Fear and Love: Two God-Given Motivations
by Chadwick Brewer
Many in the religious world have become uncomfortable with the biblical command to fear God. They redefine “fear” to mean little more than respect, and some even argue that obeying God out of fear is somehow inferior to obeying Him out of love. Scripture takes the opposite approach. It repeatedly commands us to fear God, warns of the consequences of refusing to fear Him, and even tells us to fear the One who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28). Rather than dismissing fear, the Bible presents both fear and love as God-given motivations for faithful obedience.
Throughout Scripture, the fear of the Lord is often the motivation that restrains people from evil. Solomon wrote, “By the fear of the LORD men depart from evil” (Proverbs 16:6). That theme runs throughout Proverbs. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), and immediately Solomon warns his son not to join sinners when they entice him to do evil (Proverbs 1:10-19). The Hebrew midwives refused Pharaoh’s command to murder innocent children because they feared God (Exodus 1:17). While the fear of God certainly motivates many acts of faithful obedience, its emphasis is often on refusing to compromise, resisting temptation, and standing firm when others choose wickedness.
The love of God, on the other hand, is often the motivation for acts of righteousness and goodness. Jesus taught that loving God and loving our neighbor fulfills the Law. Love moves us to forgive those who wrong us, show compassion to those in need, care for widows and orphans, bear one another’s burdens, and seek the good of others even at personal cost. Love does more than keep us from doing wrong; it compels us to actively do what is right. While love also restrains us from sin, its emphasis is often on displaying God’s character through lives filled with mercy, kindness, and service.
The wisdom of God is found in embracing both motivations rather than choosing one over the other. Fear without love may keep us from evil while leaving our hearts cold toward others. Love without fear may produce kindness while lacking the conviction to stand firmly against sin and compromise. God calls His people to both fear Him and love Him. Fear keeps us from what God hates, while love moves us toward what God loves. Only when both are present are we equipped to pursue the full righteousness that God desires.
