Fear of the Lord

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Prov. 9:10)
"Perfecting holiness out of reverence (fear) for God." (2 Cor. 7;1)

The Greek word for fear (and at times reverence) is fobu. The meaning is to be afraid...

I recieved an e-mail today from a man I greatly respect. He was "going off" on the fact that Americans are constantly talking about the love of God, but seldom want to mention the "fear of God."

There is this transition that happens as we mature. When I was young, I was afraid to go against my dad. He disciplined me, and I learned to obey. But, as I grew into a young man, I no longer feared his discipline. In fact, I remember vividly the day that we were wrestling, and I knew I could take him. I was 19 and home from college and we were goofing around. I had been in enough fights to know that hearing him say "uncle" was just one simple move away. I didn't do it.

From that day on, things changed with me and dad. Honestly, things got better. He actually asked me questions, and wanted my input. And, I still feared him, but not his disipline, but his disapproval.

The beginning of wisdom is to be afraid of God, but as we mature, we learn what it means to respect God. We no longer do what is right because we are afraid of his punishment, but of disappointing our Father.

If you are at the beginning.... be afraid, He alone has the power to send you to hell (Matt. 10:28) But, if you are a little older in Christ, begin learning what it is to respect God so much that you would never want to do anything that dishonor's Him.