What other scriptures emphasize honoring others and fearing God? Focus Verse “Treat everyone with high regard: love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17) Why Honor and Fear Matter Together • Honor flows from recognizing the worth God places on people. • Fear of God anchors that honor in reverence for the One who created and commands us. • Both themes run from Genesis to Revelation, shaping every human relationship. Scriptures Emphasizing Honoring Others • Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.” • Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.” • Ephesians 5:33 – “Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” • Leviticus 19:32 – “You are to rise in the presence of the elderly, honor the aged, and fear your God. I am the LORD.” • Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” • Romans 13:7 – “Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.” Scriptures Emphasizing Fearing God • Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” • Ecclesiastes 12:13 – “When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.” • Psalm 112:1 – “Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.” • Deuteronomy 10:12 – “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul?” • Luke 1:50 – “His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.” • Hebrews 12:28 – “Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Seeing the Pattern Throughout Scripture • Old Testament law links honoring people with fearing God (Leviticus 19:32). • Wisdom literature repeatedly presents the fear of the LORD as foundational (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). • The prophets confront Israel for dishonoring both God and neighbor. • Jesus models perfect honor—welcoming children, valuing women, serving disciples—while living in continual reverence for the Father. • The epistles echo 1 Peter 2:17, urging believers to combine respectful conduct toward authorities with wholehearted worship of God. Practical Connections for Today • Family: Honoring parents (Exodus 20:12) continues as adult children care for aging mothers and fathers. • Church: “Outdo yourselves in honoring one another” (Romans 12:10) sets the tone for every ministry team and fellowship. • Workplace: Giving “respect to whom respect is due” (Romans 13:7) reshapes how we speak of supervisors and co-workers. • Civic life: Submitting to lawful authority while fearing God first (1 Peter 2:17; Proverbs 24:21) guards against rebellion and idolatry. • Personal devotion: Regular meditation on God’s majesty (Hebrews 12:28) deepens reverence that spills over into honoring people made in His image. Honor everyone. Fear God. When those two commands stay joined, our relationships and our witness stay strong. |
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