DEVELOP YOUR HEART TO FEAR JEHOVAH - To Love God Is To Fear Him

To Love God Is To Fear Him

From a Scriptural standpoint, fearing God does not in any way rule out loving him.  On the contrary, the Israelites were instructed to  "fear Jehovah . . .so as to walk in all his ways and to love him." (Deuteronomy 10:12)  Thus fear of God and love of God are closely connected.  Fear of God moves us to walk in his ways, and this in turn gives proof of our love for him.  (1 John 5:3)  This is logical because when we love someone, we rightly fear to hurt him.  The Israelites  hurt Jehovah by their rebellious course in the wilderness.  Surely we would not want to do anything to bring such sorrow to our heavenly Father.  (Psalm 78:40, 41)  On the other hand, since "Jehovah is finding pleasuring in those fearing him," our obedience and faithfulness  make his heart rejoice.  (Psalm 147:11; Proverbs 27:11)  Love of God moves us to please him, and fear of God holds us beck from hurting him.  They are complementary, not contradictory, qualities.

The life course of Jesus Christ clearly illustrates how we can love and fear God at the same time.  Of Jesus the prophet Isaiah wrote:  "Upon him the spirit of Jehovah must settle down, the spirit of wisdom  and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of mightiness, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; and there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah." (Isaiah  11:2, 3) According to this prophecy God's spirit moved Jesus to fear his heavenly Father.  Furthermore, we not that this fear, far from being restrictive, was a source of satisfaction.  Jesus found delight in doing God's will and in pleasing him, even in the most difficult circumstances.  When faced with impending execution on the torture stake, he told Jehovah:  "Not as I will, but as you will."  (Matthew 26:39) Because of his godly fear, Jehovah listened favorably to his Son's supplications, strengthened him, and saved him out of  death. -Hebrews 5:7.

Next time: DEVELOP YOUR HEART TO FEAR JEHOVAH -Learning to Fear Jehovah

The Watchtower, 2001