What does "fear your God" imply about our relationship with Him? \Setting the Scene\ “‘So you are not to cheat one another, but fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.’” (Leviticus 25:17) \What “Fear” Does—and Doesn’t—Mean\ • Not terror that drives us away, but awe that draws us near • Deep respect rooted in knowing God’s unmatched holiness (Isaiah 6:1–5) • A loving reverence that produces eager obedience (John 14:15) \Why This Fear Is Relational\ 1. Recognition of His Authority • He is “the LORD your God” (Leviticus 25:17) • We answer to Him first, before any human expectation (Acts 5:29) 2. Awareness of His Nearness • “Your God” stresses covenant closeness—He binds Himself to His people (Exodus 6:7) • Fear mingles with trust because our Judge is also our Shepherd (Psalm 23:1; 34:9) 3. Motivation for Holy Living • Knowing He sees everything checks selfish impulses (Leviticus 19:14, 32) • The fear of the LORD “turns one away from evil” (Proverbs 16:6) \Fruit That Grows From God-Fearing Hearts\ • Honesty and justice in relationships (Leviticus 25:14–17) • Compassion toward the vulnerable (Leviticus 25:35–36) • Joyful worship—“Serve the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11) • Steadfast courage—early believers “walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 9:31) \Living It Out Today\ • Start each day by remembering who He is—Creator, Redeemer, King (Revelation 4:11; 5:9–10) • Let His presence shape every choice, public or private (Proverbs 3:7) • Celebrate the cross: perfect love in Christ “drives out fear” of condemnation while deepening reverent awe (1 John 4:18; Hebrews 12:28–29) \In One Sentence\ To “fear your God” means to embrace a relationship of loving reverence, humble obedience, and wholehearted trust, living every moment in light of His holy presence and fatherly care. |
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