Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? Does it mean that I am to be scared of God? I mean who wouldn’t be scared of God, He can do great a wonderful things! He created the world, the stars, and galaxies out of NOTHING. This is the God that rained fire from heaven and destroyed wicked cities! This is the God that has the power to overcome death! But the fear that is described here is not one of being scared but rather of having a reverence for God. We should respect God and give Him praise! Why? Because He can do great and wonderful things. When we give the proper respect to God then we start to gain knowledge. Not a worldly knowledge but a spiritual knowledge! I believe the first way that a person shows proper respect for God is by accepting His Son Jesus as your personal Savior. Once you do that then you start to gain that spiritual knowledge. After salvation we show God respect by reading His word, praying, obeying His word, and showing the love of Christ in our lives.
Those of us who show a proper respect to God have no need to be afraid of God because He is our heavenly Father. But for those who will despise God’s wisdom and instruction they should be afraid. They should be afraid because if they reject Jesus they reject the opportunity to make heaven their home. So, when they die they will not be in heaven with God they will instead be separated from God in the eternal torments of hell.
What kind of fear do have today? A proper reverence for God or are you scared?
Pastor Chris
abidingfaithbaptist.com 