In Job, chapter twenty-eight, verse twenty-eight, the fear of and reverence for God are fundamental to the believer’s relationship with God, as in Psalms sixty-one, verse five, and Proverbs one, verse seven, respectively. Fearing the Lord makes us concerned and alert that we do not offend our holy God. Without this foundation, no true wisdom exists, and no redemptive experience will stand the test of time and temptation.
The fear of God and Biblical wisdom cause us to turn from evil, resulting in “the comfort of the Holy Ghost.” Luke emphasizes the formula “to fear God” in the gospel, as in Luke one, verse fifty, chapter eighteen, verse two, and chapter twenty-three, verse forty, and here in the book of Acts. The God-fearers are the ones who form the starting point for the Gentile mission in Acts ten, verses two, twenty-two, thirty-five, and chapter thirteen, verses sixteen and twenty-six. The fear of God produces trust, obedience, and the avoidance of evil, as in Psalms one hundred and eleven, verse ten. This response results in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit. The chapter teaches we should seek wisdom with the determination that causes people to risk their lives seeking gold and jewels.
To fear God and yet continue in sin is a moral impossibility. The person who acclaims God’s majesty and recognizes His opposition to evil characterizes by the earnest, decisive, and total endeavor to separate from sin, as in Psalms four, verse four, Proverbs three, verse seven, chapter eight, verse thirteen, chapter sixteen, verse six, and Isaiah one, verse sixteen, and follow God’s Word, as in Psalms one hundred and twelve, verse one, and chapter one hundred and nineteen, verse sixty-three, Proverbs fourteen, verse two, Second Corinthians seven, verse one, Ephesians five, verse twenty-one, and First Peter one, verse seventeen.