Great Benefits of Fear (Part 3)
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 10:12)
Sadly, most evangelicals teach a “fearless christianity” which goes something like this: “You don’t have to ‘do anything’ to be saved just say this prayer, ask Jesus into your heart and Jesus will fill you with love, peace and joy. Now you can live your life free from all your troubles feeling good about yourself because you are saved, and God is love and the only thing now that matters is love.” To the modern world being saved is all about feeling good. But even a 5th grader would likely see the contradictory implications of saying, “you don’t have to do anything, just say and ask, which is doing something”. Most sad is these evangelicals, and their followers, who have eyes that do not see and ears that cannot hear, will never benefit from truth, doing the things that the Lord our God commanded us, which is a requirement for salvation, (Mark 8:18; 2 Thess. 2:9-12; John 12:48).
Remember that God is not a man, He does not lie or change His mind, but God is the “. . . Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Num. 23:19; James 1:17). Though it is true that we do not live under the OT law (Gal. 3:24-25; 2 Cor. 3) let us not forget that “All Scripture is breathed out by God . . .”, (2 Tim. 3:16, ESV) and the Old Testament is there for our learning (Rom. 15:4). Israel obeyed the “Law of Moses” (Josh. 23:6), and Christians must obey “the Law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21) both with fear.
There is tremendous benefit for those who know the scripture and understand the value of obedience and fear. Just a few examples that show that God wants us to fear and obey Him the most obvious “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” (Eccl. 12:13) ample proof to anyone who has eyes that see and ears that hear. More: [1] “that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged” (Deut. 6:2). [2] “Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him” (Deut. 8:6). [3] “You shall walk[a] after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him” (Deut. 13:4: see Deut. 17:19; 1 Sam. 12:14; Gen. 22:12). God wants fear and obedience with no excuse, question, or doubt. Not “faith only and nothing else”, “all that matters is love”, “I don’t get bogged down with all that scripture”, and “there is nothing you can do”.
You cannot be “approved of God”, without diligent study (2 Tim. 2:15). By knowledge of God’s word, you walk in darkness. By knowledge of God’s word, we no longer walk in darkness (Eph. 5:8) but walk in light (John 8:12). The most important benefit, only applied to children of the light, “we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). To receive the fellowship with Christ one must be devoted to God, having single-minded loyalty which is in complete contrast to “Unity Through Diversity”, careless approach taught by evangelicals.
Listen carefully, there are two promises every soul should be concerned with: Entering into His rest and not entering into His rest. (Heb. 4:1-3). [1] Not entering His rest every soul that does not fear God and obey “will go away into everlasting punishment” separated from God (Matt. 25:46; 7:21-23, 26, 27), Jesus promised He will come, “in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 2:8-9). Why will these things happen? Because people want the easy road (Matt. 7:13-14) and will follow the evangelical false teachers who promise salvation, but without substance or authority. They will end up worshipping Him in vain (Matt. 15:8-9) and God will not hear them, “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord” (Prov. 1:28-30: see 2 Thess. 2:9-12; John 17:17).
Entering His rest is the prize. Paul said, “. . . let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Entering His rest requires we cleans ourselves perfecting holiness “in the fear of God”. We enter into His rest when like Noah we “move with Godly fear” and prepare ourselves for Heaven the place Jesus prepared for all who obey Him (Heb. 11:7; John 14:1-3). Jesus will one day say to those who obeyed Him, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”, that is the righteous will enter into eternal life (Matt. 25:34, 46b). But not just eternity, but no more curse and the people of God will see the face of God (Rev. 22:3-5).
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” (John 15:14)
By fearing God’s wrath, we learn to hate sin and our love and reverence for God develops a hatred for sin leading to a godly sorrow, ceasing the practice of it (2 Cor. 7:10-11, See also Prov. 3:7, 8:13, 16:6; Exod. 20:20). Warning: All who refuse to fear God will remain in sin (Psa. 55:19; Rev. 22:11), we understand—and believe God who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” [a]says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:30-31).
The fear of God leads one to know God, honor God and have a proper respect for Him. Nehemiah said I “desire to fear Your Name” (Neh. 1:11). Unlike the pseudo-christian world that views God as a big non-judging teddy bear, the Christian will view God with the highest respect and described God as the “great and awesome God” (Neh. 1:5; 4:14). Concerning His power see (Rev. 4:11; Josh. 10:12-14; Exod. 7-14; John 20). Proper respect is given out of understanding for the word of God, all but absent in modern-Christianity. Because of that respect when Ezra opened the Book of the Law all the people stood up (Neh. 8:2, 5) and then, “Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground” (v.6). Honor and respect for God directs the hearts of the children of God to love the word not the world, to accept the word as the only source of authority, not men. It is the inspired word which came down from God’s mouth to man’s heart (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and by it we will all be judged in the last day (John 12:48).
We are to be light bearers, that we live for Christ is in us, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). To live for Him who saves us, to tell the world the truth about their sin and their need for repentance. Jesus asked, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). If you say you love Jesus, then you better know and do the things He said.
Paul said, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor 5:11), and to the saints at Philippi, “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” (Phil. 2:12)
“After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!” (Revelation. 19:1)
In Love
David Scarpino