obedience Archives - Page 2 of 2

God Deserves our Fear

July 27, 2011 by ScriptureDig Leave a Comment

Picture with me for a moment the scene in the desert of Sinai when God descended on the mountain top and revealed Himself to the children of Israel. (If you have time read Exodus 19.)

Before God’s visit, Moses warned the people not to touch or even approach the mountain or they would die. When God arrived, a dense cloud enveloped the peak. Fire and smoke billowed upward almost blocking the sun. The ground shook violently. Thunder pounded. Lightening streaked across the sky. God’s holy presence so frightened the Israelites they begged Moses to be their mediator with God. They promised to listen and obey everything Moses passed along. (See Deut 5:23-27.)

Obedience was the exact thing God wanted from them. He revealed Himself to them for that very purpose:

Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai,where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’ Deut 4:10, NLT

Israel responded in fearful obedience to the holiness of God. In his book, The Holiness of God, the great theologian R.C. Sproul says the word “holy” can be used as a synonym for God’s divine nature. “When the word holy is applied to God, it does not signify one single attribute. On the contrary, God is called holy in a general sense… holy calls attention to all that God is.”

It was God’s holiness revealed (His glory) that caused the Israelites to fear Him. God’s very nature is the basis for godly fear. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament refers to the holiness of God as “totally good and entirely without evil… By definition, holiness is separate from all that is sinful and profane.” Because God is holy, He is “above the weaknesses and imperfections of mortals.” This truth is expressed in First John: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all” 1 John 1:5b, NIV.

The holiness of God is the essence of His being. All the things we consider the attributes of God – like love, mercy, faithfulness, and righteousness – are expressions of His holy nature. God is good because He is holy. God is gracious because He is holy. And God is just because He is holy.

We should fear God because He is holy. Our holy God deserves our highest reference, awe, respect, honor, and obedience! God wants us to fear Him so we will obey Him. When we obey God we will be right in the center of His will for us. And the center of His will is always what’s best for us!

“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” Deut 5:29, NIV

Tomorrow we will see how godly fear operates in the life of a believer who has gained access to our holy God through the blood of Christ.

How could contemplating God’s holiness expand your view of Him?

We are Commanded to Fear God

July 26, 2011 by ScriptureDig 2 Comments

I came across a list on the internet of more than 500 phobias, indexed alphabetically. Some, like pteronophobia (the fear of being tickled by feathers) are rare and unusual. Then there are others, like atomosophobia (the fear of atomoic explosions), I think we should all have.

By definition, phobias are abnormal fears. But the Bible teaches it is normal for believers to fear God. In fact, God promises some incredible things to those who do. And when we do, we don’t have to fear anything else!

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:4-7, NIV

Isn’t it ironic that the one fear the Bible consistently encourages us to have is one we sorely lack?

Here are just a few of the passages in the Bible that command us to fear God and depict godly fear as the correct, positive attitude towards God.

The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. Ps 25:14, NIV
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Ps 110:10a, NIV
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. Ps 112:1, NIV
He who fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. Prov 14:26, NIV
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 1 Peter 1:17, NIV

I could list many more, but these few show that God does indeed expect His children to fear Him. And if you missed the promises in these verses, go back and look again!

Here is the definition (from the Online Bible Greek and Hebrew Lexicon) for the Hebrew word, yare’, that is translated as “fear” in these passages:

To fear, be afraid; to stand in awe of, be awed; to fear, reverence, honor, respect

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words elaborates on the meaning of yare’. “Used of a person in an exalted position, [yare’] connotes ‘standing in awe.’ This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect.”

The Bible often equates the fear of God with living rightly and obediently before Him. (See Deut 4:9-14, 5:22-29, 10:12-13 for examples.) In fact, as you read through the Bible you will see that the fear of God and obeying Him are almost synonymous ideas.

In his book, The Joy of Fearing God, Jerry Bridges states that people who continue to live in sin and stubbornly refuse to obey God apparently have no fear of God or His discipline. “Anytime we sin with the thought lurking in the back of our minds that God will forgive us, we aren’t living in the fear of God.” I know I have been guilty of trying to take advantage of God’s grace in this way.

The proper fear of God is based on who He is. Based on my study and observation, I believe the primary reason we fail to fear God as we should is because our view of God is limited. Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at God’s holy nature and expand our view of God!

Have you ever been guilty of “taking advantage of God’s grace?”

Do You Fear God?

July 25, 2011 by ScriptureDig 4 Comments

Do you fear God? That’s not an easy question to answer for most Christians. If you’ve spent any time reading the Bible you know that it is full of passages that tells us we should “fear God.” But you’ve also read about God’s love, kindness, mercy, and grace. So why should believers fear the One who has forgiven our sins, indwells us with His Spirit, and daily pours His grace into our lives? And what should godly fear look like in our lives?

Today through Thursday we will explore the answers to those questions. We will define “godly fear” and see how that attitude should affect our relationship with God. Here are a few of the misguided understandings of godly fear I’ve seen:

Some Christians don’t believe we should fear God. Because the word “fear” has a negative connotation for many of us, we focus primarily on the truth that God is loving, merciful, and gracious. We take 1 John 4:18 out of context and argue against the need to fear God by quoting “perfect love drives out fear.” (In context, this passage is talking about the fear of God’s judgment.)
Others of us agree that God should be feared, but we have a watered-down understanding of what “fear” means. We rely on that old explanation I heard numerous times as a girl: “To fear God means that we should respect Him and be in awe of Him.” While that is partly true, in our contemporary society our “respect” and “awe” is usually far less than God expects or deserves.
Then there are others who have kept their distance from God because of His “fearsome” characteristics. They recognize His holiness, righteousness, and justice and are afraid to draw near. Some don’t understand His grace and others refuse to repent and receive it.

I began to study what it means to fear God about ten years ago. I was teaching new believers who had been told that “God is love.” When they began to read the Bible they saw passage after passage depicting the fear of God as a positive attitude believers should have. They asked me what it meant. I gave them the answer I had always been given, but the Holy Spirit kept whispering to me that there was more to it than that! My 9-week Bible study “Before His Throne: Discovering the Wonder of Intimacy with a Holy God,” was the result of my study.

I know we haven’t really answered any questions today. I simply wanted to set the stage! But here are a few truths about godly fear to whet your appetite for the rest of the week:

When we fear God we don’t have to fear anything else!
Proper godly fear will draw us closer to God, not push us away.
When we fear God, we will find joy and intimacy in our relationship with Him.

Tomorrow we will look at some Bible passages that teach us that the fear of God is not only the right attitude towards Him, but is also a positive, life-changing attitude. Wednesday, we will see why God deserves our fear. Thursday, we will discover a few of the blessings of a “fearful” life.

What are some of the things you’ve heard about what it means to “fear God?” Does your church teach that you should “fear God?”

Coming to the Knock

April 26, 2011 by ScriptureDig 5 Comments

This year, as I prepare for Mother’s Day, my parent:child relationships look different. My youngest is taller than I am. My oldest drives herself to school. My mom just brought her mother home from a nursing home. I bought my mom a cute lanyard to hang her bifocals on. We will always be related as parents and children, yet our relationships go through God ordained seasons.

In our relationships, there’s no doubt: Knowing God and submitting to others gives us peace. Ignoring God and resisting others robs us of peace. Ephesians 6:1-4 challenges us with more ways to take our love for Christ and express it through yielding to others. The applications hit close to home, so close that those outside our front door might not know. After addressing husbands and wives last week, today children receive two specific directions.

Obey ~ The word conveys the idea of hearing a knock at the door and coming. This submissive action results from an attitude wanting to respond “in the Lord.” Children come “when they hear their parents’ knock,” because it’s a right response to the Almighty, not based on the conduct of the parent. God declares this “right,” meaning a righteous act acceptable to Him. The old Sunday School song is simple, but true: “Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe. Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily…”

Honor ~ In contrast to the submissive obedience of verse 1, children are told to “honor,” giving reverence reflecting value placed on another person. God assigns parents value in their position, and they are deserving of honor. God announces a blessing of long life for those who yield to this charge for all children. As we age, our relationship changes from obedience to honor. This attitude doesn’t hinge on the conduct of a human parent, but on the command of our holy God.

It’s not always easy to offer obedience while in childhood or honor while in adulthood. God isn’t opening the door for oppression or lack of understanding. Instead, He applies the attitude of submission to each family member. Remember that, in the context of this passage, the charge to children follows the foundation set for a husband and wife. As the core of the home, an obedient man and wife create a loving climate.

Since obedience is learned and sometimes hard won, God speaks to fathers about their role in bringing up children. Even when shaping a rebellious child, fathers are commanded not to provoke their children, frustrating or exasperating them. This may be obvious and aggressive, or it may be the result of nurturing withheld. Either way it’s born out of sin, rather than a reflection of a man’s yielded heart to His own Heavenly Father. God warns against stirring up young hearts to anger and wrath.

Instead, He wants fathers to train, instruct, and lovingly discipline their children, so their minds and morals are nurtured. When Fathers embrace their role as the loving leader in their child’s life, and when children obey and honor their parents in each season of life, God blesses families with peace.

Children: obey & honor
Fathers: don’t provoke, but bring up

Knowing God and submitting to others gives us peace. Ignoring God and resisting others robs us of peace. God is knocking and asking us all to obey His call to submit to others out of love and reverence for Him. Let’s answer His call.

In your season, how are you honoring your own parents?

If you have children, how are you helping them know God’s charge to them?