With the kind assistance of the Reverend Nicholas Sykes, the distinguished theologian, speaker and writer the Reverend Dr. Peter Toon, has kindly agreed to share in contributing articles to the present series of "Theological Commentary" in Cayman Net News. We are indebted to both men for their generosity of time and above all for their wisdom...

When did you last hear a sermon on the theme of "the fear of the Lord", and how often, if at all, does this expression occur in modern sermons and services in Christian Churches?

The way that the Bible has been understood over the centuries is that it is impossible either to worship God or to love God properly, unless there is first the fear of God in the soul.

For, as the Psalter and the Proverbs declare: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge."  Without experiencing the fear of the LORD, the one true and living God, it is impossible to know him, to worship him, to love him and to keep his commandments.

The prophecy concerning the coming Messiah in Isaiah 11 declares: "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD."  
The Messiah's delight shall be in the fear of the LORD!

In the Letter to the Hebrews we read of Jesus the Messiah: "In the days of his flesh Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him [the Father] who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear" (Heb.5:7).  Jesus was heard for his godly fear.

The Blessed Virgin Mary in her Magnificat declared of the LORD that "his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation" (Luke 1:50).  God's mercy rests on those who fear him.

In the Letters of St Paul the fear of the Lord is presented as a necessary component of the Christian  walk with God. "Since we have these promises [from God], beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God" (II.Cor.7:1). Holiness is made perfect in the fear of God.

Addressing baptized Christians as exiled from their true home in heaven, St Peter urges them to "conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile" (1 Peter 1:17). Fear of the Lord is a necessary part of the life and attitude of pilgrims.

In the worship of heaven, the angels and archangels with redeemed humanity fear the LORD, the Holy Trinity.

The angel with the eternal gospel cried with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him the glory...." (Revelation 14:7); and singing the Song of the Lamb the heavenly choir say, "O king of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify thy name?" (15:5), Further, the redeemed are identified as those who fear God, when they are urged by a voice from the throne, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great" (19:5). In heaven the fear of God is necessary and perfected.

So it would appear that all baptized Christians are called to be, and must be, if they are to worship, love and serve God the Father aright, "God-fearing persons."

This is truly a filial fear, the fear of both God's adopted daughters and his sons. It is not the fear of a slave!

Usually in the O.T. and the N.T. fear refers to the sense of awe, reverence, amazement, and abasement in the mind and heart, as the forgiven sinner stands before the purity of holiness and righteousness of the Majesty of God the LORD.

If we are to know God, we must know him in the matchless glory of his transcendent majesty, and the only appropriate posture for us before him is prostration before him in awe, reverence and humble adoration, for his Name is glorious and fearful (Deut. 28:58).

Certainly "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18) but this kind of fear is not the fear of the Lord but fear of torment, and such fear is removed by the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost.

Let us not forget that true saints on earth love and fear God and they do not cease when they are promoted to the heavenly Jerusalem, where (let us not forget) Jesus in his sacred, perfect humanity, leads the heavenly host in the fear, worship and love of the Father!

(Visit www.anglicansatprayer.org for meditations on Fear of God and other topics, and www.churchofenglandcayman.com for further information and locally produced articles)  

The Rev Dr Peter Toon is President of the Prayer Book Society of the U.S.A.