What Do You Fear?
I recently received a little book on the Fear Of God from one of my professors from Westminster Seminary. A professor Michael Reeves. It was powerful and I would like to reduce the transcript for readability.
What you fear today says much about your heart.
Are you fearful of a lack of financial security?
Which do you fear more, being sinful or uncomfortable?
Do you fear being a sinner or being exposed as a sinner before others?
What we fear reveals the state of our heart.
What about God should we fear?
1. He is all-powerful.
2. He is all-knowing, nothing is a secret for Him.
3. He is everywhere in the fullness of His Being.
4. He hates sin.
5. Yet, He will show mercy and grace to those who fear Him and turn to Christ, His Son as their Savior and Lord.
Just to name a few!
But what does the Bible say about Fear?
Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Knowledge.”
To attemp to gain knowledge apart from fearing God leads to a barren life. There is a real challenge here for those who love Theology because our studies can become exercises in being puffing up and arrogantly lording it over others.
We who love theology (Bible) need to remember there is no true knowledge of God where there is no fear of Him!
The knowledge of God obtain by the fear of God will demonstrate a genuine love for others.
When we begin to gain the true knowledge of God through Fearing Him we begin to understand ourselves.
I will never have a true knowledge of myself without fearing God.
Today, there are hundreds of popular books on self-awareness, self-help and most fall short because there is no understanding of how important it is to fear of God so we can see ourselves the way God sees us.
Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”
This wisdom is not intellectual knowledge or IQ, it’s the ability to make sound biblically, based decisions that are good for you and your family while pleasing God.
We all know highly educated people who make stupid decisions, because again, the fear of God is not an IQ, it’s the beginning of Wisdom.
The Fear of God turns your heart towards God’s three great Commandments!
1. “To love God will all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”
2. “To love your neighbor as yourself.”
3. Jesus in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you… by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Unfortunately, many churches and Christian organizations have forgotten this. The only way to restore this love is to have a biblical Fear of God!
Genuine fear leads to humility, for it recognizes that there is no elite people in the Church. No second class citizens in church, but you might say what about elders and pastors?
They are given by God to serve you, not lord over you. Unless you have a good pastor like we have At Calvary Baptist in Calvary Baptist Arvin Church!
I Peter 5:5, Clothe yourself, all of you with humility towards one another, for God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Genuine humility that comes from fearing God levels and unites churches. Too many leaders try to dominate the people instead of loving serve them.
I Peter 5:1-2, “I exhort elders (pastors) to shepherd the flock … not domineering over those in your care, but be an example… of Humility”
To summarize:
The fear of God gives us;
Knowledge of God and Self
Wisdom beyond IQ and education
God’s abundant grace
Contentment and peace
Hearts willing to obey His Commands
Humility to serve and love the people of God.
May God grant us this Fear of our Creator God so that everything we discussed will be ours!
