Living In the Fear of God

I have been preaching through 1 Peter over the last several months and there has been a consistent theme that just keeps emerging... as a Christ-follower we are to live out our lives in the reverent fear of God.  What does that even mean?  Who wants to constantly live their life in fear all the time?  Is this where Peter is going with all of this talk?  The answer is no, mainly because we have a warped view of what it means to fear.  Fear is often thought of as an emotional state that is many times debilitating.  This is not meant by the use of fear in 1 Peter.  Let me give you an example of healthy fear from the natural world.  Fear can be a friend... it raises our awareness, much like a deer who senses the present of danger.  The ears are more attentive and the eyes are focused.  The deer is trying to identify the source of their "fear" and when they discover it, they flee from it.  Living in the fear of God means that we are consummed with an awareness of His reality and we desire to please Him more than anything else.

Christ-followers are called to live with more than just an infatuation of Jesus, but with a desire to please Him because of who He is.  Let's be honest, we would rather be a people-pleaser and a self-pleaser than a God-pleaser!  We are bent toward doing what is contrary to God, yet we were made to thrive in the fear of the Lord.  When something happens to us unfairly, most desire to retaliate... get revenge!  When peers pressure us, most struggle not to compromise convictions so that no conflict is created.  When our sinful desires come on strong, many (dare I say all) want to please themselves rather than please God.  We struggle to live in the fear of the Lord because we fear other things more:


  • The fear of other people's opinions
  • The fear of a life without "fun"
  • The fear of personal failure
  • The fear of being alone
  • The fear of being labeled
  • The fear of conflict
  • The fear of personal consequences
  • The fear of _______________ (you fill in the blank)
Perhaps, some live in such a self-absorbed manner that there is no fear of anything that governs their lives.  They do as they please because there is no fear of consequences, immediate or eternal.  They do not care what other's think and certainly do not care what God thinks, for He is not even a part of their thinking.  And if He is a part of their conscience, they suppress His conviction and harden their hearts.  

Peter says, "Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear (1 Peter 1:17)."  Live with an overwhelming awareness of God and a relentless desire to please Him.  Understand who He is (Father), what He does (judges each person's work impartially), and what He has eternally stored up for you (earth is not your home).  May our great God bless you as you walk in the fear of Him who is worthy of that fear!


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