--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is one thing to fear God as…" description: "\"It is one thing to fear God as threatening, with a holy reverence, and another to be afraid of the evil threatened.\" — John Owen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-owen-1415_evil_it-is-one-thing-to-fear-god-as-threateni_162827.png" --- # It is one thing to fear God as threatening, with a holy… ![“It is one thing to fear God as threatening, with a holy reverence, and another to be afraid of the evil threatened.” quote by John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-owen-1415_evil_it-is-one-thing-to-fear-god-as-threateni_162827.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-owen-1415_evil_it-is-one-thing-to-fear-god-as-threateni_162827.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/john-owen-1415_evil_it-is-one-thing-to-fear-god-as-threateni_162827.png) > “It is one thing to fear God as threatening, with a holy reverence, and another to be afraid of the evil threatened.” [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizes two distinct fears: reverent awe of God versus terror of evil. **In simple terms:** Fear God with respect, not terror. Key Takeaway Cultivate reverence, not dread. Themes faith theology emotion Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - worship - personal reflection - ethical decision making Key Concepts reverence terror spiritual psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate reverence from terror? - What impact does fear of evil have on your choices? A Different Perspective Fear of evil can dominate rational judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-god/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Reverence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverence/) ## Related quotes > [Look, I don't know whether God exists. I don't know that. And I tell you one thing, I am not frightened of my beliefs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-i-don-t-know-whether-god-exists-i-don-t-know-that-and-i-tell-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I am not frightened of my beliefs. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Only a teen girl would be afraid of an evil hairstylist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/only-a-teen-girl-would-be-afraid-of-an-evil-hairstylist/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [It's not what people do that scares me. It's what they hide. It's the secrets that keep us from bonding and create distrust. 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You do right because the world doesn't make sense if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/people-don-t-do-right-because-of-the-fear-of-god-or-love-of-him-you/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) ## More by John Owen > [God hath work to do in this world; and to desert it because of its difficulties and entanglements, is to cast off His authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/god-hath-work-to-do-in-this-world-and-to-desert-it-because-of-its/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: "God, preserve my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/if-we-do-not-abide-in-prayer-we-will-abide-in-temptation-let-this-be/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [The least grace is a better security for heaven than the greatest gifts or privileges whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-least-grace-is-a-better-security-for-heaven-than-the-greatest/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [“Our belief of the Scriptures to be the word of God, or a divine revelation, and our understanding of the mind and will of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/our-belief-of-the-scriptures-to-be-the-word-of-god-or-a-divine/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [How can we possibly believe the promises concerning Heaven, immortality, and glory, when we do not believe the promises concerning our present life? 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Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. 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