Fear God
What is it to fear GOD? Is it to fear HIM because you see HIM as one who sits in Heaven waiting to hit you with a big stick if you do wrong, or is it something else?
At the outset here we need to make one very big statement regarding this matter. GOD does not want to hit us with a big stick, but HE does want to hit us with his gentle, loving, yet correcting word. And HE does it always, in LOVE.
Throughout the Bible we see at least two different types of fearing GOD mentioned, first there is the type referred to above, that is, that big stick kind of fear, but there is also another, more important kind of fearing GOD, one that we really need to understand if we are to progress onward and upward in GOD, through CHRIST JESUS.
BIG STICK FEAR. We see an example of this kind of mentality (and Fear) in Luke 23:40 (LITV) “But answering, the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, for you are in the same judgment”? Here one of the two thieves who were upon the Crosses near JESUS rebukes the other thief because he was trying to put JESUS down. Here is the full story as written, "Luk 23:39 And one of the criminals which were hanging nearby railed on him, saying, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom". Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise".
From the reading of these verses it is assumed that the one thief was saying to the other thief, "beware of what you say, we deserve our punishment, HE doesn't". This is brought out by the fact that the one we can call "The righteous Thief" (Simply because of his actions on the Cross that day) recognised and confessed that JESUS was the Son of GOD, he recognised that this was the Messiah hanging beside him that day. This is evident by the fact that he called JESUS LORD, and he asked HIM to remember him when HE (JESUS) got to Paradise. This thief didn't expect that he would get to Paradise, but he certainly knew that JESUS would.
This recognition and the rebuking of the Blaspheming thief was the act of Righteousness that got him into Heaven that day. This was his Reverential Fear as compared to the "big Stick" fear of the other thief. This fear is one that we see mentioned in Romans 3:18. Romans 3:18 (LITV) there is no fear of God before their eyes. This makes up the type of fear that one should have when considering the consequences of GOD being a JUST GOD. Which leads us into the next type of Fear of GOD.
REVERENTIAL FEAR. In Romans 3:9-20 we see where the Apostle Paul is talking about those who are not walking with GOD, he is referring to those who have rejected GOD. In these verses Paul explains that no-one is born without being born into sin. He quotes (Psalm 14:3) where it says, "There is not a righteous one, not even one!" In that Psalm it refers to "none doing good, no not one". Whereas in Romans 3:11 Paul adds the truth "There is not one understanding; there is not one seeking God." Here Paul is referencing Psalm 53:2 where the Psalmist writes "GOD looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek GOD". It appears that Paul is making a very clear link here between "seeking GOD to gain understanding of GOD", and "being Righteous". This seeking GOD is the type of Reverential Fear that we are looking at in this study.
With this in mind let us take a further look at what reverential fear is. In Revelation 14:7 we see another example of Reverential Fear. This time it comes out of the mouth of an Angel of GOD, one who will be sent to this Earth after all those who worship GOD through HIS SON JESUS have been taken out of this world. GOD will send this Angel to come to witness to those who are left here, when the HOLY SPIRIT and all of us Christians are removed from this Earth. We will be taken up to meet with CHRIST JESUS in the clouds and then onto the Wedding of the Bride of CHRIST, to the SON of GOD.
Because all Christians have been taken out there will be no-one left on this planet to witness to the remnant, therefore GOD will send a trustworthy Angel to witness to all of the Earth. But take a look at what this Angel will be telling them. "Revelation 14:7 KJV Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters". In this we see that Fearing GOD is giving Glory to HIM, also we see that it is worshipping HIM.
Reverential Fear of GOD is our way of telling GOD we Respect HIM and Honour HIM. It is accepting all that HE has done for us. This truth is brought out very clearly in the verse immediately above. The Angel is not giving those who are the remnant the Gospel to save them, but, so that they will fear GOD. He is telling them what GOD was able to do in the beginning, but more importantly, all that they have to do is look and see what HE has done and accept it was HE that has done these things. In that verse the Angel of GOD puts down all of the Evolutionists and all they believe in. He clearly tells them that it was GOD who made the Heavens and the Earth, the sea and the fountains of waters. This Angel is telling them about Genesis chapter one, verse one. "In the beginning, GOD made the Heavens and the Earth". If we may paraphrase what the Angel of GOD is saying to all of the Earth it would be something like this, "Give Glory to GOD for what HE has done, don't give that Glory to a big bang Theory”.
Let us look at another example of fearing GOD, this one verges somewhere in between the big stick kind and the Reverential type of fearing GOD. This kind is a biblical kind of fearing GOD in so much as it is found in the Bible, however, it is something that a Faith – filled Christian needs to be aware of yet need not fear. A wise person once said that "The worst kind of fear is the fear of fear itself". When we have an understanding of the Word of GOD then that fear of fear should not apply to us.
So, with that in mind, let's look at what the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:21 (LITV), “having been subject to one another in the fear of God". This is found in the passage of verses that come under the heading of "Walk in Love".
An interesting thing about this verse is the definition of the word fear that is used here by Paul. It is the word " Phobos " pronounced "fob'-os", from the primary word "phebomai", which means "(to be put in fear); alarm or fright: - be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror". This is the root word where we get our word "Phobia" from.
One gets the feeling Paul is trying to tell those fellow Christians (and us) that we are to walk IN LOVE. With the sure and certain knowledge that if we don't, then we certainly need to be afraid of the consequences of that decision, not to be Loving and submissive towards one another.
GOD is LOVE, HE doesn't just Love someone or something, rather, HE IS LOVE ITSELF. HE is the founder and the foundation of all LOVE. It emanates out of every part of HIS being and is the basis of everything that HE does and thinks. Therefore, LOVE is what GOD expects to be the foundation of our being.
HE expects we too will walk always in the kind of LOVE that HE has and is.
When the Apostle Paul wrote those words found in the LOVE passages of Ephesians chapter three, he was showing all who would eventually read his words that LOVE is the key to unlocking the full potential of GOD.
When we walk in the Love of GOD then we walk in the fear of GOD.
As stated earlier in the writing, GOD is LOVE, when HE created the Heavens and the Earth, HE did it in Love and because of HIS Love. When HE created Mankind, HE did it in Love and because of HIS Love for us.
Can you imagine what it would be like for us if we had the ability to create someone, (Parents have a limited ability to do just that). But what if after all of the plans and preparations are made for that created one, it happens that they actually turn on the very ones who created them. As parents today many of us can relate very much to that.
But what about GOD? In HIS perfect Love HE created Mankind, yet Mankind eventually rejected GOD, so HE sent HIS SON, but Mankind rejected HIM too. Fortunately, not all of Mankind rejected THEM though. What pain there must be in GOD's heart, to see HIS beloved Children walking in ways that are not only displeasing to HIM, but also displeasing to each other as well.
If mankind rejects the ONLY Begotten SON of GOD then they are bound for the Lake of Fire, but what will happen to those who knowingly reject all of the other Children of GOD? To do that is called HATE. And when we do not walk in LOVE with each other, then we are not walking in GOD's LOVE.
Therefore, if we do not walk in GOD's Love towards each other, then we had better fear GOD in the manner that the Apostle Paul warns us about in today's message.
GO IN PEACE AND LOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Don Phillips