The Two Fears
(a book on the fear of the Lord)
The Two Fears: Tremble Before God Alone
Most Christians agree we ought to love God. But how then are we to make sense of the biblical concept of fearing God? The Bible says that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10), yet a broad survey of modern evangelicalism reveals that the fear of God is hardly regarded as such anymore. What if a biblical understanding of the fear of the Lord actually magnified our view of God’s grace instead of minimized it? In The Two Fears, Chris Poblete mines the Scriptures to equip Christians with a healthy view of fearing God and to illustrate how it reconciles with the gospel of God’s grace to sinners.
Endorsements
—Russell D. Moore, president, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; previous dean, Southern Seminary
“An importantly countercultural book, moving us beyond a homeboy God we could fist-bump to a holy God we can worship. The Two Fears helps us recover a biblical fear of God and all the awe, repentance, and freedom from self-centered fears that go with it. An awesome resource!”
—Dr. Thaddeus J. Williams, professor, Biola University; author, Reflect
“In this practical and very readable book, Chris Poblete describes a side of our culture—the absence of fear. ‘Where have the God-fearers gone?’ he asks. He shows how both the absence of true fear and the presence of ‘unholy [false] fear’ stem from an absence of a knowledge of the awesome God of the Bible, and that, in meeting him, we discover the real dimensions of creational existence and the wonderful benefits of living in fear and deep respect before Him, freed from the ‘[false] fear of men.’”
—Dr. Peter Jones, director, TruthXchange; adjunct professor, Westminster Seminary in California; associate pastor, New Life Presbyterian (Escondido, CA)
““Our lives can be guided by what we fear and Chris Poblete wants us to fear the Lord! He unpacks for us, through the lens of God’s revealed character and the gospel, that fearing the Lord is not some cheap cliché, but a blood-bought gift for His people that leads to repentance, thankfulness, adoration and worship.”
—Darren Carlson, president & founder, Training Leaders International
“Readers will be equally challenged and blessed as they read The Two Fears and heed Chris Poblete’s call to embrace a holy fear of God—one that doesn’t cause us to cower in terror, but empowers us to move forward in Christ’s mission, entranced by the beauty and wonder of the cross of Christ.”
—Aaron Armstrong, author, Awaiting a Savior and Contend
“This timely book enters into a church context where ‘God-fearing’ is out of vogue. Combining biblical passages, theological categories, pastoral wisdom, and his personal story, Poblete has given us a needed reminder of how important it is to be God-fearers if we seek to know God and live for him.”
—Jared Oliphint, regional coordinator, Westminster Theological Seminary; contributor, Reformed Forum
“Read this book, but beware—rather than you examining it, the Word of God will examine you and encourage you to consider that the God of the Bible is far more majestic and glorious than you ever dared to imagine.”
—Dave Jenkins, director, Servants of Grace
“…Poblete not only stirs us up to this truth, but teaches us what it means to fear God, that we stand in awe of God by hearing and heeding his Word in Scripture, and that the fear of the Lord will set us free. A person who learns to fear the Lord need fear nothing else, for though God’s wrath is fearful, his mercy is awing as well. I hope you will hear Chris out, and that his book will teach us to both tremble and rejoice in the majesty of our God.”
—Brad Williams, pastor, New Covenant Baptist Church; contributor, Christ and Pop Culture
“The clarity and sobriety of The Two Fears will show you how to enjoy God as you magnify Christ and walk by the power of his Spirit. I commend this book to you: it will fuel your worship and empower your discipleship.”
—Gabe Tribbett, director, Deploy at Grace Theological Seminary