Should People Fear God? A Comment On Psalm 112

If you tune into most Christian TV or radio programs you are likely hear a clear emphasis on the message  "God is love."  This message aims to comfort the listener, reassuring them that everything is going to be O.K.  Their daily theme seems to be: Just keep listening to this uplifting message, and imagining that God loves you, and you can have inner peace.

This is a dangerous and misleading characterization of God.

It is certainly true that God defines what love is.  However, the love God demonstrates is a love that should be feared if you are not a regenerate Christian.

(A regenerate Christian is one who is born again.  Being born again means that you have surrendered your own desires to God, admitted that you are a sinner who needs God's forgiveness, and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your savior.)

Psalm 112 discusses the topic of God, love, and fear.  It begins,

"Praise the LORD!  How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,"

Why would the Bible make a statement such as "blessed is the man who fears the LORD"?  Why should anyone fear love?

Psalm 112 continues and provides insight into the answer to this apparent puzzle, telling us that the heart of a righteous man "is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." (verse 7)

How can you trust God if you fear Him?  You can trust God when you no longer have anything to fear.  There is no fear when you are seen as a righteous man, when you are seen as a man who is free from sin.

The Bible teaches that God, as the Creator of all that exists: you, me, the ground you walk upon, the trees that allow you to breath oxygen, the sun, the moon, and everything else, has dominion over His creation.

An illustration of this is to think of a painter.  He has complete control over his painting.  He can move the trees, change the bright sunlit day into a dark and gloomy night, or whitewash the entire canvas, obliterating all that once existed.

God created all, and as the Creator he has dominion.  Put another way, He sets the rules.  He also defines the consequences when you do not follow the rules.

If you understand who God is, and you are not one of His forgiven children, then you certainly should quake.  You should never again rest your head on your pillow and have a sound nights' sleep.  Why?  Because judgment awaits from the almighty God who created you, knows you, and knows every violation of His rules (That is, the Commandments. See Exodus 20:1-17).

However, as a loving God the Lord wishes that all should find life and peace through salvation (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9).  This salvation is available through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (see my other posts).  This is the only way to shield yourself from the wrath of an angry God on judgment day (Rom 2:5-6).

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." Psalm 111:10

Think about his.  Become wise.  Understand who you are, and who God is.  Fear the LORD.  Repent of your sin and trust the savior, Jesus Christ.  Then you can rest peacefully.