our eternal life as we face the danger of being far from God.

Dear reader, if you do not have the fear of God and would like to have it, then ask God to put it in your heart.

Ask him to bring your heart closer to his and help you walk next to him.


What do you think? Would you like to have the fear of God in your heart? What is your experience? Share in the comments.

A hug, God bless you.

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