“Being afraid of the Lord,” is not reverence. It is based on a lie about God.
Love vs. Fear from I John 4:
(1) I John 4 states, “God is love,”
AND
(2) I John 4 also states, “Perfect love casts out fear,”
THEREFORE.
(3) this means that God casts out fear.
WHICH, IN TURN
(4) means that God never incites fear. The condition of, “being afraid of God” — is never created by God, or the result of the Truth —
AS VERIFIED IN 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 WHICH SAYS,
(5) God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind,
OR IN OTHER WORDS,
(5) there is NOTHING about God — if we see the Truth about Him — that will ever make us afraid of Him.
THEREFORE,
(6) all fear goes back to somewhere I have become governed by a LIE about God.
BECAUSE
(7) the Truth about God will make me want to run TO Him and embrace Him. The lie of fear will make me want to run and hide from God.
CONCLUSION
(8) God’s love means He is unconditionally committed to His highest in each of our lives — regardless of cost — which He has already paid with His Son.
David A. DePra