And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear. —
1 Peter 1:16-17
We are called to have a personal love relationship with God our Father, but here Apostle Peter is quick to add the balance of the fear of God. Our love for God is limited by a lack of holy fear. The Bible describes God both as a loving Father and a consuming fire. (1 John 4:8; Hebrews 12:29)1 Peter 1:16-17
We must remember both of these unchangeable attributes of God: “God is love,” and “God is a consuming fire”. Consider an earthly king with sons and daughters. In the palace, he is husband and dad. Yes, there are those times when they can jump on his lap, and embrace him and talk and play with him. But in the throne room, he is king and they must reverence him as such.
Apostle Paul once said that one of the motivations for working so hard in preaching the gospel of Christ was the terror of the Lord. He wrote, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Cor. 5:11) He warned the believers, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil. 2:12)
Those who have been born again know God as Father. But that does not negate His position as Judge of all the earth. As our loving Father we can approach God with confidence. But we must remember to approach Him acceptably; with reverence and holy fear.
Prayer:
Lord, create in you a reverent fear of God so that I will walk in all His ways and please Him at all times.Scriptural Reading:
1 Peter 1:13-21
#YearOfWisdom
