"THERE IS NO FEAR (Phobos) OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES"
(Romans 3:18)

By Harry Bethel

Phobos is a Greek word that means "fear," "that which causes fear," "a terror," or "fright."

What does it mean to fear God? Most so-called pastors today don't tell their congregations that to fear God, really means "to fear God." They water-down the Word of God and say it means "to have reverence for God," or merely to "respect God."

To fear God means to know that God has the ability to punish you or kill you for your willful sins. In fact, one of the best examples in the New Testament of two Christians who did not fear God and therefore did not hate evil are Ananias and Sapphira.

Did you know that most true Christians do not fear God? Did you know that God says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13)? Since most true Christians do not fear the Lord, most true Christians do not hate evil.

Did you know that God says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10)? Since most true Christians do not fear the Lord, they have not even begun to acquire wisdom from God. As a matter of fact, Christians who do not fear God are foolish instead of being wise.

Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property and Ananias kept back some of the money for himself with his wife's full knowledge. Ananias laid the money at the apostles' feet, pretending that he was giving all the money to the them. Instantly, God killed Ananias and he fell down before the apostles, "and great fear [phobos] came over all who heard of it" (Acts 5:5).

About three hours later Sapphira came in, not knowing that God killed her husband for lying, and she lied about the price of the property. Sapphira did not fear God and therefore did not hate evil, and God instantly killed Sapphira, and great fear [phobos] came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things" (Acts 5:11).

There is no better way of finding out what it means to fear God than to watch God kill a man and his wife for lying and they instantly drop dead in front of several people in the congregation. No doubt, an impressive sight, to say the least.

We would have a different level of Christians today (integrity-wise) if every Lord's Day the pastor told all the people who lied in the past week to come up front and stand, and God will kill a couple of you, so everyone else will remember to fear God and hate evil enough to quit lying. Amen???

As an added bonus the survivors will also begin to acquire wisdom from God.

Some of you, no doubt, are saying to yourself, "But lying is not that bad, is it?

Only, if you believe what God says about lying and liars. If the true story of Ananias and Sapphira is not convincing enough, perhaps you would benefit from reading the Word of God concerning what God thinks of lying.

God says in Revelation 22:14 about those who are kept from coming inside of the heavenly city where the Tree of Life is:  "Outside are the...immoral persons...and everyone who...practices lying."

To make sure that you do not misunderstand how God feels about lying and liars, Jesus Christ tells His people some more interesting truths from His heart: "The cowardly...and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 21:8).

It doesn't get any clearer than that, does it?

If you have lied to anyone, you must not only repent and confess your sin to God, but you must also confess your sin to all those to whom you lied and ask them to forgive you. You will not be in a right relationship with God until you confess your sin to all those to whom you lied and ask them to forgive you.

"Every careless word that people [saved and unsaved] speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment" (Mat. 12:36).

God commands Christians to, "Work out your own salvation with fear (phobos) and trembling" (Phil. 2:12).

"Jesus...is to judge the living [Christians] and the dead [unsaved]" (2 Tim. 4:1).

"Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear (phobos) of God" (2 Cor. 7:1).

The wise man, Solomon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, "Fear God and keep His commandments [for Christians this is the ~180 New Testament Commandments], because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).