Overcoming fear by developing a righteous fear of God

Saint Francis of Assisi writes, “It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.” To this list of paradoxes, we could add, “It is in fearing God that we no longer need to be afraid.” It’s by respecting, revering, and even fearing a good God that we set things right. And when things are right with God, there’s nothing else to fear.

--Matthew Richard Schlimm, 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know

Fear appears in the scriptures with regularity, yet the meaning of the word has changed over time and culture.  I've spent some time studying and thinking about what it means to fear God and will attempt to summarize those thoughts in this post.

The Hebrew word most often translated to 'fear' in the Old Testament is:

yare' (יָרֵא): affright

We find it first in the creation account as Adam explains why he hid from the Lord:

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (Genesis 3)

Fear came to Adam as a result of his transgression and resulted in a futile attempt to hide from God.

The full meaning of the Hebrew word for 'fear' (yare') spans a range of English words.  Here is a more detailed entry from the NIDOTTE:

The aspects of fear encompassed by יָרֵא include terror, respect, and worship. Terror and worship are, in some sense, polar opposites; the former is characteristic of complete anxiety while the latter suggests trust. The aspect of respect, however, can be either a weakened sense of fear or worship. Therefore, the concept of terror can be weakened to express respect, which can once again be intensified to express worship. Only by context can the particular sense of each occurrence be determined. (Vol. 2, p. 528)

 

From terror to respect to worship

The work of angels is to teach the children of men how to replace their terror toward God with respect, and ultimately how to transform that respect toward God into a true worship of Him.

This is a pattern we see over and over again in the Book of Mormon. Perhaps one of the most notable examples is Alma-2.  When he first encounters God, "the very thought of coming into the presence of [his] God did rack [his] soul with inexpressible horror."

15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds. (Alma 36)

As he repents and hearkens to the words of the angel, his confidence before God transforms into worship. This son of a prophet who once went about in secret trying to tear down the church became a powerful disciple of Jesus Christ.  Read this fascinating exchange between Alma and his son Helaman which is one of the final accounts we have of Alma-2, paying attention to the confidence before displayed by Alma:

2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?
3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.
4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall come?
5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast spoken.
6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?
7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my heart.
8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall prosper thee in this land. (Alma 45)

Verse 6 has always stuck out to me -- the commandments of the Lord and the commandments of Alma have become one. Alma's word has become God's word. This same concept is taught poetically by Alma in the first and last phrases of Alma 36, described in this post.

The power of possessing a righteous fear of God

With this fear in place, we prioritize worshipping God over all other things, and our confidence in His promises grow. Notice how fear is juxtaposed with symbols of temple worship in this familiar Psalm:

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (Pslam 23)