How does the fear of God manifest itself in the life of both an unbeliever and believer?

Carlton McLeod explains that the fear of the Lord is manifested in the life of a believer by the love, reverence, awe, and passion that prompt the believer to obey God. It is the state of mental and emotional sanctification where the believer sees God as holy, and a reverent trembling results. It is the necessary characteristic of Christian discipleship where total obedience to the commands of Christ is seen as a loving response to a loving God.

It is a behavior-restraining element even in the hearts of those individuals who do not follow Christ. It is a cultural acknowledgment in the hearts of man regarding the laws of God.  It is a necessary component to a godly society and it is an understanding that God will one day judge the earth and all who ever lived. 

Romans 14:11 (NKJV) – "For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

The fear of the Lord is the love, reverence, awe, and passion that prompt the believer to obey God. It is that state of mental and emotional sanctification where the believer sees God as holy and irreverent, trembling results. It is the necessary characteristic of Christian discipleship where total obedience to the commands of Christ is seen as a loving response to a loving God. It is a behavioral restraining element even in the hearts of those who do not follow Christ. In other words, it is a cultural acknowledgement within man's conscience of the law of God.

It is a necessary component to a godly society. It is the understanding that God will one day judge the earth in all who ever lived.