A world renowned comedian, in seeking to obtain obedience from his “son,” told him, “I brought you into the world; and I can also take you out!” It is no secret, human beings are motivated to a desired behavior by fear. Children obey parents for fear of chastisement (Prov. 22:15); Civilians fear law enforcement (Rom. 13:3-5); Military men fear superiors (Acts 16:27); Employees fear employers (Matt. 25:25). Likewise, human beings, in fear of God, will move to obedience. This is made clear in Deuteronomy 6:2, “…fear Jehovah thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments.”
The fear of God produces proper ethical conduct. Correct Biblical ethics and the fear of God are inseparable. “Fear and reverence of God…provide both, the motive and manner of Christian conduct (Luke 18:2, 4; Acts 9:31; 1 Pet. 2:17; Rev. 11:18).”1 “…true religion is often synonymous with the fear of God (cf. Jer. 2:19; Ps. 34:11)….”2 “To ‘fear God’ is sometimes used in the N. T. as equivalent to religion (Lk. 18:4; Acts 10:2, 35; 13:16, 26)….”3 Truly, without the fear of God, there are no proper Biblical ethics.
Since the fear of God is the motive to proper ethical conduct, it is no surprise that such fear does not come without its rewards:
“He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded” (Prov. 13:13). While living on earth, there are providential rewards because “to fear Jehovah our God, [is] for our good always….” (Deut. 6:24) and “there is no want to them that fear him” (Psa. 34:9). “As the heavens are high about the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward them that fear him” (Psa. 103:11; cf. Deut. 5:29). “[They] that fear Jehovah, trust in Jehovah: He is their help and their shield” (Psa. 115:11).
Likewise, the fear of God has its eternal rewards. By heeding the Gospel in fear, there is the promise of entering into His rest (Heb. 4:1,2). With fearful obedience, man works out his salvation (Phil. 2:12). “In every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” (Acts 10:35).
Gary Henson
1 Colin Brown (ed.), The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1975), p. 623.
2 J. D. Douglas (ed.), New Bible Dictionary (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1982), p. 374,
3 James Orr (ed.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1949), p. 1103.