What does "no fear of God" imply about humanity's spiritual condition? Setting the Scene in Romans 3 • Romans 3:10-18 strings together Old Testament citations to portray humanity’s universal sinfulness. • The crescendo is v. 18: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” • Paul uses this indictment as the final proof that every person, Jew or Gentile, stands guilty and helpless apart from God’s intervention. What “No Fear of God” Says About the Heart • A willful blindness to God’s holiness—people live as though His righteous gaze does not exist. • Moral autonomy—self becomes the ultimate authority; divine commandments lose binding force. • Calloused conscience—right and wrong blur because the measuring stick of divine awe is absent. • Diminished worship—if God is not feared, He is not adored; adoration requires reverence at its core. Scriptural Echoes That Confirm the Diagnosis • Psalm 36:1: “Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.” • Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” • Jeremiah 5:22-23: “Do you not fear Me? … this people has a defiant and rebellious heart.” • Luke 12:4-5: Jesus warns to fear “Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell.” Observable Symptoms in Daily Life 1. Casual treatment of sin—lying, immorality, and injustice seem trivial. 2. Prideful self-reliance—God is sidelined in planning, ambitions, and problem-solving. 3. Suppressed truth—evidence of God in creation and conscience is ignored (Romans 1:18-20). 4. Unrestrained speech—note Romans 3:13-14 where throats, tongues, and lips drip venom when God’s fear is absent. Consequences of Lacking Godly Fear • Spiritual darkness—Ephesians 4:18 speaks of minds “darkened in their understanding.” • Bondage to sin—John 8:34: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” • Divine wrath—Romans 1:32 highlights knowing God’s ordinance yet applauding evil. • Relational decay—“Destruction and misery are in their paths” (Romans 3:16). How This Condition Took Root • Inherited sin nature—Romans 5:12: sin entered through one man, spreading death to all. • Willful unbelief—John 3:19: “People loved darkness rather than the light.” • Cultural reinforcement—Psalm 2:1-3 shows nations collectively casting off God’s cords. God’s Remedy for Fearless Hearts • The gospel reveals righteousness by faith (Romans 3:21-22). • New covenant promise: “I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.” (Jeremiah 32:40) • The Holy Spirit instills reverent awe—Acts 9:31 notes, “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” Living in Restored Reverence • Meditate on God’s majesty—Isaiah 6:1-5 fuels holy trembling and joyful service. • Submit to Scripture—Psalm 119:120: “My flesh trembles in awe of You.” • Practice obedience—Ecclesiastes 12:13 links fearing God with keeping His commandments. • Encourage one another—Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” so corporate worship cultivates holy fear. Takeaway Where the fear of God is absent, spiritual deadness reigns; where it is restored through the gospel, hearts awaken to holiness, wisdom, and life. |
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