Fear

FEAR. "The fear of the Lord" is a common expression in the O.T. Job 28:28; comp. Acts 9:31. It refers to awe and reverence for piety rather than to dread of God. The love of God is not so plainly revealed in the O.T. as in the New. The attributes of God's holiness and power are most strongly emphasized. Hence the frequent exhortation to fear God. Fear has its fit place also under the gospel dispensation. Paul exhorts Christians, Phil 2:12, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." If it is a "fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Heb 10:31, and "if the righteous scarcely be saved," 1 Pet 4:18, we ought ever to remember the punishment due to us for sin and God's abhorrence of it, and in view of the punishment pass our time in a proper state of godly fear, which, however, is not slavish, but consistent with assurance of faith and with love for God as our Father. Comp. Rom 8:15; 1 John 4:18.

FEAR. "The fear of the Lord" is a common expression in the O.T. Job 28:28; comp. Acts 9:31. It refers to awe and reverence for piety rather than to dread of God. The love of God is not so plainly revealed in the O.T. as in the New. The attributes of God's holiness and power are most strongly emphasized. Hence the frequent exhortation to fear God. Fear has its fit place also under the gospel dispensation. Paul exhorts Christians, Phil 2:12, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." If it is a "fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Heb 10:31, and "if the righteous scarcely be saved," 1 Pet 4:18, we ought ever to remember the punishment due to us for sin and God's abhorrence of it, and in view of the punishment pass our time in a proper state of godly fear, which, however, is not slavish, but consistent with assurance of faith and with love for God as our Father. Comp. Rom 8:15; 1 John 4:18.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

A variant of Fere, a mate, a companion. [Obs.] Spenser.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A painful emotion or passion excited by the expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; solicitude; alarm; dread.

2. Apprehension of incurring, or solicitude to avoid, God's wrath; the trembling and awful reverence felt toward the Supreme Belng.

3. Respectful reverence for men of authority or worth. I will put my fear in their hearts. Jer. xxxii. 40. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ps. xxxiv. 11. render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due . . . fear to whom fear. Rom. xiii. 7.

4. That which causes, or which is the object of, apprehension or alarm; source or occasion of terror; danger; dreadfulness. There were they in great fear, where no fear was. Ps. liii. 5. The fear of your adventure would counsel you to a more equal enterprise. Shak. For fear, in apprehension lest. "For fear you ne'er see chain nor money more." Shak.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

1. To feel a painful apprehension of; to be afraid of; to consider or expect with emotion of alarm or solicitude. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Ps. xxiii. 4.

2. To have a reverential awe of; to solicitous to avoid the displeasure of. Leave them to God above; him serve and fear. Milton.

3. To be anxious or solicitous for. [R.] The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children, therefore . . . I fear you. Shak.

4. To suspect; to doubt. [Obs.] Ay what else, fear you not her courage Shak.

5. To affright; to terrify; to drive away or prevent approach of by fear. z2 fera their people from doing evil. Robynsin (More's utopia). Tush, tush! fear boys with bugs. Shak.

Synonyms: apprehend; drad; reverence; venerate.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To be in apprehension of evil; to be afraid; to feel anxiety on account of some expected evil. I exceedingly fear and quake. Heb. xii. 21.