“THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM” Psalm 111:10.

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

"THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM [Psalm 111:10]

It is interesting to note that the first time that the word "fear" appears in the Holy Scripture is in the Old Testament Book of Genesis 3:10. Immediately following the breaking of God’s commandment by Adam and Eve who were told "But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you MAY NOT EAT; for in whatever day you eat from it, YOU SHALL DIE BY DEATH" [Genesis 2:17]. Man was to obey this commandment through the grace of God the Logos/Wod, If he was OBEDIENT, he would enjoy the blessing of Paradise. But if he were to disobey the commandment, he would die and his body would decay in the grave, writes Saint Athanasius the Great.

"God called Adam and said to him, ‘Adam, where are you?’ He replied, ‘I heard Your voice as You were walking in the garden, and I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; SO I HID MYSELF’ [Genesis 3:9-10]. Our ancestors Adam and Eve now had A FALLEN WILL and tried to hide from their Creator and God. They broke God’s law. They now knew "good and evil," and, therefore, "they knew they were naked." Fallen or sinful man now experience fear for the first time which was brought about by their disobedience and listening to the serpent, the evil one, instead of God Who created them. However, as Orthodox Christians we believe that the grace of Our Lord God Jesus Christ heals the will of those who return to Him through REPENTANCE,so they might freely pursue God obediently do His will.

"There are two kinds of fear: the first is due to God’s Awesome Divine Nature and the second is due to our frail and sinful nature. The theme of the fear of the Lord is essential not only because it is the beginning or the source of our spiritual life "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" [Proverbs 9:10], but because we live in a generation that lacks this feeling or reverence and obedience toward God."

The Greek word for obedience is υπακοή (hypakoe) and the Greek word, I obey, is υπακούω (hypakouo) to LISTEN, to give ear to, to listen to and answer. Faith and obedience to God is inseparable and necessary. God is agape and His agape for humanity and all that He has created is infinite and real. Our Loving God is not a tyrant but a Loving Father and we must not forget that we are His beloved children. He rules out of love and always desires to be in communion with us and to guide us to attain salvation. To fear Him means to listen to Him and to trust Him as a child would listen to his father and mother. Saint Dorotheos states that there are two kinds of fear. One is the fear of a beginner and the other is that of a Saint. The first fear God because he/she is afraid of going to Hell. The other seeks to please God because he loves Him. In this latter case the fear is not one of being afraid of some punishment, but, because he has "tasted the sweetness of being with God," he does not want to lose it. He calls this perfect fear.

One of the Great Holy Fathers of the Church, Saint Basil offers his understanding of what it means to fear God. He says there are three states that we can please God: (a) By fearing Hell and adhering to God’s Commandments. In this case we are like slaves (b) By pleasing God out of agape for Him. In this case we are sons and daughters of God. If we live a life according to His commandments we will avoid a life of torment and suffering in Hell. A life of righteousness will lead us to obtain heavenly rewards. If one lives a good life out of fear of punishment, that life has no value or worth. The devout and obedient servant of God acts always out of love, respect, faith, humility, trust and obedience to please Him and to do His will.

The Christians relationship with God is one of agape for He says "If you love Me, keep My commandments" [John 14:15]. And again Jesus says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" [John 14:23]. To experience the benefits of Christ’s complete work, Christians must be steadfast in their love for Him and obedience of Him. It is this basis that the Father and the Son–together with the Holy Spirit-come to dwell in the believer and "make their home with him."

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me YOU CAN DO NOTHING" [John 15:4-5]. Abiding in Christ IS LIVING OUT OUR UNION WITH HIM IN FAITH, BAPTISM, LOVE, OBEDIENCE, AND THE DIVINE EUCHARIST. The figure of the VINE and BRANCHES, shows our union with Christ is intimate and real– WE ARE A NEW PEOPLE IN CHRIST; secondly, life FLOWS FROM THE VINE TO THE BRANCHES–abiding in Christ is not static but dynamic. The fruit we bear is both good works and apostoly (mission), "go bear fruit" (John 17:18). Those who do NOT abide in Christ bear NO fruit, and are cut off from Him.

Fear also comes from knowing who God is and who we are. When one truly understands His Greatness, His power and His Majesty, then one comes to fear Him. However, if people understood His All-encompassing agape,and the lengths He has gone to save us, then again, we would truly fear Him, in the same way that we fear losing people who love us deeply. Where there is no fear of God there is pride, open defiance, and apostasy. "And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear" [1 Peter 1:17]. Why should we pray "in fear?" Because the Father we serve WILL JUDGE US "according to each one’s work." While being certain of God’s mercy, we "conduct" ourselves with care. Also, these words indicate that the principal means for living piously and in holiness consists in the feat of God and the fear of the judgment to come and Eternal torments in Hell. Only with the cooperation of this fear, with God’s aid, can there even be the keeping of the Commandments, as it is said Psalm 112:1: "Praise! the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, Who delights greatly in His commandments." Of the psalms describing the righteous man, this is the most popular song (psalm) in the Orthodox Church for use on the day of commemoration of the Saints.

Saint Andrew of Optina writes: But without fear, even if one should live in heaven, as Saint Peter Damascene says, he will fall if he does not have fear and is proud. By this did Satan, Adam, and many others fall, God’s word prescribe fear of God even to all the Saints, as it is said: "O fear the Lord, all ye His saint; for there is no want to them that fear Him" [Psalm 33:9]. Even more doe it behoove us, sinners and defective as we are, to have the fear of God, the fear of death, fear of God’s Dread Judgment, eternal torments in hell–softening this fear with the hope of inheriting the Kingdom of Heaven if we will force ourselves as much as possible to repentance and correction. The fear of God and the remembrance of those four last things restrain us from falling into sin–as it is said, "Remember the hour of your death, and you will never sin" [Sirach 7:39].

How do we answer Christ when He asks us as He did the Holy Apostle Peter "Do you love Me?" ["Agapas Me?"] "He said to Him, ‘Yes Lord; you know that I love you." The Holy Apostle had denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus asks Peter three times TO CONFESS HIS LOVE FOR HERE and therefore Peter is RESTORED to continue his ministry of shepherding Christ’s flock. Does anyone ever contemplate on the number of times that he or she has denied Christ over his/her lifetime? I would say countless times and yet we have not sought to be restored like Saint Peter. How is one restored? THROUGH REPENTANCE! and as Jesus says, "SIN NO MORE." [John 5:14]. How often have we said Saint Peter’s words to our Lord God and Savior, "Yes Lord; You know that I love You."

Let us all Christians of true worship glorify Him through our works of love, of living a good and pious life, by abiding by His commandments, seeking always with profound humility and meekness His grace, the grace of the Holy Spirit and through sincere repentance and true righteousness. Obediently and with the fear of God to always say, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Amen.

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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George