628. Verse 7. Saying with a great voice, Fear God, signifies an admonition not to do evils, because this is against the Lord. By "a great voice" is signified admonition; and by "fearing God," is signified not to do evils, because this is against the Lord. That "to fear God" is to love Him, by fearing to do evil because it is against Him, and that all love has within it this fear, may be seen above (n. 527). These things are now said to those who will be of the New Church upon earth, because the first step of reformation is to live according to the commandments of the Decalogue, where those evils are recounted which are not to be done. For he who does them, fears not God; but he, who does them not, by shunning them, because they are against the Lord, the same fears and also loves the Lord, as He Himself teaches in John (chap. 14:20-24).
