[FEAR OF GOD] 1. The fear of the Lord is just the proper reaction of sinners to God’s infinite holiness, or of creatures to God’s infinite majesty. As we grow in the knowledge of God, we will learn truly to tremble before His great glory and burning purity, and see this as indeed the beginning of wisdom. 2. We don’t teach our children to fear a kind grandfather or Santa Claus, do we? Why then would we teach them to fear God? First of all, the comparison of God with grandfathers or Santa Claus is degrading nearly to the point of slander. As [D.A. Carson] notes, “The sentimental view generates a deity with all the awesome holiness of a cuddly toy.” Second, fearing God is not the same as being afraid of God. The person who fears God in the biblical sense is maintaining a humble reverence for His glory, majesty, dominion, and authority. The person who fears God recognizes that He is not only the Giver of all good things, but also the Lord of the universe and the Judge of sinners. He is the One who creates, and He is the One who has the power to destroy. He is the One who rewards, and He is the One who disciplines. Fearing God, in other words, is the sobering recognition that He is not to be trifled with. 3. We stand at the crossroads between fear of others and fear of God. The road leading to the fear of man may be expressed in terms of favoritism, wanting others to think well of you, fearing exposure by them, or being overwhelmed by their perceived physical power. When these fears are not combated with the fear of the Lord, the consequences can be devastating. But when God is given his rightful place in our lives, old bonds can be shattered. --------------------------------------------------------------- The fear of God brings temporal and eternal benefits: 1. “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant” (Ps. 25:14). 2. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them” (Ps. 34:7). 3. “The Lord has compassion on those who fear Him” (Ps. 103:13). 4. “The Lord favors those who fear Him” (Ps. 147:11). 5. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7; 9:10). 6. “The fear of the Lord prolongs life” (Prov. 10:27). 7. “The fear of the Lord leads to life, that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil” (Prov. 19:23). 8. “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life” (Prov. 22:4). 9. As David says to the Lord, “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You” (Ps. 31:19). Clearly, fearing God is to your great advantage. Lots of Love Samuel :-)
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:28:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015