By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Luke 12:5 "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." - NIV
Throughout the Bible, the fear of God is commanded. Jesus in the verse above reiterates the same. There are different kinds of fear. One is a dreadful, terrorizing, paralyzing fear caused by fear of harm or punishment. The other is reverential, empowering fear out of deep respect and loyalty. Our fear of God should reverential fear, loving what He loves and hating what He hates.
The fear of God makes us shun evil and pursue holiness. It makes us voluntarily yield to God out of a willing submissive heart. Peter calls it living in ‘reverent fear’ (1Peter 1:17). God always makes a plea for people to choose for themselves to follow Him, not out of compulsive threatening fear, but drawn by love. Satan’s method, on the hand, is to impose threatening dreadful paralyzing fear. The fear of God liberates. Satans fear enslaves.
However, lest people take His kindness for granted, God also warns of the consequences of the choices we make without fearing Him, but still leaves us to choose. Scripture is full of such warnings. That’s whyJesus warned His listeners on whom to fear, for the reason that He has power to cause both physical and eternal death in hell. Choose to fear God.
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil…" Exodus 20:20, "Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
Shalom children of God.