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Topic: To Fear God Is to Love Him for Who He is
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Found in Him
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(Exodus 20:18-20) Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. {19} Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." {20} And Moses said to the people, "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."
(Deuteronomy 8:5-6) "You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. {6} "Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
(2 Kings 17:35-36) with whom the LORD had made a covenant and charged them, saying: "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; {36} "but the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice.
(Psalms 2:11) Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
(Psalms 5:7) But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
(Psalms 19:9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
(Psalms 25:8-14) Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. {9} The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. {10} All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. {11} For Your name's sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. {12} Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. {13} He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. {14} The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.
(Psalms 31:19-20) Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men! {20} You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues.
(Psalms 33:18-19) Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, {19} To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
(Psalms 34:1-11) I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. {2} My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. {3} Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. {4} I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. {5} They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. {6} This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. {7} The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. {8} Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! {9} Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. {10} The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. {11} Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
(Psalms 85:7-9) Show us Your mercy, LORD, And grant us Your salvation. {8} I will hear what God the LORD will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly. {9} Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.
(Psalms 96:9) Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
(Psalms 103:8-17) The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. {9} He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. {10} He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. {11} For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; {12} As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. {13} As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. {14} For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. {15} As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. {16} For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. {17} But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,
(Psalms 111:10) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
(Psalms 128:1) Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways.
(Psalms 145:14-20) The LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. {15} The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. {16} You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. {17} The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. {18} The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. {19} He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. {20} The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
(Psalms 147:11) The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.
(Proverbs 1:7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
(Proverbs 8:13) The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
(Proverbs 9:10-11) "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. {11} For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
(Proverbs 14:26-27) In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. {27} The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
(Proverbs 15:33) The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.
(Proverbs 16:6) In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.
(Proverbs 28:14) Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
(Proverbs 31:30) Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
(Isaiah 33:6) Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the LORD is His treasure.
(Jeremiah 32:40) 'And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.
(Malachi 3:16) Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.
(Matthew 10:28) "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
(Luke 1:49-51) For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. {50} And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. {51} He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
(Acts 10:34-35) Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. {35} "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.
(2 Corinthians 6:16-18) And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." {17} Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." {18} "I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."
(2 Corinthians 7:1) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
(Philippians 2:9-13) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, {10} that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, {11} and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. {12} Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; {13} for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
(Hebrews 12:9-11) Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? {10} For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. {11} Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
(Jude 1:20-23) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, {21} keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. {22} And on some have compassion, making a distinction; {23} but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
(Revelation 14:6-7) Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth; to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people; {7} saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
(Revelation 15:3-4) They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! {4} 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."
(Revelation 19:5-6) Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!" {6} And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
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Found in Him
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The fact that there is a De-emphasis on fearing The Lord is exactly what I meant.
Not fearing wrath, Fearing God. It would keep a multitude from speaking foolishly and keep a multitude from sinning.
Lack of fear of God is evident in society AND in the church.
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
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Eden
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hello, Found in Him, I thought I would go see what you have written. In the first part you wrote quote:
There appears to be a growing trend among evangelicals that Christians are to "enjoy" God while, at the same time, there is a de-emphasis on fearing God.
I think that if there IS a growing trend that Christians are to "enjoy" God, it is because that part of our Christian life has been sorely neglected by evangelicals.
To be sure, all sinners as well as we Christians need to have a VERY HEALTHY FEAR of the LORD God of Israel. He is no one to MESS WITH, as the Creator of heaven and earth.
However, the Bible also tells us to "live the abundant life with Christ in us" and that "the LORD favors those who love Him" and that we should "enjoy the earth" for the "dead cannot praise Him", and many others too.
Yes, I think there is plenty of room for both the enjoyment of God and the fear of God to co-exist, and indeed, I think that there is room for even more aspects of God-and-us that can simultaneously co-exist with fear of the LORD and enjoyment of the LORD.
The LORD Himself speaks of possessing justice and wrath along with possessing mercy and lovingkindness, and many more than that, I know.
So dear sister Found in Him, I don't think that enjoyment of the LORD is dependent on a commensurate "de-emphasis" of the fear of the LORD. On the contrary, the HEALTHY CHRISTIAN understands THAT THE LORD HAS BOTH ASPECTS in counter-balancing measure.
love, Eden
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Found in Him
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There appears to be a growing trend among evangelicals that Christians are to "enjoy" God while, at the same time, there is a de-emphasis on fearing God. Also, there are many Scripture references that speak of joy in the Lord, but these should not be equated with enjoying God because they are not the same. For example, getting saved gives us great joy (Matt. 13:20,44; Acts 16:34; 1 Pet. 1:8). Jesus is a joy and delight and caused many to rejoice at his birth (Lk. 1:14; 2:10), and He wants joy for us (Jn. 15:11; 17:13). Part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy (Gal. 5:22). Jesus risen from the dead caused joy (Lk. 24:41,52). Paul spoke of the kingdom of God being a matter of joy (Rom. 14:17), and he wanted joy for the Philippians (1:25-26). By the way, how often do you hear anyone preach, as Jesus did, that you should leap for joy at persecution (Lk. 6:23) or as James did, to consider it pure joy when we face trials (1:2)?
The above verses are very encouraging but, again, they do not prove we are to "enjoy" God! On the other hand, there are dozens of verses throughout the Scriptures which speak of the important command to FEAR the Lord.
To understand fear from a Biblical perspective, consider that the same word as used in Matt. 10:28 for being afraid of God is also used in a negative sense in that same verse as not to fear those who kill our bodies. In other words, the emotion we aren't to have in a dangerous situation where we may be killed, we are to have towards God! Please remember this definition as you proceed. Also, since there are so many verses which speak of the fear of the Lord, we will cite only a few.
Jesus said, "Yes, I tell you, fear him"
Similar to Matt. 10:28, Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him" (Lk. 12:4,5). Jesus goes on several verses later to warn the disciples not to disown him so that they would not be disowned before the angels of God. So, no matter what would happen, even persecution to death, they were commanded to fear God more than anything man could do. Man can only kill your body, but God alone can have your eternal soul thrown into hell! Simultaneously, Jesus told them not to be afraid because they were worth more than many sparrows.
Also, Jesus told the Smyrna church not to be afraid of the imprisonment and persecution they were about to suffer. If they were faithful even to the point of death, they would receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). We should conclude from these passages that we are to fear God and His power to condemn us, but not to fear dying for the cause of the Lord. Remember, "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps. 116:15).
Notice how Paul told the Romans not to be arrogant, but to be afraid because God might not spare them from being cut out of the root (11:17-23). The opposite, then, of fear must be arrogance! He also told the Philippians not to be frightened in any way by those who would oppose them. This was a sign to them that they would be destroyed and the Christians saved because they didn't give way to fear in persecution (1:28). Here again, we see we are not to fear physical harm! This is also clear from Heb. 13:6, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (He quoted Ps. 118:6,7.)
"He is the one you are to dread"
God warned the great prophet Isaiah not to follow the ways of the evil people of his day (8:11). God also told him not to fear what they fear or dread it. "The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread" (8:12,13). Can we excuse this as only for Old Testament times? God immediately goes on to say in the next verse that He will be a sanctuary, but for Israel, "a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall" (8:14). Peter repeats these truths in 1 Pet. 2:8 and 3:14. So the Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostle Peter, felt these passages were relevant for the Christians to whom he was writing. Shouldn't they be relevant for us today as well? Read also that he told the believers to live their lives in reverent fear (1 Pet. 1:17) and to fear God (1 Pet. 2:17).
The early church lived in the fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31). Are we like them today? Fear seized those in Ephesus after they heard that the demon possessed man beat the seven sons of Sceva bloody. But this caused the name of the Lord Jesus to be held in high honor (Acts 19:17)!
In Acts 5, we find Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit, and falling down dead as a result. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events (5:11). This occurred under the new grace covenant, our covenant with God. So if you think you can live any way you please because of grace without incurring severe consequences, remember what happened to them!
Korah, Dathan and Abiram became insolent and rose up to oppose Moses and Aaron (Num. 16). The next day the earth swallowed them, their wives and children, and all their possessions (v. 31:32). They went down alive into the grave (v. 33). They sinned at the cost of their lives (v. 38). God has the power to easily kill us, if He wants to!
Someone might mention 1 Jn. 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." However, can we ignore all the clear Scriptural warnings about fearing God because of this verse? No, we must understand it as it allows for all the evidence dealing with the fear of God. A quick look at verse 17 shows that we can have confidence on the day of judgment if we are like Him in this world. We will not face the judgment the world faces. A good example of perfect love could be Stephen, the martyr of Acts chapter 7. He had no fear of dying. Nor was he afraid to testify about the Lord to the evil religious leaders of his day. He held no animosity toward those who were stoning him to death, but asked the Lord to forgive them! Wow, what love. Lk. 1:74,75 read, "[God] enables us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."
What about Jesus telling the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled and not to be afraid in Jn. 14:27? If you read the chapter, you will see that Jesus was comforting them about His own death. However, in the next chapter, He warns them to produce fruit so as not to be cut off the true vine by the Father. Then he speaks of remaining in Him eleven times in the first ten verses of chapter 15! So he was not saying that they need not fear God, but that His children need not fear death! Remember that the servant in Lk. 19:21 and Matt. 25:25 was unjustified for claiming that his fear kept him from serving God and was condemned! Therefore, don't let fear of failure or people stop you from serving and obeying God!
Paul wrote the Romans about the depravity of man in 3:10-18 and included a lack of the fear of God in his description (v.18). Should we be like depraved men? In Rom. 8:15, he tells us we did not receive a spirit that makes us a slave again to fear, but he's referring to suffering for Christ's sake (v.17) or death, as exemplified in Heb. 2:15: "and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." Remember that Paul, the grace teacher, wrote to the Corinthians that he knew what it was to fear the Lord (2 Cor. 5:11). He counseled the Ephesian slaves to obey their masters with respect and fear just as they would the Lord (6:5). The Philippians were to work out their salvation with fear and trembling (2:12). Ps. 2:11 also speaks of serving the Lord with fear and rejoicing with trembling.
Take a moment to reflect on these Old Testament passages about the desirable things that come to those who fear God:
* The Lord confides in those who fear him (Ps. 25:14);
* God's great goodness is stored up for those who fear Him (Ps. 31:19);
* His eyes are on those who fear him (Ps. 33:18);
* The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and He delivers them (Ps. 34:7);
* His saints are to fear Him—those who fear Him lack nothing (Ps. 34:9);
* Salvation is near those who fear God (Ps. 85:9);
* God has love for those who fear him as high as the heavens are above the earth (Ps. 103:11);
* His love is with those who fear him (Ps. 103:17);
* The Lord has compassion on those who fear him (Ps. 103:13);
* God provides food for those who fear him (Ps. 111:5);
* He will bless those who fear him (Ps. 115:13);
* God fulfills the desires of those who fear him; He hears their cry and saves them (Ps. 145:19);
* He delights in those who fear him (Ps. 147:11);
* His mercy extends to those who fear Him (Lk. 1:50).
* The fear of God adds length to life (Pr. 10:27), is a fountain of life (Pr. 14:27), leads to life (Pr. 19:23), and brings wealth, honor and life when coupled with humility (Pr. 22:4);
* The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pr. 9:10; Mic. 6:9) and knowledge (Pr. 1:7), and is the key to the treasure of salvation, wisdom and knowledge (Is. 33:6);
* Etc., etc., etc.
Nowhere in Scripture are these promises extended to those who enjoy God!
To fear God is to hate evil (Pr. 8:13) and avoid evil (Pr. 16:6). There is no fear of God before the eyes of the sinful wicked (Ps. 36:1). Those with an undivided heart fear his name (Ps. 86:11). Rightfully so, since great fear is due him (Ps. 90:11)! God said through the prophet Jeremiah that we should fear Him and tremble in His presence because He made a boundary for the sea and gives autumn and spring rains in season (5:21-24). We have a direct command from God to fear him in Lev. 19:14; 25:17,36,43. God longed for his people to fear him so that it might go well with them forever (Deut. 5:28-6:2). God inspires us to fear him for our own good so we will not turn away from him (Jer. 32:39-40). Moses said God came to test the people so that the fear of God would be with them to keep them from sinning (Ex. 20:20).
Noah is in the faith chapter as one who built the ark in holy fear (Heb. 11:7). Moses trembled at the terrifying sight of the burning mountain of God (Heb. 12:18-21). God was the Fear of Isaac (Gen. 31:42). Job feared God and shunned evil (1:8) and God called him blameless and upright. The godly writer of Ps. 119:120 had flesh that trembled in fear of God. Whoever wrote Ps. 33 said, "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him (v.8, NKJV). Asaph in Ps. 76 said God alone was to be feared (v.7). Ethan declared God is greatly feared in the council of the holy ones (Ps. 89:7). Shouldn't we fear God as these righteous men did?
"Fear God and give him glory"
Lastly, please notice what John recorded as the eternal gospel: "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water" (Rev. 14:6,7). Remember, those who are victorious over the beast will sing of the fear of God (Rev. 15:4). The small and great who fear Him will praise Him (Rev. 19:5). The Lord Almighty said, "I am a great king and my name is to be feared among the nations" (Mal. 1:14). The ones who fear Him and honor His name will be God's and part of His treasured possession (Mal. 3:16-17). The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever (Ps. 19:9). You who fear the Lord, praise him (Ps. 22:23).
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
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