Dear COA family,
I am often asked: What exactly is the “fear of the Lord”? (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)
In simple terms, the fear of the Lord is a sober awareness that leads to a sense of dread of who God is—His holiness, His authority, and His righteous judgment. It is the deep recognition that we are accountable to Him, and that our lives are to be lived in obedience to His will.
The Apostle Paul writes, “Knowing, therefore, the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:11). He reminds us that God is not to be taken lightly, and that our response to Him carries eternal significance.
Similarly, the author of Hebrews exhorts us: “…let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28–29). These words call us to approach God with humility, reverence, and a holy seriousness.
I acknowledge that this is not a popular teaching today. Many prefer to think of God only as kind, gentle, and endlessly tolerant—like a benevolent grandfather who overlooks our faults and simply sympathizes with our struggles.
While it is true that God is loving, compassionate, and merciful, this is only part of the picture. Scripture also reveals Him as “the righteous Judge” (2 Timothy 4:8), who upholds justice and does not ignore sin. His holiness means that wrongdoing cannot simply be excused.
It is this fuller understanding of God that seems increasingly absent in our world today.
We live in a time when moral boundaries are often crossed without hesitation. Many assume they will not be held accountable or that consequences can be avoided. As a result, sinful thoughts, words, and actions are taken lightly, and the impact is deeply felt in broken relationships, wounded families, and fractured communities.
We see this in compromised marriages, in the mistreatment of loved ones, and in dishonest practices that erode trust. Even nations act in ways that disregard righteousness, leading to conflict and lasting harm.
The fear of the Lord, rightly understood, is not meant to drive us away from God, but to draw us closer to Him in humility and obedience. It leads us to honour Him, to turn away from sin, and to live in a way that reflects His holiness and love.
May we, as God’s people, recover a right fear of the Lord—one that shapes our hearts, guides our actions, and leads us into wisdom and life.
In Christ,
Revd Ian