Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

To "fear" God means to hold God in a combination or respect, awe, and reverence (which I would say is the only fitting response of a human to a Being who is eternal, holy, all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing, as well as responsible for the very existence of humanity in the first place). 

However, He has at the same time demonstrated (as recorded in the Bible) that He also loves humanity sufficiently (despite humans' universal rebellion and disobedience to Him and His commandments) to incarnate and sacrifice His own Son -- imposing upon Him the entire penalty for that sin from eternity past to eternity future -- so that humans could exist eternally in His presence through faith in that sacrifice (rather than in their own works or righteousness). This should prompt a similar response of love (as well as trust) of those saved humans toward Him, leading them to want to obey His commandments.

That is why Martin Luther (for example), in his discussion of the Ten Commandments, started his explanation of the meaning of each of those commandments with the words, "We should fear and love God..." that we should do what the commandment requires.

December 09 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report