Not a tame God

Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear him and will not sin.” (Exodus 20:20)

A paradoxical statement to be sure.

“Don’t be afraid,” Moses says.

But in the next breath, he says, “Fear God.”

How do we balance the two statements?

Perhaps the best way to balance them is with this truth: God is good. But he is not a tame God.

We cannot control him.

We cannot manipulate him.

When dealing with a holy and all-powerful God, people should be afraid. We don’t dare take him lightly.

For the day will come when he will judge all those who hate and rebel against him. (5)

And when we see that judgment fall on people, we should fear. Because all of us have sinned. All of us deserve that judgment.

But God is also good. He is never capricious. He is never malicious.

More, he sent his Son so that we don’t have to be judged.

Now to those who love God and receive his Son, God shows his faithful, never-ending love. (6)

When we sin, God may discipline us, but as with Solomon, he will never take his love away from us. (2 Samuel 7:14-15)

And because of that, we don’t have to be like the Israelites, standing at a distance from God, fearing his judgment.

Rather, like Moses, we can draw near. (18, 21)

So let us fear God. But let us not be afraid of him.

Instead, let us draw near. As John said,

In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. (1 John 4:17-18)