Greg and Amy explain the difference between fearing God and simply living in fear, emphasizing that a healthy fear of God is rooted in reverence for his greatness and authority, not in dread of judgment.
Transcript
Question: What is the difference between fearing God and just living in fear of God?
Greg: We are enjoined to fear God, but not to live in fear of God the way she is characterizing it. The difference here is that perfect love casts out all fear. So, if the fear is a fear of judgment, a fear of recrimination of some sort, or condescension, or all kinds of things we might fear from a greater power, Scripture specifically tells us that this is not what we are to understand from God. Jesus says, “Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest, for I am gentle and humble of heart.” His burden is light, and you will find rest for your souls.
But Scripture does speak, especially in the Old Testament, about a fear of God, and this is an awareness of his awesomeness, his greatness, and his power. So, we can have a relationship with a very great and powerful figure and be awed by that figure, who provides, at the same time, a place of safety for us. Now, that place of safety, though, does not give us latitude to treat this great, mighty, and powerful individual as a peer, a buddy, or a chum, because there’s a big difference between us and him, even though we have safety and acceptance.
So, this is what I think is captured in this concept of being afraid of God. Non-Christians ought to be afraid of God. It is dangerous to try to even approach a morally perfect being. This is why we only approach under the cover of the cross. That’s what it means to come “in the name of Jesus.” We are covered by him. We have an advocate with the Father, in Jesus Christ, as John says in 1 John 2. So, if we’re not a Christian, we’re in trouble. But if we are a Christian, we’re adopted sons and daughters, though Dad is still Dad—like, to the max.
Amy: Most people have had some sort of interaction with someone who had a lot of authority, someone they knew loved them but they also knew they shouldn’t mess with. It could be a dad, a teacher, or someone like that. So, I think we have that category. It’s an awareness of the person’s authority, an awareness that we don’t have the right to mess with them, but at the same time, we know they love you.
What came to mind for me was in 1 Peter 1. He makes a big point that salvation is all by grace. He says, “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” So, he’s doing this in the context of grace, but here’s what he says right after that: “If you address as Father the one who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on Earth, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” In other words, even though we know we have been redeemed—we are completely forgiven, are God’s children, and are adopted—we conduct ourselves in fear knowing that God is judge because that is the appropriate response to authority. We don’t take advantage of that. In fact, we do better because we know we’ve been redeemed by something that can’t fail.