Psalms 111:10 (ESV) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
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One of the things i see unbelievers complain about God is that the bible says that we should fear Him.
Fear Him as in being in awe of and honoring Him as well as being afraid.
I've heard some one once say that a God who demands people fear Him is one who is undeserving of respect.
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Now, the bible tells us that God created humanity in His image.
As such, the scriptures tell us that we stand in the place of God in a number of ways.
From political leaders, church elders, and even parents... we are as God in those positions of authority.
Romans 13:1-2 (ESV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
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In order to help us gain some understanding of God's perspective and refute this false notion, we should look to the positions of authority God created.
The most obvious one that all people can relate to is the parental relationship.
Everyone understands that a child should fear their parents.
Parents demand and expect their children to both honor/respect them and be afraid of them.
Even those who do not have kids, when they see a child who does not fear their parents in both aspects, they shake their head and lament at the parents inability to control their child.
When we see this lack of fear in a child in relation to their parents, we start to understand and grasp the expectation from God towards us.
We see it even greater when a child extends this lack of fear beyond their parents, and unto other forms of godly authority.
Society as a whole laments and is saddened when children have no fear of their teachers and police for example.
We aren't even mainly saddened by the expected result of what that lack of fear will eventually produce in that child's life down the road, although that is definitely a part of our concern.
No, we are mainly saddened that no fear is actually present in the child to begin with.
At times, we are even indignant towards the parents for allowing it.
Proverbs 19:26 (ESV) He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach.
Proverbs 29:15 (ESV) The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
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One thing we should point out though. As the child grows into adulthood, our response to their lack of fear is greatly reduced.
Once the child becomes an adult and is no longer dependent on their parents for survival, indignation with the parents all but disappears as we expect the adult to be able to reason through life despite their upbringing.
We also expect the adult to no longer be afraid of their parents, but to still honor/respect them (in most cases).
This is how we as a society view this lack of fear of authority amongst those who were created in the image of God.
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With that in mind, let's look at humanity from God's perspective.
God created humanity. And just like any good parental authority in the life of a young child, He demands and expects to be honored/respected and for humanity to be afraid of Him for the prerogative He has, as one who is in that authoritative position, to mete out punishment and discipline those under His authority who disobey.
Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
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To deny that fear towards God, is to deny parents in general their rightly due fear. For just as the human child is expected to fear their human parents, so too is God right and just for expecting the same fear from those who are made in His image.
Secondly, unlike human parents, we never grow out of dependence on God.
God is both creator and sustainer of the universe. So not only did He create humanity in His image, but He grants them air to breath, food to eat, and a life to live. He keeps the earth spinning and our hearts beating.
When an unbeliever claims they can live without God, it's like a child telling their parents that they gave birth to themselves.
Like a piece of clay telling a potter it will decide how and what it will be made into.
Like a man saying he is the determiner of universal/eternal moral truths, and as such, everyone else should do what he says.
Not only does it not work, it's simply nonsensical.
We are never in a position where we are equal to God in anyway, or become so great in knowledge that our wiser than Him.
1 Corinthians 1:25 (ESV) For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
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The one who creates and holds atoms together is not a being that can be outdone by His own creation.
So, since we are forever dependent on God, we never reach a stage in our life when we shouldn't fear Him.
If a person was forever dependent on their parents, and didn't fear them, society would look down on them.
How much more, should we fear the Lord of Glory, who commands angelic beings and yet shows love towards those who were once numbered amongst those who hate Him?
The same being who created the earth, the mountains, and the sun, is the same being who created man in His image and breathed life into him.
It would do us well to have a healthy dose of fear when it comes to God.
While He is kind and merciful, He is also a just and holy who will punish those who practice wickedness and discipline those whom He calls His children.
Amen
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