The fear of God is a positive emotion because it directs us away from harmful things and propels us to do what is right. People who lack the fear of God more readily sin, as they do not fear God’s punishment.
Having denied the existence of God, they justify themselves, often with one of the modern ideologies which says that the moral rules of religion are fetters to be broken in the name of individual freedom.
Yet as Father Moon explains, ever since the Human Fall fear has become a negative emotion, one that can lead to all kinds of self-centered behavior when it dominates our thinking. The higher dimensions of holy fear—reverence and awe—should pervade our worship and guide our steps in life.
They keep us mindful that our life and the purpose of our existence are not our own doing but from God. They also contribute to our sense of meaning and value as servants of the King and hence partakers in His glory.
Sun Myung Moon
The Fear of God as a Prod to Moral Behavior
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 9.11
O you who believe! Fear God as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of submission.12 Qur’an 3.102
May your fear of Heaven be as strong as your fear of man! Talmud, Berakot 28b (Judaism)
Do not call conspiracy all that these people call a conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Isaiah 8.12-1313
God has revealed the fairest of statements, a Scripture consistent, [with promises of reward] paired [with threats of punishment], at which creeps the flesh of those who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to God’s reminder. Such is God’s guidance, with which He guides whom He will. Qur’an 39.23
Monks, two bright things guard the world: shame and fear of blame. If these two bright things did not guard the world… the world would fall into promiscuity, as is the case with goats, sheep, poultry, pigs, dogs, and jackals. Itivuttaka 36 (Buddhism)
Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. Revelation 14.7
When the Israelites saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore, and saw the great power which the Lord had put forth against Egypt, the people were in awe of the Lord and put their faith in him and in Moses, his servant. Exodus 14.30-31
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they do not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Romans 3.14-19
Sun Myung Moon
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
The reason why people who believe in God continue to commit sins is because their faith in God has been merely conceptual. It has not touched their innermost feelings.
Who among them would ever dare to sin if they experienced God in the depths of their being? Would they not tremble if they felt the reality of the heavenly law that those who commit crimes cannot escape the destiny of hell?
(Exposition of the Divine Principle, Introduction)
Today, we are reaping the consequences of the Fall: Immorality is rampant. Teenagers, in particular, are the victims of widespread sexual degradation.
The advanced nations are little different from Sodom and Gomorrah of biblical times. God abhors this immoral behavior. We must fear the wrath of God. His punishment is imminent. (201:206-07, April 19, 1990)
[After she fell] Eve realized that according to God’s heavenly law, Adam was supposed to be her husband. Thus she thought then if she returned to Adam’s bosom, she could escape the fear of God.
Centering on Satan’s love, fear and independence conspired together to bring Adam to his knees. Fear and self-insistence has continued ever since to dominate the fallen human race. Now in the last days, the way of individualism has become dominant throughout the world and is ruining the world. (256:230, March 13, 1994)
At least Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden felt shame enough to conceal their naked bodies with fig leaves, but American young people these days feel no shame, doing all manner of indecent behavior even outdoors in city parks.
Because Adam and Eve felt a sense of shame over what they did, they could repent. But these young people are shameless; they are far from repentful. (95:149, November 11, 1977)
Sun Myung Moon
Reverence and Awe
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2.20
The fire of hell has been forbidden to these two eyes: the eye that remained sleepless through watching in the ways of God, and the eye that wept with spirit trembling at the fear of God. Hadith of Darimi (Islam)
Divine things, Proceeding from the mind Of the unseen kami— How awesome, and Not to be taken lightly! Norinaga Motoori, One Hundred Poems on the Jeweled Spear (Shinto)
The true believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They put their trust in their Lord, pray steadfastly, and give in alms of that which We have given them. Such are the true believers. They shall be exalted and forgiven by their Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them. Qur’an 8.2-4
The fear of God is mighty and of great weight. Egoism is worthless and just vociferous. Walk under the weight of such great fear; And through Divine grace obtain knowledge of God.
None crosses the ocean of existence unless he bear fear; through fear, the fear-directed life is beautified with divine love. Through fear of God, the fire of fear blazes in the human frame.
Through fear of God and love is molded spiritual beauty. Without fear of God all that is uttered is misshapen and worthless— The mold and the shaping stroke both blind…
Through fear of God vanish worldly fears. The fear of God which eliminates all other fear—how may it be called fear? No other resting place is except Thee; All that happens is Thy will. One might be afraid of it if anything other than God held any fear— To be shaken with such fears is sheer perturbation of mind. Adi Granth, Gauri, M.1. p. 151 (Sikhism)
Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Father! Our hearts are filled with fear as we recollect Thy sorrowful historical course. Knowing Thy difficult labors, whenever we approach Thy majesty, our minds are struck with awe. (6:328, June 28, 1959)
Give reverence and honor to God, who has restrained Himself, silently enduring the path of suffering for thousands of years. Have the heart that God is your true Father. Make a determination that regardless of the suffering you may endure, you will become the central ancestors who will leave behind the Father’s tradition for tens of thousands of years. (363:254, December 25, 2001)
Although I have a mouth, I keep silent. Not because I do not know how to speak, but because I am cautious that by misspeaking I might go against Heaven’s law. Not because I do not know how to complain, but because of God. (67:316, July 22, 1973)
Most people curse Heaven, living with resentment and despair; few are the people who pledge their loyalty to God. Since we are among that loyal few, God treats us with seriousness.
Nevertheless, think about God’s heart and His situation: How wretched it is that He has such a small group of insignificant people as us with which to restore the world. (93:217, June 1, 1977)
O Father, Thy sons and daughters gathered here feel fearful that we might not be adequate to become sons and daughters who can receive everything Thou wouldst give us and who can give everything to Thee.
We fear that we may not be able to represent the world, history, and the cosmos when to us Thou wouldst express Thy heart, the heart Thou hast always wanted to give us. (35:288, October 25, 1970)
Sun Myung Moon