Marsha's Musings: Two Different Kinds of Fear

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Psalm 34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

In reading Psalm 34:1-8, I was impressed with the word fear. Verse 4 says that when the Psalmist sought the Lord, that He delivered him from all his fears. Then in verses 7 and 9 he says the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and in verse 9 we are commanded to fear the Lord because in fearing Him we will not lack anything.

I see this as an exchange of one fear for another. The first fear is a dread of impending danger.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

The second fear is a healthy awe, reverence and respect for the holiness and power of God. It is also a an understanding that nothing unholy can come into the presence of God.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

When we fear the Lord, our lives will be characterized by holy living and when we live holy lives we have no need to fear for there is nothing to cover up. When we live holy lives we have no fear of death because we are ready to meet our Holy God and Lord at any moment

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

R.C. Ryle says in his book "Holiness", that he sees a lack of teaching on this subject in the churches of his day in England. He says that pastors and teachers tend to skirt around the subject of holiness because it is uncomfortable. People don't like to hear teaching on this subject because it hits on sore spots in their lives that need to be changed. Sadly, I think it is truer than ever in our day here in the United States. We need this teaching more than ever now. There is a Christianity abroad that is basically Easy Believism. You can pray the sinner's prayer, then go and live however you want with the assurance that you are saved. That is not what the Bible teaches. We need to get back to a healthy fear of God's holiness. We are saved by grace through faith, but we are called by that faith to holiness and good works.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

As the verse in Hebrews says, without holiness no man shall see the Lord. How many people think they are saved, but do not live holy lives? How many of them will get to heaven to see the Lord? Hebrews says none of them.

I am not talking about sinless perfection but I am talking about the ongoing process of sanctifiction that Scripture teaches us. If there is no desire for God to make us sanctified and holy, then it follows that maybe we never had the new birth to begin with. This is hard stuff. It hits me hard where I live. I don't have a handle on it. But it's what I am finding as I study my Bible.

Let us return to having a healthy fear of the Lord and seeking to live holy lives for His glory. What a difference Christians would make in the world if we all did this!

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

2 Corinthians 7:1 ¶ Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Colossians 3:12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;