Fear God!

Throughout the history of the church, heretical views and doctrines have wormed their way into the minds and hearts of Christians.  The only defense the church has against such doctrines is the perfect, entire Word of God.  Heresies are doctrines of demons which gain strength in hearts and minds that oppose the unchanging truth of scripture.  "Heresy" is defined in the Webster's 1828 dictionary as, "A fundamental error in religion, or an error of opinion respecting some fundamental doctrine of religion...The scriptures being the standard of faith, any opinion that is repugnant to its doctrine is heresy."  The Bible is not a platform to support man's opinions or confirm his beliefs:  it is meant to shape them completely according to God's righteous standard.  Unless scripture is the sole basis for my belief, I build upon shifting sand.

In the New Testament, many of the books were written as letters to confront heresies which threatened the health and viability of the Body of Christ.  These threats persist today.  The church has been under assault by Satan since the beginning and it should not surprise us he remains relentless in his labour to distract, confuse, paralyse, and pollute the church through all means at his disposal.  At times Satan has sought to stomp out the Christians by force.  Other times he has sought to unify church with state.  Now he is most effective through worldly philosophies, watered-down truth, and subtly influencing belief through deluding the very Christians who comprise the church.  When we wander from the absolutes of the Word, error is certain.

One of the heresies I believe is especially sinister is the idea that because we are under grace, we no longer need to fear God.  God through Christ has become a friend we can cuddle up to.  The "fear of God" has been antiquated to a time when men were under the Law and were children of wrath.  This concept has no support or strength in either the Old or New Testaments.  This is by no means an exhaustive look at all the evidence, but hopefully will provide ample support to label the suggestion that we no longer need to fear God as abominable heresy.

What exactly is the "fear" of the LORD?  Though there are different words in the original languages used for fear, most have a similar range of meaning.  There are two aspects to this fear:  the first is terror and fright, and the second is reverence.  Fear can make us physically tremble with fright, and our minds can be blown with awe and amazement.  When we see a volcano erupt and the lava shoot hundreds of feet into the air, it takes our breath away.  We know that it is so hot it would kill us and wisdom demands we keep our distance.  Our heart sinks for the people we see running for cover as the flow slowly gains ground on their position.  Yet if we happened to be standing on the crater of that volcano when it blew, we would be absolutely terrified.  We would not gaze in appreciation at the eruption because if we do not do something death is certain!  It is the same thing when we look at a lion in a cage.  We can appreciate his beautiful mane, powerful muscles, and his throaty roar.  It is not terrifying to be on the safe side of the glass, yet we respect the lion's power enough to know he is not to be played with like a kitten.  Should we find ourselves on the inside of that cage without an escape, the terror of being torn limb from limb would be a reality as the teeth began to crunch our bones.

Because people struggle with the idea of God being loving but also fierce in wrath (as the Bible declares), this "fear" of God has been taken to only mean "reverence; awe" instead of the full-defintion which includes:  "afraid; terror; dread."  It is not just the unbelievers who ought to fear God.  What does Jesus say in 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."  In reference to God judging His people the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:30-31:  "For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," 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."  There is a lie that has permeated the minds of some people that they do not need to worry about judgment because Christ has taken their place as a substitute.  It is true that those who are born again will never face God's wrath or face the fires of hell.  Yet the scripture says in 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."  We ought to heed the words given in Hebrews 12:28-29:  "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire."  We are all called to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.

Allow me to hold forth three purposes we are to fear God with both trembling and reverence.  Good doctrine is profitable for the glory of God and our sanctification.  When we do not fear God as we ought, we will be deficient in three key areas in our walks.

• We must fear God to know Him.  Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Unless I fear the LORD, I cannot know God.  The fear of the LORD is the first fundamental step in knowing Him.  Jesus has become for us wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30).  It is the knowledge that God has all power, that He is righteous, and I will be judged according to His righteousness.  If I trembled when I was going to be swatted before my parents, how much more should I tremble before God!  The fear of God makes this knowledge personal.
•  The fear of God keeps us from sin.  Exodus 20:20 reads, "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."  The fear of God keeps me from disobedience, and the Holy Spirit enables us to live righteously.  When God appeared on Mount Sinai the people were terrified.  Moses told them not to run away from Him in terror, but understand His terrible appearance kept them from sin.  It was as if they were looking at a caged lion:  should they choose sin, however, He would certainly chasten them.  Who wants to be chastened by the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?
• The fear of God grants us an effective witness.  2 Corinthians 5:11 says, "Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences."  Those who fear the LORD are aware of His love, power, and that He knows all things.  We are eyewitnesses of His power to save and also His power to destroy.  Jesus has come to give us abundant life, but woe to those who reject Him!  It would be better for those who reject Him to never have been born.

This misunderstanding of the fear of the LORD has led to chronic weakness in the church in these three areas:  knowing God, avoidance of sin/righteous living, and a strong evangelistic witness.  To correct these flaws, our first step is to repent and seek God's forgiveness that we have not feared God as we should.  Do you fear God - not just with a reverence or respect, but with fear and trembling?  Do not fall for the lie that the fear of God is outdated or is unprofitable under the New Covenant.  Let us heed the command of Jesus Christ:  "Fear Him!"

Sweet and Bitter

"Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. ¹¹ And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."

Revelation 10:10-11

The Word of God is filled with sweetness.  To know that it has been written by God to reveal Himself to us is a remarkable privilege.  How humbling the thought, that God would write such a personal letter to us!  Studying the Bible is not to be limited to gathering information or refining theological doctrines:  it is all about transformation of our lives.  Unless the Word of God makes a practical difference in our lives through stripping away of falsehoods, revealing Christ, renewing our minds, and changing the way we live, it has not accomplished its purpose.

In the passage concerning John and the little book, it was not enough for him to hear it read.  He needed to consume the word and allow it to become a part of him.  He needed to chew, swallow, thoroughly digest and understand the meaning before he could accomplish the purpose God had for him:  to prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.  It is the same with us and the scriptures.  We also are to do more than read or listen to the scriptures.  We must allow God's Word to be our sustenance and choose to obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Reading God's Word without putting it into practice is like chewing food but spitting it out before we swallow.  We will miss the whole purpose for putting food in our mouths in the first place!

In John's mouth the book was sweet, but in his belly it was bitter.  Had John spat out the book, all he would have tasted was sweetness.  Yet God intended that the word that was sweet in his mouth would be bitter in his belly.  The truth of scripture is exciting and like honey for sweetness.  It is the joy of our hearts to know God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises.  Yet when we absorb the truth of scripture into our minds and hearts, we are given the responsibility to speak and live accordingly.  To our redeemed souls the Word is sweet, yet the same words are bitter to our flesh.  How the flesh hates being governed by God or anyone rather than self!  The words which bring us much comfort and assurance of salvation are sweet.  Because we know them to be true, there is also bitterness in the knowledge that some people will choose to reject the Gospel and face an eternity in hell.  It is sweet to know God speaks to us, but the flesh loathes and resists our sanctification.  With knowledge and freedom comes responsibility.

This is a good reminder that if we only find bitterness in the scripture, we are missing something.  There is sweetness to be found.  We live in a day spoken of in Isaiah 5:20-21:  "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"  We are called to rightly divide the Word of truth, not avoid passages which confront us.  God's Word is sweetness to our souls if we will believe and receive.  God entreats us with love and desire, not disgust and revulsion.  God has promised His Word will endure forever.  It is I who need to change.  If I find a passage particularly bitter to my taste, perhaps the flavour has been masked by my own prejudice, misconceptions, and unrighteous judgments.

Let us not labour only to read God's Word, but allow the scriptures to have the impact God intends in our lives.  When the Word becomes bitter in our stomach, it is a perfect time for self examination.  How has my spiritual diet been of late?  Is my life lining up with commands and doctrines of Christ?  Repentance and forgiveness can bring sweetness where there has only been bitterness and despair.  Don't be surprised if you find that truth burning within you to the point you become weary of holding it in.  Rejoice believer, for God has committed a message to share!

Accept Rejection

Today I recalled to mind a season when my wife struggled with rejection.  We had arrived in Australia on a visa which prohibited me from working but allowed her to seek employment.  She industriously submitted resumes and applications only to be disappointed by "rejection letters."  The letters of rejection did not work to encourage her to increase her efforts but instead did the opposite:  discouragement made her not even want to try.  We all know how that feels and it is not fun.  Ironically, a time came when she had submitted so many applications without a response that she began to appreciate the rejection letters because at least they responded!

I thought about how this relates to the rejection of the message of the Gospel.  When we open our mouths to share the Gospel, it is likely many of the people we encounter will not respond positively.  It is not a rejection to be taken personally but a rejection of Christ and the message of the Gospel.  Yet we have a way of taking things personally.  After the message is rejected a number of times it is possible we might feel discouraged and like all our effort is for naught.  We might even become disillusioned, wondering how everyone could be so opposed to the wonderful message of salvation.  Are we doing or saying something wrong?  Are we not truly filled with the Holy Spirit?  Maybe we should just lock ourselves in our rooms and pray that God would send someone truly useful into the field.  Cynical thoughts can fill our minds:  fields white with harvest, eh?  I've been out there and it seemed more like a barren wasteland.  I've tried but I'm a failure.  Paralysed by disappointment and our own insufficiency we begin to avoid sharing the Gospel even when opportunities arise, forgetting that it is God who brings the increase.

If I was out of a job and my family and I were starving from hunger, I would approach job hunting very differently from someone who is looking for a convenient part-time job for extra pocket money.  Rejection letters would not deter me when I know my kids are dying of hunger.  I would fill out applications, go to every stall in the mall, and no job would seem below me.  What could I do?  There would be a desperation for work that a piece of paper notifying me I did not land the job would not stop me from looking.  It is not often in our culture that we are fighting for survival.  Most of the time we are angling for convenience and better conditions.  But survival?  We hardly give survival a thought.  I honestly say for most of my Christian life my evangelistic efforts have had more in common with the man looking for a convenient second job than a man desperate for a job to feed his starving family.  It's not hard to say which man we should emulate!

That is the kind of desperation I pray God gives me for seeking and saving the lost.  If people do not hear the Gospel, they will not repent, will not be forgiven for their sins, will never trust in Christ, and will spend eternity in hell.  They will miss much more than the feast of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!  Because I am to love God and others, I must view them as more important than myself.  I am in Christ and my eternity is secure in Him.  But their eternal survival hangs in the balance!  I should view them all as my own weeping children, dying for lack of nourishment.  Should I allow rejection or even violence deter me from seeking their salvation?  Jesus gave His life so I could live.  He is the Living Bread which came down from heaven.  All who partake of Him through faith will never face death.  Though we die, yet shall we live.

Be encouraged!  Don't allow the rejection of your Saviour deter you from doing His work.  All who comes to Him in faith He will accept and embrace.  He has given us life:  let us freely share His life with others!

Certain Salvation

Have you ever read something that seems to encapsulate your thoughts and express them in a way far superior to your best effort?  I came across such a passage today in G. Campbell Morgan's sermon titled, "Christ's Knowledge of Men."  My thoughts were, "Well said!  Now I don't have to write that - not that I could have anyway!"  Allow me to share his concluding thoughts with you:

You come not merely for perfect understanding, faithful dealing, but for certain salvation.  Demonstrate to me that He cannot save you and I quit preaching.  Prove to me that your case is beyond the power of Christ and the evangel breaks down.  But you cannot prove it.  Oh that there may come to us sooner or later a great baptism of passionate honesty.  Witnesses are everywhere here, men and women who know His power; who could not, but can; who were fast bound in sin and nature's night, but who awoke as a ray of light came into the dungeon from his presence, whose chains fell off and went forth to live, serve, and follow Him.  If you will but come to Him because He knows you and let Him deal with you in all His faithfulness, you will find Him able to save you.  May God in His grace bring you to this Christ Who knows you, that He may save you.   - G. Campbell Morgan  (The Westminster Pulpit, Vol. 2, pg. 331)

I freely confess I am one of those witnesses.  I was in a prison held captive by my own sins when Jesus revealed Himself through the Word of God.  Some nuts are harder to crack than others, but when I fell upon the Chief Cornerstone Jesus Christ I was broken.  It was Jesus who forgave, cleansed, healed, and saved me.  On whomever this Cornerstone falls will be ground to power.  The knowledge that God would certainly judge me and this world according to righteousness showed me I was in serious trouble!  I am a sinner and unless I found forgiveness I was doomed.  After repenting and trusting in Christ, I was baptised with the Holy Spirit and discovered power for service.  By His grace my eyes were opened to my purpose and a new life appeared where there was once only death.  God has become the ultimate end of my life.

God knows you and every circumstance of your life.  Are you willing to trust Him?  It is only in Christ we can find certain salvation. John 6:35-37 reads, "And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out."  In Christ is abundant life for all who trust Him!