The Fear of the Lord and Your Soul: Why Eternity Still Matters

Eternity is real, and so is judgment. Learn why the fear of the Lord includes a holy awareness of heaven, hell, and the condition of your soul.

May 22, 2025   |   Spiritual Growth

“There should be a fear of the Lord when it comes to your soul.”

Let’s Talk About Eternity—for Real

We don’t like to talk about hell much anymore.

Culture has watered it down. Churches have ignored it. And honestly, a lot of believers have just gotten too comfortable in their sin.

But here’s the truth: eternity is real. Hell is real. And what you do with Jesus really matters.

If you don’t believe that, you’ve lost the fear of the Lord.

And without that fear, you won’t have urgency, clarity, or conviction about your life and your soul.

The Fear of the Lord Starts with the Soul

You may think the fear of the Lord is just for mature Christians who want to go deeper with God.

But before it’s about depth, it’s about salvation.

Jesus Himself said:

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body… fear Him who has the authority to throw you into hell.” —Luke 12:4–5

That’s not fire-and-brimstone preaching.

That’s Jesus reminding us: your soul matters. And ignoring that reality is dangerous.

Don’t Lose Sight of the Weight of Sin

Some of us have become too casual about sin. We rationalize it. Laugh it off. Pretend it’s no big deal.

But Pastor Aaron said it best:

“Some of you are so comfortable in your sin that you’ve missed out on the reality that your sin has to be paid for one way or another.”

Hell exists for those who choose to pay for their sin themselves instead of receiving the gift of salvation through Jesus.

This isn’t about shame. It’s about clarity.

The fear of the Lord reminds us: Jesus didn’t die to make you religious. He died to save your soul.

The Gospel Is the Good News—Because Hell Is the Bad News

We don’t preach about hell to scare you.

We preach it to wake you up to the beauty of the cross.

If there’s no judgment, there’s no need for mercy.

If there’s no hell, there’s no power in salvation.

If there’s no eternal consequence, there’s no urgency in surrender.

The good news is this:

“Whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life.” —John 3:36

Key Takeaways

  • Your soul is eternal. Don’t take it lightly.
  • Hell is real—but so is God’s saving grace.
  • The fear of the Lord helps you live with eternity in mind.
  • Jesus offers salvation now—don’t wait.

Final Encouragement

If you’ve grown numb to the weight of eternity, let this be a holy reset.

Let the fear of the Lord bring back urgency, reverence, and surrender.

You don’t have to live scared.

But you do need to live awake.

And the beautiful truth is: you don’t have to fear hell when your life is surrendered to Jesus.

That’s the invitation. That’s the hope. And that’s why we fear the Lord.

Let’s Keep Growing

📍If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, I’d love for you to visit one of our Radiant Church locations this Sunday.

🔁 Share this post with a friend who’s hungry for wisdom.

🙌 And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to the Radiant Church YouTube channel—we’ve got new messages every week designed to help you grow.

—Pastor Aaron

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