Characteristics of Godly Living: Fear

Should Christians really fear God? After all, believers have no cause to be afraid of God’s judgment. In Christ, we have a Savior and Advocate who has rescued us from the power and the penalty of sin. Certainly believers have no cause to fear eternal judgment, and it would be faithless of us to live in terror of any earthly losses. But every Christian must fear God because of who He is and what He has done, and this fear should motivate us to engage in a full-throated fight against evil. We must pursue holiness in godly fear because God is an exacting and impartial Judge who not only has all power, but who knows our every trespass against Him. And we must pursue holiness because God has invested priceless treasure in our salvation, redeeming us not by earthly things, but by the blood of the perfect and infinite Son of God. In light of His power and His great love, how could anyone who calls Him Father possibly treat Him with anything less than holy fear and reverential awe?