Feb 28, 2025 For Wisdom We Must Fear God Not Man – Words of Grace Blog – February 28, 2025
Wisdom comes from God to those who fear him.
Proverbs, the book of wisdom in the Bible, says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10).
We might be tempted to think that the fear of the Lord is removed by his grace revealed in the gospel of Christ. Since we have been reconciled to God by the cross of Christ, and now our sins are forgiven and there is no condemnation over us, we no longer fear his wrath nor are we afraid of him. Praise God, this is true. But the proper fear of the Lord remains.
The fear of the Lord is a posture of mind and heart that recognizes the greatness of God and responds to him in worship, love, and submission. The fear of the Lord is respect for him and obedience to him. When we fear the Lord, we are at rest within ourselves because we are living aligned with the reality of his sovereignty and of our right standing with him by grace. This, according to Proverbs, is the beginning of wisdom because this posture remains open and responsive to God.
Jesus taught the fear of the Lord. He also taught us not to fear man (Luke 12:1-12). This, too, is necessary for wisdom. The fear of man blocks us from receiving and walking in the wisdom of God.
Speaking about money, Jesus said we cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13). We cannot serve God and money at the same time. The same can be said about the fear of God and man. We will either love, respect, and seek to please God, or we will live for the approval of people. We will either properly fear God or improperly fear people. We can only serve one master.
If we fear man, we will be deaf to the word of God. We will be pulled in the direction of people pleasing, seeking approval from others in the way we think, speak, and act. Gripped by the fear of man we cannot hear wisdom calling us down another path, so we continue in foolishness.
By walking in the fear of the Lord we overcome the fear of man. We love, respect, and serve people. But we don’t fear the loss of their approval or their active wrath against us as we follow the will and wisdom of Christ. The Lord Jesus is our aim. His word is our guide. We love him above all. His glory is our joy. In the fear of the Lord, we remain open to his wisdom.
This way of living in the fear of the Lord and not of man is tested every day. In private conversations we often feel pressure to nod in agreement with statements we know are not true because we don’t want to lose a friend. In public places of debate about issues of the day we are tempted to go along with the crowd not because it’s correct but because we fear not having a place to belong. We might be inclined to adopt new beliefs and adapt to new views to avoid the tension that comes with standing alone on what is true, right, and good.
In these situations, we are called to discern what is happening inside of us. Are we improperly fearing man? Will we properly fear the Lord? One way is foolish, the other is wise. May the Lord grant us grace to be wise.
This weekend, pray for our congregation to walk in the fear of the Lord.
Also, pray for the Disciple Now weekend at Grace as students gather to hear the wisdom of God’s word and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday to worship Christ and continue in the Proverbs.
-Scott