"The fear of the Lord"

[Original article in German]

MARTHA E. A. SOOST

In a Bible concordance the word "fear" is to be found under the general heading "Fear" and also under "Fear of God" and "Fear of the Lord." This classification indicates that in the Bible the word "fear" has two meanings.

We learn in Christian Science that, as John says, "God is love;" but the words in Ecclesiastes, "Fear God, and keep his commandments," seem to contradict this statement. For how can one love God and at the same time fear Him? To keep the commandments because we fear punishment would surely not manifest the love which God demands. Again, the Psalmist says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." This "fear" which is "the beginning of wisdom" cannot be that which is usually understood by the word "fear."

A closer analysis reveals the fact that fear can exist only when we believe we are confronted by something greater and more powerful than ourselves. If we believe in God, good, whose omnipotence and omnipresence our Master, Christ Jesus, so clearly realized that sickness, sin, and death lost their seeming power, our "fear" of God becomes reverence for, or acknowledgment of, His supremacy; and our only fear is that by transgressing His commandments we may in belief separate ourselves from His love.

The acknowledgment of the one supreme God is "the beginning of wisdom." Reverence for the universality of His love awakens a great sense of happiness in our hearts, and calls forth the reflection of divine Love in our lives.

But fear is quite another thing if we assume that we are confronted by a power other than good, a power which may harm us, and which seems more real to us than ever present good. Mortals in general seem better acquainted with evil than with ever present omnipotent good; for have they not been taught that there is something they must fear, something that may inflict injury upon them?

What courage was necessary to proclaim to dreaming mankind the fact that, as Mrs. Eddy declares on page 527 of"Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," "evil is unreal because it is a lie,—false in every statement"! And she not only declared this, but proved it by destroying belief in evil as real and by teaching her students to do likewise. Whence did our Leader draw her courage? The answer may be found in the statement, "Perfect love casteth out fear." She had learned that "one on God's side is a majority." Her love for God had led her to know God as "the great I am" (Science and Health, p. 587). This recognition dispelled fear and replaced it with reverence. When through her spiritual discovery Mrs. Eddy began to awake from the earthly dream of life in matter, she was filled with the earnest desire to save mankind from the slavery of false belief in a power apart from God. That her desire is being fulfilled is evidenced by the many testimonies of healing published in our periodicals, and by the verbal testimonies given in the Wednesday evening meetings in all Christian Science churches.

The way has been pointed out; and the allness of God is being proved. What, then, can hinder us from joyously following the example of our Way-shower, Christ Jesus, and expressing our gratitude to our Leader by striving to gain the "perfect love" which "casteth out fear"?

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