What Does Reverence Mean?

   Reverence means a respectful, submissive attitude of mind resulting in affection and esteem for the person to which it is directed. Hence children reverence their parents, wives reverence their husbands, subjects reverence their sovereign, and all must reverence God. We reverence the name of God, (Matthew 6:9), the house of God,(1 Timothy 3:15), and the worship of God, (John 4:24). We reverence the attributes of God, (Malachi 3:6, Ezekiel 18:25, Isaiah 45:21-22, 1 John 4:8, Titus 1:2), the commands of God, (John 12:50), and the word of God, (Psalm 119:160, John 17:17).

We should demonstrate our reverence in our actions. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings” (John 14:23-24).

Genuine reverence and self sacrificing love go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other and expect to live a pleasing life before God. A man may boast of reverence for God in his heart but unless he manifests his reverence by conduct and obedience he is as those who James said were dead, like the body without the spirit. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

Jesus said that those who show reverence to God by mouth only will never see the kingdom of Heaven. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 7:21). Godly fear and reverence alone are not enough. One must demonstrate one’s reverence by their actions. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). It is through our striving for obedience to God that we proclaim our reverence and love towards Him, (John 14:15), and before the world, (Matthew 5:16).                                      Eric