Whatever happened to the fear of the Lord?

 

Seriously, look around. Even in many churches today, sin isn’t trembled at anymore. It’s normalized, joked about, explained away. People talk as if God is only love but never holy, only merciful but never just. You hear it all the time: “Jesus loves me, so why should I change?”—not realizing the same Bible says the wrath of God abides on those who do not believe (John 3:36), and that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18). Not just the openly wicked out there—but ANY place God finds ungodliness, He judges it.

Scripture says plainly: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). That should shake us. That should wake us up.

We have lost what the Bible calls the beginning of wisdom—the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). Without that fear, there is no real conviction. Without conviction, there is no repentance. The law was meant to expose us, to shut our mouths before a holy God, and to drive us to Christ like a schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24). Because once you truly see His holiness, you realize you cannot save yourself.

But today many people twist grace into permission. They think grace means God doesn’t care how we live. Yet Hebrews gives one of the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture: if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment… for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:26–31).


That’s serious. We cannot play games with God.

Paul said to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). He also said to examine yourselves to see whether you are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). Jesus Himself warned that the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13–14). Why? Because many love their sins. They love darkness more than light (John 3:19).

And here’s a hard truth said in love: sometimes we struggle because it’s garbage in, garbage out. We say we want to follow Christ, yet we fill our minds with the very things He died to save us from—violence, adultery, blasphemy, filth—and then wonder why our hearts feel cold toward God. David said he would set no wicked thing before his eyes (Psalm 101:3). Scripture says a young man cleanses his way by taking heed according to God’s Word (Psalm 119:9).

Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). He said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). That means if we want sin out of our lives, we must spend more time with the One we want to become like. Because the world produces worldliness, but the Word produces holiness.

The Bible says our hearts are desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), which is why we must let God break up the fallow ground of our hearts (Hosea 10:12). This isn’t about being saved by works—that’s not what Scripture teaches. But our works DO reveal what’s in our hearts. They show whether we are truly following Christ or just deceiving ourselves. That’s why Jesus spoke about the wheat and the tares growing together (Matthew 13:24–30).

And this is very important: if this message bothers you… that’s actually a good sign. It means God is still calling you. It means His Spirit is still convicting you. Because Scripture says if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). God isn’t asking for perfection overnight—but He does demand repentance. He doesn’t want us living comfortably in sin. He wants us crucifying it.

James says to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17). So this isn’t about living in constant terror of slipping into hell every time you stumble. It’s about refusing to make peace with sin. It’s about taking God seriously.

And here is the hope: God’s mercy is still here today. His compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23). He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

So if you feel conviction right now, don’t ignore it. Don’t harden your heart. That conviction is proof that God is still drawing you. Run to Him. Fall at the foot of the cross. Because today is the day of mercy—and tomorrow is never promised.

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