You say it every time you recite the 1st commandment and its meaning: “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” But what does that actually entail? What does it mean to fear, love, and trust in God? Suffice it say the words work together so talk about faith.
I deeply appreciate the definitions that Rev. Peter Bender provides along with his Lutheran Catechesis materials. He offers this definition for fear: “the awe and reverence of the heart toward God.” Also in light of the first commandment, he adds, “The terror of heart caused by the demands of God’s Law.”
There are two types of fear in play then when talking about fearing God. We must always remember who is the Creator and who is creature. Obviously the Creator is greater than creature. The Lord speaks through Jeremiah about He being a potter and we being His clay. He can do whatever He desires with us. We should be afraid of Him because of the terror that He can be to sinners. The Lord God is a consuming fire. Fire is a good thing, but we can have a healthy fear of it. If, for instance, fire is uncontrolled it can be dangerous.
At the same time, we should fear the Lord in the since of having awe and reverence toward Him. He is our Father. He is the One who has created all things out of nothing for us. He is the one who sent His only Son to redeem us from our sin. So while we can be like Moses and tremble with fear before Him because of our sin and His awesome holiness. We can and should revere Him for all that He has done. Ultimately because He has saved us through His Son, we are to love and trust Him.
Fear, love, and ultimately trust, all come together in the worship of Triune God. We love God when we by the Holy Spirit desire to hear His Word. We are called to rely on His Word for our life now and into eternity. This is the life of faith. This is a life that relies upon God for everything that makes up our needs for this life and the next.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO
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