Astonished Reverence
A true fear of God is a beautiful thing that leads to spiritual growth, purification, and a high moral happiness.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the essential nature of the fear of God in the life of a Christian, describing it as an 'astonished reverence' that fosters a deep awareness of God's presence. He laments the absence of this powerful sense of godly fear in contemporary churches, asserting that it ranges from the terror of guilt before a holy God to the joyful rapture of worship. Tozer believes that this reverential fear, intertwined with love and adoration, is the most purifying and enjoyable state for the human soul. He argues that true fear of God is not only worship but also a source of high moral happiness, as it reflects the reality of God's existence.
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In my own being, I could not exist very long as a Christian without the inner consciousness of the Presence and nearness of God! I can only keep right by keeping the fear of God on my soul and delighting in the fascinating rapture of worship. I am sorry that the powerful sense of godly fear is a missing quality in churches today. The fear of God is that "astonished reverence" of which the saintly Faber wrote.
I would say that it may grade anywhere from its basic element-the terror of the guilty soul before a holy God-to the fascinated rapture of the worshiping saint.
There are few unqualified things in our lives but I believe that the reverential fear of God, mixed with love and fascination and astonishment and adoration, is the most enjoyable state and the most purifying emotion the human soul can know. A true fear of God is a beautiful thing, for it is worship, it is love, it is veneration. It is a high moral happiness because God is!
Sermon Outline
- I. The Necessity of Reverential Fear
- A. The absence of fear leads to spiritual stagnation
- B. The presence of fear leads to spiritual growth
- II. The Nature of Reverential Fear
- A. It is a mix of terror, love, fascination, and adoration
- B. It is a beautiful thing, for it is worship, love, and veneration
- III. The Enjoyment and Purification of Reverential Fear
- A. It is the most enjoyable state the human soul can know
- B. It is the most purifying emotion the human soul can know
Key Quotes
“I can only keep right by keeping the fear of God on my soul and delighting in the fascinating rapture of worship.” — A.W. Tozer
“There are few unqualified things in our lives but I believe that the reverential fear of God, mixed with love and fascination and astonishment and adoration, is the most enjoyable state and the most purifying emotion the human soul can know.” — A.W. Tozer
“A true fear of God is a beautiful thing, for it is worship, it is love, it is veneration.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- To cultivate a true fear of God, we must keep Him as our highest priority and delight in His presence.
- A reverential fear of God leads to spiritual growth and purification, making it the most enjoyable state the human soul can know.
- We must mix our fear of God with love, fascination, and adoration to experience the full benefits of a true fear of God.