Fear of the Lord II: Daily Life

This week we’re continuing our series on the fear of the Lord with Chuck Baggett, co-pastor at Christ Church New Albany.

There are times when it is healthy to fear God—to tremble. We ought to have a childlike reverence for Him, we should feel the weight of His majesty yet we draw near Him out of love.

This week, we’ll look at examples of daily life impacted by the fear of the Lord.

1. The Fear of God Affects Our Holiness

In 2 Corinthians 6:18, we read the Lord’s promise to us, “And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

Because of this promise we read in the next chapter, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Are you holy? Do you live a life separated unto Him?

Paul writes in Colossians 3:22, “Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.”

The way we wake up, speak to our families, and drive to work—all of it is affected by our fear (or lack of fear) of God.

2. The Fear of God Affects Our Mission and Evangelism

The “eternal gospel” we read of in Revelation 14:6-7 is this: “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.’”

If we don’t fear God, we’re often guilty of fearing people.

3. The Fear of God Affects Our Worship

How does our view of God and who He is affect our worship?

In thinking about church and worship, let this question guide you: What would He like? God is worth worshiping—so let’s remove everything that’s non-essential that would be a distraction in seeking Him.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

Out of gratitude, we serve Him with reverence and awe.

In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis writes:

“Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh," said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”

4. The Fear of God Affects Our Parenting

How does fearing God affect the way we treat our children? We would not show God as “one-sided,” but we would teach them to both love and fear God. Psalm 34:11 tell us: “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

We are commanded to fear the Lord and to teach our children to do the same. “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long” (Deuteronomy 6:1-2).

O God the Father, our Great Creator, our Gracious Preserver, who is ever loading us with loving-kindness and tender mercies, we bless You, we praise You.
O God the Son, who by the shedding of Your most precious blood, have made us Your purchased possession, and have redeemed us from all iniquity, we bless You, we praise You.
O God the Holy Spirit, who has taught us our need as sinners, and has revealed the finished salvation to us, and has enriched us with spiritual consolations in heavenly places, we bless You, we praise You.
O glorious Trinity, three Persons, one God, what more could have been done for our souls and for our salvation, which You have not freely and mightily accomplished! Amen.
— Henry Law