What does it mean to have reverence for God?

θεοσέβεια, 'worship or reverence of God,' 'reverential fear of God.' 1 Tim. 2:10. The same word is used in the LXX for 'the fear of God' in Gen. 20:11, and for 'the fear of the Lord' in Job 28:28.

God's eternal power and divinity may be known in creation, Rom. 1:20; but He has revealed Himself in the person of Christ, the Son, the eternal Word. God has been pleased also to reveal Himself in His written word. His purposes, His ways, and what He has done for sinful man, all demand universal reverence, adoration, and worship.

The fear of God is commonly referred to in Scripture, and the word mostly used is one having the force of reverence. Here, however, a less common word is used signifying, dread. Sinful men universally have no proper reverence for God, though they may secretly dread Him. ... It is increasingly true too of the men of our day. They have such large ideas of themselves and of their own powers that thoughts of God — if they believe in His existence — put no fear upon their spirits. They feel that they can safely disregard Him.

Flattery is absolutely impossible when God is in question. All praise and worship offered to Him falls short of that of which He is worthy. We cannot rate Him higher than He is.

Has the fear of Christ, the One, Who holds such a place there above in glory at the right hand of God, its due sway over our consciences? I need not say, that I am not speaking of legal or slavish fear. I mean that reverential fear, which is produced by authority, when recognized, felt, and willingly bowed to. A man, when in the presence of his betters in authority, feels very different from what he does, when among his equals. And the higher the rank or lawful authority of the one in the superior place, the greater would be the sense of reverential fear on the part of his subordinate before his presence.

Not, I repeat, as if that terror made him tremble in slavish fear, but it had impressed his conscience with its awful solemnity for others, so that he was able to "persuade" men ... and then feeling in his heart the constraining power of the love of Christ, he was enabled to "beseech poor sinners and enemies to be reconciled to God."

Amidst all this proud self-conceit and intolerance of correction, there was found a godly remnant, who are characterized as 'they that feared the Lord'. This 'fear' produced a reverence for God and His will, that made Him the governing factor in their lives. This at once put them into complete contrast with the mass of priests and people, that surrounded them.

The fear of the Lord was the fundamental thing, but this led them to think 'upon His name'. They recognized that they were a people called into relationship with Jehovah, according to the way He had revealed Himself to their fathers, and they were therefore responsible to live lives in keeping with the revelation made, so that His name might be honoured.

It is well for us to be constantly reminded that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." When this genuine, reverential fear is present, it is indeed a basis for every aspect of wisdom. For this involves "the knowledge of the Holy One," reminding us that holiness is a most prominent characteristic of God, who loves good and hates evil. If we lack such character, we shall lack understanding. May we rather deeply appreciate the holiness of our God.

We need to exercise our souls in the cultivation of reverence when speaking of the Lord of glory. That He is a man is a truth VITAL to Christianity, precious beyond words, necessary for our salvation, if He were to take our place in death under the judgment of God for sin. His stoop from the eternal throne, His emptying Himself of the "form of God" (Phil. 2:6), and taking in lowly grace "a bondman's form," though never ceasing to be God with the nature and attributes of God, amazes us, and fills our heart with adoring worship.

We fear there is a great deal of hollow profession amongst us, a great want of earnestness, truthfulness and reality in our ways. We are not sufficiently permeated by the spirit of genuine Christianity, or governed in all things by the Word of God.

What then is our business, living as we do in the midst of this shaky world? It clearly is, as the close of our chapter states, to "serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." To be acceptable, our service must be in accord with His revealed mind and will for the present time.

May God stir us all up to serve Him acceptably with reverence and godly fear, while we still find ourselves amidst these preliminary shakings that mark this present evil age.