Root Sin Behind Lack of Fear of God
The lack of the fear of God stems from a deeper root of sin, often identified as a fundamental absence of faith and knowledge of God, leading to disobedience and self-exaltation. The Augsburg Confession states that since the fall of Adam, all humanity is born "without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with concupiscence," defining this as a "disease, or vice of origin" that condemns those not born again [6]. This suggests that a lack of the fear of God is not merely an isolated failing but an inherent condition of fallen human nature.
The biblical understanding of sin encompasses "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" [3]. This includes not only outward actions but also the "inward state and habit of the soul" [3]. The transgression of the wicked, as noted in Psalm 36:1, reveals that "there is no fear of God before his eyes" [8, 13]. Augustine interprets this not as referring to a single individual, but to a "race of ungodly men" who fight against themselves by choosing not to understand how to live well [11]. This choice is not due to inability, but unwillingness [11].
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, identifies pride as the "beginning of all evil" [5]. one tradition argues that humanity's ambition to go beyond what was permitted led to the fall, and this is confirmed by Paul's teaching that "by the disobedience of one man, all were destroyed" [5]. This disobedience, rooted in pride, directly opposes the fear of God, which involves submission to divine authority. Calvin also connects repentance with the "dread and hatred of sin," noting that "godly sorrow" involves not only trembling at punishment but abhorring sin because it displeases God [4]. Without this godly sorrow, born from a fear of God, true repentance is absent.
The absence of the fear of God is intrinsically linked to ignorance of God. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists "ignorance of God" as evidenced by a "want of love," a failure to keep His commands, and living in sin [2]. This ignorance leads to error, idolatry, alienation from God, and sinful lusts [2]. John 16:9 states that sin is "because they have not faith in me" [1], indicating that a lack of faith in Christ is a foundational sin. This lack of faith is a form of ignorance of God, as Christ is the revelation of God. Adam Clarke, commenting on Romans 3:18, describes those without the fear of God as "downright atheists, at least practically such," who do not fear God's judgments despite His awareness of their actions [13].
The early Church Fathers also addressed the significance of the fear of God. Tertullian emphasizes that true repentance is divine in origin and subject to God's laws [12]. one tradition argues that without the fear of God, there is no genuine amendment of life [12]. He also warns against the idea that God is satisfied with mere inward sentiment without outward action, stating that such a view can lead to sin without damage to one's supposed fear of God [10]. Clement of Alexandria, in a discussion on fear, suggests that the "absence of fear, which the fear of the Lord produces, is called the beginning of what is good" [7]. He clarifies that the fear from the law is both just and good, as it removes evil and leads to moderation through discipline [7]. Another patristic text notes that "grateful service to Him who is truly Lord, renders us free from service to all other masters" [9]. This freedom from other masters is achieved through love and fear of God, as one cannot do what is displeasing to Him under the influence of His love [9].
Sources
- John “John 16:9 (BBE) — Of sin, because they have not faith in me;”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ignorance of God — Ignorance of Christ is -- Joh 8:19. Evidenced by Want of love. -- 1Jo 4:8. Not keeping his commands. -- 1Jo 2:4. Living in sin. -- Tit 1:16; 1Jo 3:6. Leads to Error. -- Mt 22:29. Idolatry. -- Isa 44:19; Ac 17:29,30. Alienation from God. -- Eph 4:18. Sinful lusts. -- 1Th 4:5; 1Pe 1:14. Persecuting saints. -- Joh 15:21; 16:3. Is no excuse for sin -- Le 4:2; Lu 12:48. The wicked, in a state of -- Jer 9:3; Joh 15:21; 17:25; Ac 17:30. The wicked choose -- Job 21:14; Ro 1:28. Punishment of -- Ps 79:6; 2Th 1:8. Ministers should Compassionate those in. -- ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sin — Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment,”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 58: leading sinners to reflect that worse awaits them if they do not quickly repent. There is an example of this in the 29th chapter of Deuteronomy. As repentance begins with dread and hatred of sin, the Apostle sets down godly sorrow as one of its causes ( 2 Cor. 7:10 ). By godly sorrow he means when we not only tremble at the punishment, but hate and abhor the sin, because we know it is displeasing to God. It is not strange that this should be, for unless we are stung to the quick, the sluggishness of our carnal nature cannot be corr”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 37: he says (in Psal. 19 ), that pride was the beginning of all evil, because, had not man’s ambition carried him higher than he was permitted, he might have continued in his first estate. A further definition, however, must be derived from the kind of temptation which Moses describes. When, by the subtlety of the devil, the woman faithlessly abandoned the command of God, her fall obviously had its origin in disobedience. This Paul confirms, when he says, that, by the disobedience of one man, all were destroyed. At the same time, it is”
- Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten: 1 Also they teach that since the fall of Adam all men begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, and with 2 concupiscence; and that this disease, or vice of origin, is truly sin, even now condemning and bringing eternal death upon those not born again through Baptism and the Holy Ghost.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. VIII.--THE VAGARIES OF BASILIDES AND VALENTINUS AS TO FEAR BEING THE CAUSE OF THINGS, (part 3): just is of what is unjust. If, then, that absence of fear, which the fear of the Lord produces, is called the beginning of what is good,[2] fear is a good thing. And the fear which proceeds from the law is not only just, but good, as it takes away evil. But introducing absence of fear by means of fear, it does not produce apathy by means of mental perturbation, but moderation of feeling by discipline. When, then, we he”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 36:1: The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart,.... Which is represented as a person speaking within him; not that the transgression of the wicked was really in him; sin was in him, and sin of the same kind and nature with the wicked man's; but he taking notice of and considering the wicked man's sinful course of life, and his daring impieties, conceived in his own mind, and concluded from hence, that there is no fear of God before his eyes; no reverential affection for him, but enmity to him; no godly filial fear, but at most only a slavish fear, a fear of p”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 8: Twelve Patriarchs, Excerpts, Epistles, Apocrypha, Decretals — CHAP. XII.--THE FEAR AND LOVE OF GOD.: "Thus, then, grateful service to Him who is truly Lord, renders us free from service to all other masters.(5) If, then, it is possible for any one to be free from sin without fearing God, let him not fear; for under the influence of love to Him one cannot do what is displeasing to Him. For, on the one hand, it is written that we are to fear Him, and we have been commanded to love Him, in order that each of us may use that prescription which is suitable to his constitution. Fear Him, ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. V.--SIN NEVER TO BE RETURNED TO AFTER REPENTANCE.[6] (part 2): better whose (servant) he has preferred again to be. Thus he who, through repentance for sins, had begun to make satisfaction to the Lord, will, through another repentance of his repentance, make satisfaction to the devil, and will be the more hateful to God in proportion as he will be the more acceptable to His rival. But some say that "God is satisfied if He be looked up to with the heart and the mind, even if this be not done in outward act, and that thus they sin without damage to their fear and th”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM XXXVI.[5] (part 1): 1. ... "The ungodly hath said in himself that he will sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes" (ver. 1). Not of one man, but of a race of ungodly men he speaketh, who fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live well; not because they cannot, but because they will not. For it is one thing, when one endeavours to understand some thing, and through infirmity of flesh cannot; as saith the Scripture[6] in a certain place, "For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly ta”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. II.--TRUE REPENTANCE A THING DIVINE, ORIGINATED BY GOD, AND SUBJECT TO HIS LAWS. (part 1): But if they acted as men who had any part in God, and thereby in reason also, they would first weigh well the importance of repentance, and would never apply it in such a way as to make it a ground for convicting themselves of perverse self-amendment. In short, they would regulate the limit of their repentance, because they would reach (a limit) in sinning too--by fearing God, I mean. But where there is no fear, in like manner there is no amendment; where there is no amendme”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 3:18: There is no fear of God before their eyes - This completes their bad character; they are downright atheists, at least practically such. They fear not God's judgments, although his eye is upon them in their evil ways. There is not one article of what is charged against the Jews and Gentiles here that may not be found justified by the histories of both, in the most ample manner. And what was true of them in those primitive times is true of them still. With very little variation, these are the evils in which the vast mass of mankind delight and live. Look especially at”