Booger McLovin

Before coming to Christ, the phrase “I am a God-fearing man” can sound strange, even backwards. Why would anyone boast of fearing God? Yet once the heart is awakened by faith, the words no longer carry the sting of terror but the weight of reverence. To fear God is not to run from Him, but to stand in awe of Him. It is to take Him more seriously than the opinions of men, to treasure His approval above all others, and to order one’s life with the understanding that He is Lord.

Gary Hamrick’s sermon on John 19 titled “Pilate the People-Pleaser” (available on YouTube) lays this out with great clarity. Pilate was a man enslaved to fear, but not the fear of God. He feared Caesar, who had already warned him about unrest in Judea. He feared the Sanhedrin, whose cries threatened his position. He feared the crowd, loud with demands for crucifixion. Even in his own house, his wife warned him of dreams concerning Jesus, yet he silenced her voice. At each turn, Pilate sought to please someone other than God. But Scripture warns us, “The fear of man brings a snare, but one who trusts in the Lord will be protected” (Proverbs 29:25). Pilate’s attempt to wash his hands clean of guilt was an empty act, for no basin can cleanse a conscience that has chosen people over the Lord of heaven.

The Bible tells us what true fear is meant to be: “The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). The fear of God is not dread, as though He were eager to crush us, but reverence, like a son who longs not to disappoint a loving father. It is the recognition that God’s authority outweighs every earthly pressure. Jesus said it plainly: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Pilate feared men who could harm his body and career, but he ignored the One who held his soul in His hands.

In sharp contrast, Daniel shows us what it means to be a God-fearing man. When King Darius signed the decree forbidding prayer to anyone but himself, Daniel “continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously” (Daniel 6:10). Daniel feared God more than lions, more than kings, more than death. Because of that, he was delivered unharmed from the den, and even the king confessed that Daniel’s God was the living God who endures forever. Daniel’s courage flowed from his reverence; Pilate’s cowardice flowed from his compromise.

The God-fearing man is not cold toward people, but free to love them rightly because he is no longer controlled by their approval. Christ Himself declared, “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:11–12). True leadership is not the iron grip of Pilate, but the surrendered heart that bows to God and therefore stands firm before men.

When you choose to fear God above all else, you may still displease some, yet you will never be ruled by them. And more often than not, in honoring God you will find that others are blessed as well. To be a God-fearing man is to live with a heart directed upward. In that posture, your life becomes both pleasing to God and good for those around you. If you want to see this truth illustrated more deeply, I recommend watching Gary Hamrick’s Bible study sermons on YouTube. They faithfully unpack the Scriptures and show how fearing God above all else leads to wisdom, courage, and true freedom.