For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). The fear of God is indeed very different for the believer. The fear of the believer is reverence for God. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and therefore worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, because our ‘God is a consuming fire,” says the Bible in Hebrews 12:28-29. This reverence and awe is precisely what Christian fear of God entails. This is what drives us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.
According to Proverbs 1:7, "fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." We cannot acquire true wisdom until we comprehend who God is and develop a sincere reverence of Him. True wisdom can only be obtained by comprehending who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul?” Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 says. Serve and fear the LORD your God. Keep your faith in him and take your oaths in his name. He is your glory; he is your God, who did the great and wonderful wonders you witnessed with your own eyes for you.” The fear of God is the foundation for following in His footsteps, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.
Some people redefine God's fear for Christians as "respecting" Him. While reverence is certainly part of the concept of fearing God, there is more to it. For the believer, a biblical fear of God means recognizing how deeply God despises sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. God's discipline of the believer is described in Hebrews 12:5-11. Even when done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a horrific thing. The dread of punishment from our parents probably kept us from doing some bad things when we were kids. The same should apply to our relationship with God. We should be afraid of His discipline and, as a result, strive to live our lives in a way that pleases Him.
Believers should not be afraid of God. There is no need for us to be afraid of Him. Nothing can separate us from His love, He has promised (Romans 8:38-39). We have His assurance that He will never abandon or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God entails having such a deep respect for Him that it has a significant impact on how we live our lives. Respecting, obeying, submitting to His punishment, and worshiping Him in awe are all aspects of God's fear.
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