The Fear of God: A Forgotten Doctrine, 2nd Edition

In The Fear of God Dr. Arnold Frank sets out to revitalize a doctrine that in times past from the Biblical era to the founding of America has empowered and emboldened Christians to lead lives that distinguished them among their peers as godly, and productive. Early on Frank includes helpful definitions of the Fear of God found in Puritan writings. The first discovery of the Fear of God is found to be in Heaven. There the fear was not a fear of dread or terror but of a worshipful demonstration that is of the very nature of the Fear of God. The Fear of God is expected from all beings made in Gods image. The central portion of the book describes the fears that people have in their spiritual search. Those fears are variously identified as exclusively ungodly fear, as provisionally godly fear, and as perpetually godly fear. A misplaced fear is described and known as the fear of man. Most everyone has this fear to a greater or lesser degree. The final chapter of the book is largely dedicated to Christian preachers. Practical guidance is given on the preaching of the fear of God. The appendix has a Puritan sermon that would be helpful in these matters.