How was the fear of God present in early America? Carlton McLeod explains that the fear of the Lord impacts culture. It did at one point in America. The fear of the Lord produced a society that honored God’s name, that honored pastors, elders, the home. These characteristics were present even in non-church goers. By and large, the church was very home and family-centered. God’s Word was honored. There was more respect for elders. There was a certain decorum in dress. The fear of the Lord was embedded in the culture at large. However, we have since lost the blessing of having a culture that acknowledged that there is a God that will one day judge them for their actions. Revelation 15:4 (NKJV) – “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested.”

The fear of the Lord also impacts cultures, or at least it can and did at one point, I believe, in America. The fear of the Lord, as a result, produced a society that honored the Lord's day, that honored the home, that honored pastors and elders, that had a certain decorum and a certain respect. And this was, these characteristics were in place even in non churchgoers, people who maybe weren't Christians, but there was such an embedded fear of the Lord that had been built into the culture by so many men and women over time, and obviously there were some elements that didn't fear God, but there was by and large a very home-centered kind of church word-honoring thing within the culture that was a blessing. The blessing of that of course was the culture was more orderly, that there was more respect for elders and not just in church but also people who are a little older. There was a certain decorum in dress.

There was a certain propriety in entertainment. That fear of the Lord was embedded in the culture at large. And I would submit that in so many ways the culture was better off. But that's left us. We've lost that blessing.

We've lost the blessing of the culture then acknowledging that there is this God who will one day judge the earth. There is this God who sent his son.