What is the fear of God?

God & the TrinityIn theological review

The short answer

The fear of God is reverent awe at God's holiness and greatness that leads to obedience, not terror that flees from him. Proverbs calls it the beginning of wisdom, Moses told Israel not to be afraid while keeping the fear of God before them, and John's Gospel teaching is that perfect love drives out fear of punishment.

The fuller answer

The fear of God in the Bible is not terror of a tyrant. It is a deep, reverent awe at who God is, a seriousness about his holiness and power that reshapes how a person lives. Scripture calls it the beginning of wisdom and the beginning of knowledge, meaning it is not the advanced course for the very religious. It is lesson one, the foundation everything else in a wise life is built on. Ecclesiastes ends its long search for meaning by landing here as well, calling the fear of God, together with keeping his commandments, the whole duty of mankind.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 (BSB)

Proverbs returns to the point from several angles: the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Psalm 111 says the same and adds that all who practise it have good understanding. The fear is therefore not mainly a feeling. It is a settled recognition that God is God and we are not, which then expresses itself in obedience, honesty, humility, and a hatred of the evil God hates.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!

Psalm 111:10 (BSB)

At Sinai the two sides of it appear in one scene. The people tremble at the thunder and beg Moses to stand between them and God, and Moses answers with both halves at once: they are not to be afraid, yet God has come so that a lasting reverence for him will keep them from sinning (Exodus 20:20). Do not be afraid, and keep the fear: Moses distinguishes dread that flees from God from reverence that stays close and takes him seriously.

“Do not be afraid,” Moses replied. “For God has come to test you, so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning.”

Exodus 20:20 (BSB)

The New Testament keeps the same balance. Paul urges believers to purify themselves, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1), fear as a motive for a clean life, not a cringe. And John explains what mature love does to the other kind of fear: perfect love drives out fear of punishment (1 John 4:18). The child of God does not fear rejection. He reveres a Father too great to be treated lightly, and that reverence is wisdom. A person who fears God in this sense can afford to fear nothing else in the same way, which is why Scripture so often pairs this fear with courage.

Sources

Berean Standard Bible (BSB)

Review status: in-theological-review. Every Contend page passes a human theological review against the Statement of Faith before it is published as approved teaching. This section is in that queue.

Dig deeper

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What does it mean that God is holy?God is holy means he is set apart from all creation in perfect moral purity, with no trace of sin or evil in him. Scripture presents his holiness as overwhelming to witness, and as the pattern his people are called to reflect: be holy, because I am holy.What is God like?God is spirit, eternal, unchanging, all powerful, holy, just, good, and true. And he is love. Scripture gives his character in his own words and deeds rather than in our guesses: he is the I AM who always is, the Maker who never tires, and the Father who so loved the world that he gave his Son.What does 'God is love' actually mean?God is love means love is God's very nature, not just one of his moods or actions. Scripture defines that love by the cross: God sent his Son as the sacrifice for our sins and Christ died for us while we were still sinners.How can I know God personally?You can know God personally through Jesus Christ, whom God sent to make him known. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent, Jeremiah calls knowing God the one boast worth having, and Scripture tests that knowledge by a life that keeps God's word.Bible Character: MosesThe prophet who led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, received the Law on Mount Sinai, and brought the people to the edge of Canaan.Bible Character: SolomonDavid's son, who asked God for wisdom above riches, built the temple in Jerusalem, and in old age let his many wives turn his heart after other gods.On the map: SinaiSinai is the wilderness and mountain region south of Canaan where Israel camped after leaving Egypt. God gives the law here and Moses numbers the people here.