There is no sin so prevalent, so insidious, and so deep as the sin of fearing people more than we fear God.
We will not fear God more than people unless we know the truth about God and people. Do you believe that pleasing God is more important and more satisfying than pleasing people? Do you believe that God is the only one to whom you will give account at the end of the age? Do you believe that God has forgiven all your sins at the cost of his Son’s blood, that Jesus needs none of your self-abuse to make him suffer enough and none of your feelings of perpetual misery to make him loving enough? Do you believe that fearing God, keeping his commandments, and living to hear him say “well done, good and faithful servant” is the most freeing life you can live? Do you believe that God is God and no one else is? Do you believe that is God ain’t happy, it don’t matter who likes you, your political positions, or your Ph.D.? And that if God is pleased with you, there ain’t a hell on earth or a hell to come that can take his smile away from you? Will you and I, with all our worry and pride and self-righteousness, have faith enough to exchange our fear for fear?
Kevin DeYoung, from blog post Exchanging Fear for Fear
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