By Evang. Joachim P. Erameh
The fear of God is truly the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
What does it mean to fear God? It means to eschew evil and do good. Job 1:1 says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
Put differently, to fear God means to obey Him and keep His commandments. The person who has the fear of God is wise, and will surely see the glory of the Lord.
Some people don’t have the fear of God; this is evident in the way they behave and do things. The fear of God is compulsory. Matthew 10:28 says, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
The person that doesn’t have the fear of God cannot serve Him. The fear of God restrains us from sinning against Him. The Psalmist says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
If you truly fear God, you will do the right thing, even when nobody is watching you. The story of Joseph in the Bible is a good illustration of what it means to fear God. When an evil opportunity presented itself to Joseph, he said, “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” You can read the full account of this story in Genesis 39:1-20.
The fear of God is what we need to survive this wicked world. If you desire to live long on the surface of this earth, and see the goodness of God, fear Him. If you would like to enter the kingdom of heaven on the last day, fear God. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
Dear reader, do you have the fear of God? Are you born again? If you are living in sin, repent immediately and surrender to Jesus Christ before it is too late.
Prayer of Repentance:
Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name, acknowledging my sins. I repent and turn to You. Give me the fear of You that I may obey Your commandments and live a life that pleases You. Help me to eschew evil and do good. Write my name in the book of life. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Help me to live for You. Amen.
If you’ve prayed this prayer, you’re now a child of God. Seek a Bible-believing church where you can grow in your faith and learn more about God’s word.
