SURAH AL-BAQARAH: 278

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ وَذَرُوۡا مَا بَقِىَ مِنَ الرِّبٰٓوا اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ‏۔

"O those who believe, fear Allah and give up what still remain of the Riba (interest) if you are believers." 

This verse starts with the command اتَّقُوا اللّٰہ, meaning 'fear Allah". This is the unique style of the Holy Quran, which distinguishes it from all the other law books of the world, in that before introducing a new law, which people may find difficult to follow, it reminds people that one day we will be presented before Allah Ta'alah, we will have to account for all the actions we have performed in this life, and after that it will be decided whether we go to Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannum (Hell). In this way people's minds are prepared to obey the law that is introduced subsequently. Similarly, in this case people might have found it difficult to let go of the interest accrued on their previous loans, therefore, this verse starts with اتَّقُوا اللّٰہ (fear Allah), and then it commands them to let go of their remaining interest. The verse ends with اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّؤۡمِنِيۡنَ (if you are believers), again reminding them if they are true believers then they must obey Allah Ta'alah. (Ma'ariful Quran)

Explanation:

The true meaning of Taqwa is fear because of which a person abstains from doing something wrong, or gives up something bad. The Quran Karim advises us many many times; develop Taqwa, develop fear of Allah. The reason for that is that once this feeling develops strongly in someone's mind that Allah Ta'alah is watching him all the time, then he doesn't need an external agency to police his behaviour, he automatically starts hesitating before committing sins. It is like there are many sins we commit which we would never dream of committing if being observed by our parents. Then Allah's being is much greater and has no comparison with that of our parents. 

Caliph Umar Raziullah Anhu once went out of the city. When he became hungry there was nothing to eat out there. A shepherd was herding his goats nearby. Hazrat Umar Raziullah Anhu asked him if he could drink the milk of his goat. The shepherd replied that the goats didn't belong to him. He herded someone else's goats for a charge, and therefore, he could not give their milk to him without the owner's permission. Hazrat Umar sometimes used to test the people. He said, "Why don't I propose something which would be of benefit to both of us. If you sell me the goat I will drink its milk, and then eat its meat after slaughtering it. This will relieve my hunger and thirst. I will pay you for the goat. You just lie to the owner that a wolf ate one of the goats. That is not unheard of so the owner won't suspect you and you can keep the money." Upon hearing this the shepherd exclaimed, "O" prince! Then what about Allah?" meaning that the owner is not watching me but Allah Ta'alah is watching me. How can I lie in front of Allah. Hazrat Umar RAA said to him, "as long as people like you are present in this Ummah (community) it will never go astray."

This is true Taqwa that where no one is watching and monitoring, just the thought that Allah Ta'alah is watching does not let a person lie or eat Hara'am. Unfortunately as we have moved further away the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ our character has deteriorated to such an extent that today even those people among us who consider themselves religious do not have the same degree of Taqwa and worry about Hara'am and Halal that was present in a shepherd of those days.