Fear that Makes Men

Proverbs 8:13 — “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

1. Introduction

I’m going to keep this short and sweet.

I’ve been grappling with one question all week:

1. Why do men no longer fear God?

   1. We’ve settled for cultural Christianity.

   2. We fear rejection more than we fear judgment.

   3. We avoid discomfort more than we avoid sin.

   4. We trust our feelings more than God’s Word.

      
      

The Bible tells us: “The heart is deceitful above all things.”

When your heart leads instead of God, fear shifts. 

When emotions outweigh His Word, strength, courage, and boldness fade.

If your fear of man is greater than your fear of God…Or your emotions outweigh the truth of His Word…

Then you are not walking in strength, courage, or boldness.You are failing to live in true worship. You are compromised.

So I’ll ask you plainly:- Do you fear God… or fear man?

2. Exegesis

1. “To fear the Lord is to hate evil” — Proverbs 8:13

• Fear of God is not trembling in terror; it is holy reverence. It aligns your life with His truth, not the standards of men or culture. Hating evil is not optional — pride, arrogance, compromise, and sin offend God, and they should offend you too.

2. “The heart is deceitful above all things” — Jeremiah 17:9

• Without the fear of God, we turn inward, trusting our hearts, feelings, and desires — all of which are deceptive and self-serving. We justify compromise, excuse sin, and bow to comfort and approval instead of obedience and truth. Left unchecked, our hearts lead us into pride, rebellion, and weakness.

3. Fearing God vs. Trusting Your Heart

• Fearing God leads to truth; trusting your heart leads to deception.

• Fearing God leads to righteousness; trusting your heart leads to evil.

• Fearing God leads to courage; trusting your heart leads to fear.

• Fearing God leads to integrity; trusting your heart leads to rebellion.

• Fearing God leads to life; trusting your heart leads to death.

Proverbs 8:13 and Jeremiah 17:9 together show the stark choice: fear God and hate evil, or trust yourself and embrace deception.

4. Closing Charge

So I’ll ask you again: 

Do you fear God… or fear man??

Will you continue to cower to your desires, culture, and the opinions of men — or will you stand in awe of God, hate evil, and submit your heart to His authority?

• Fear of man brings weakness, compromise, and defeat.

• Fear of God brings boldness, integrity, and strength.

The question is urgent. It is not theoretical.

Repent where you’ve trusted your heart. Stop bowing to comfort, culture, or self.

Hate evil. Stand in awe of God.

Live as the man God created you to be — obedient, courageous, bold, and unshakable.