wwa195 – We Love God!

On one side, the fear of the Lord does indeed mean a terror of God (threat-fear). We are unclean people, and we appear before the Almighty God who is morally pure. We are rightly ashamed before Him, and punishment would be completely just… But at the other end…is a fear reserved exclusively for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. This fear of the Lord means reverent submission that leads to obedience, and it is interchangeable with “worship,” “rely on ,” “trust,” and “hope in.” Like terror, it includes a knowledge of our sinfulness and God’s moral purity, and it includes a clear-eyed knowledge of God’s justice and his anger against sin. But this worship-fear also knows God’s great forgiveness, mercy, and love. It knows that because God’s eternal plan, Jesus humbled himself by dying on a cross to redeem his enemies from slavery and death. It knows that, in our relationship with God, he always says “I love you” first. This knowledge draws us closer to God rather than causing us to flee. It causes us to submit gladly to His lordship and delight in obedience. This kind of robust fear is the pinnacle of our response to God.

Edward Welch