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Answer. For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer’s fear is reverence of God.
God’s grace in Christ is the refuge from God’s wrath outside Christ. There is terror outside of Christ, and there is a different kind of trembling inside of Christ. “Fear of God is contrasted with a hard, unperceptive heart”. So, for example, Hebrews 12:25, 28: “See that you don’t refuse him who is speaking.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “fear” as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; anxious concern; or unpleasant alarm” — but it also notes it means “profound reverence and awe, especially toward God.” Fear is used throughout the Bible, as well.
To fear the Lord is to stand in awe of his majesty, power, wisdom, justice and mercy, especially in Christ – in his life, death and resurrection – that is, to have an exalted view of God. To see God in all his glory and then respond to him appropriately.
The right fear of God is, quite explicitly, a blessing of the new covenant. This is not a fear of punishment—of what God might do if His people turn away from Him. Quite the opposite: in Jeremiah 33, the Lord reeled off a catalog of pure blessing. He would cleanse them, forgive them, and do great good for them.
Fearing God means recognizing His power and holiness and being in awe of it. When you rightly recognize that power and holiness, fear is a natural response. That fear changes how you relate to God. Misunderstanding the fear of God can push you away from God.
We need to make some important distinctions about the biblical meaning of “fearing” God. These distinctions can be helpful, but they can also be a little dangerous.