Psalm 19:9 says: “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.”
That’s an odd statement because it evokes the question: if there is “clean fear,” does “dirty fear” exist as well?
The short answer is: Yes, it does – and it’s important for our attitude towards God to know the difference.
The fear of the Lord is clean [Hebrew ṭə·hō·rāh – clean, pure] because it is a holy fear. We can get a better idea of what that holy fear in us is supposed to be by looking at dirty, or unholy fear. The Bible doesn’t actually use the word “unholy” or “dirty” for certain fears but implies it. Here are a couple of examples:
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? “ (Matthew 6:25)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7
“So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”
Matthew 10:26-28
Unclean fear is rooted in lies. It conforms to the acronym False Evidence Appearing Real. That type of fear is often the result of what people have said or done to us and can reside deep within our souls. It is what we often call a “root lie” in True Identity Ministries: a distorted view of ourselves, God, and others causing other lies in our thinking that we must replace with biblical truths. Fear of failure, for example, because our parents’ love was performance-based. Fear of lack, because we almost didn’t make it and went into debt to survive.
And, perhaps more subtly, fear that God will punish us if we step outside the line, which goes squarely against the fundamental result of the cross, that in Christ we are free from the law and its condemnation of failure to keep it.
Satan often uses these dirty fears to try to keep us in bondage. He likes to sow seeds of fear and doubt into our minds. Doubt is a dirty fear, too, because it is afraid that God would not keep His promises to us. And we know from James 1:6,7 that the one who doubts will not receive anything from the Lord.
If dirty fear is based on lies, it follows that the fear of the Lord is clean because it is based on truth – God’s truth. It is a different fear altogether: reverence, awe, admiration, and deep respect. It is rooted in our awareness that He is our Creator, Savior, and Lord, and we are mere creatures and sinners saved by grace. Even the confidence we have that He has given us the right to call ourselves sons and daughters of God, which is our true identity, is rooted in this deep awe and respect because we know we don’t deserve it.
The clean fear of God comes from having our eyes opened to the truth of the gospel, and it results in a deep sense of awe that fuels our faith, enriches our worship, and deepens our love for Him. Unclean fear leads to anxiety and depression, clean fear leads to love, peace, and joy in the Lord!
You might wonder: how can I fear God and love Him at the same time? I’ve heard the combination of those emotions compared to the love that children have for their fathers. They fear a father’s stern gaze and voice when they do something wrong while at the same time wanting to be close to him and vying for a place on his lap.
Clean fear is also enduring. Our natural reaction to dirty fear is to get away from it because it hurts. But clean fear is such a rich and good feeling toward God that we want to preserve it. Dirty fear comes and goes because the lies that cause it come and go. Clean fear endures because God is everlasting and His truth endures forever.
We could use a reintroduction to clean fear in our church culture today. Our worship music often lacks it, and the neglect of our prayer life and daily meditation on His Word betrays a lack of awe. If we had it, we’d run to HIs presence every waking moment because we are drawn to His awesomeness.
If we want and need wisdom and want to walk rightly with our Lord, we must return to the clean fear of God. After all: The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10) Without it, no divine wisdom and no spiritual insight.
When we hear Him calling “come closer,” which I believe to be His primary call to us as storm clouds are gathering, we must respond with clean fear – deep awe and reverence of His incomparable glory, majesty, dominion, and power, and deep love of His mercy toward us that lets us share in those attributes.
Many years ago, a wise Bible College professor concluded His lecture to us with these words: “Whatever you go through in life, never lose your sense of wonder.”
Indeed.