Are Christians to Fear God? [podcast]

FEARING THE LORD is a DIVINE COMMAND AND A DAILY CHOICE

“For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:” Proverbs 1:29

God commands all men to fear Him. Any person who claims he just wants to love God and not fear Him, is exposed as a rebel – someone who is lawless, doing things on their own terms. “Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire” is what’s coming their way! (Matthew 25:41)

May God instill in the depth of our being His holy fear – that we might love and know and seek our LORD all the days of our lives.

It is GOD Himself who puts His fear in our hearts. Read these verses below closely and pray that the LORD will instill His fear deep in your being.

Jeremiah 32:39-40
“And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I WILL PUT MY FEAR IN THEIR HEARTS, that they shall not depart from me.” 

Is Fearing God Only for the Lost?

Are Christians to fear God? What does “fear” mean? What does it mean to “fear God”? What does the Bible say?

Are Christians to fear God? Is there freedom from fearing judgment? Are there benefits to walking in the fear of the LORD?

“Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” Acts 9:31

God blessings are conditional and He will only bless, make whole, heal those who truly fear Him.

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” Psalms 103:11

“The Sun of Righteousness” who is Jesus Christ, “light of the world,” arises to bless His own! (John 8:12)

The case of Matthew 10: In this chapter, Jesus is exclusively speaking to His very own disciples. (are you His disciple?):

Matthew 10:24,28 “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord…And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

What could be clearer?

In Luke 12:1,4,5 the Son of God forewarned us: “…he began to say unto his disciples (not the lost) first of all…And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”

Notice here that Jesus “forewarned” His very own “disciples” and “friends” that it was possible for them to be “killed” by the heavenly Father and “cast into hell” if they feared men more than God. Where does that leave OSAS (once saved always saved)?

MOST Christians have been weakened in their resolve via Satan’s first lie which is peddled today under the clichés of OSAS (once saved always saved or eternal security). This unconditional security heresy removes the holy fear of God from the hearts of those who allow it and lowers their guard, always leading to sin. This is EXACTLY what happened to Adam and Eve when this doctrine of devils was introduced to them (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

“Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.” Proverbs 23:17

Let me stop here and ask you to examine whether or not you truly believe the Bible. The question is not whether or not you say you believe the Bible, but do you really believe it is God’s inspired Word and final authority? If you can at this point still deny that ALL people, whether they have been saved in the past or not, have a responsibility to live holy before God and fear Him, then it is clear that you do not believe the Bible. Or, more plainly, you are simply calling God, your Judge, a liar.

Consider what He says about being possessed by the holy fear of the LORD:

Psalms 2:11 “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”

Joshua 24:14 “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.”

“God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” Psalms 89:7

“Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” Isaiah 8:13

Here in the following text, Romans chapter 11, Paul is talking to the Gentile Christians about their position with God and using the originally chosen Jews as an example.

“Thou (Gentile believers) wilt say (boastfully) then, The branches (Jews) were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches (the Jews), take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:19-22

What does the word “fear” mean?

What does it mean to “fear God”?

Here is Romans 11, PHOBEO is the Greek word for “fear.” According to the Strong’s Concordance, this Greek word PHOBEO means “to frighten, to be alarmed; to be in awe of, revere (+sore): afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.” YET, much more important than any Hebrew or Greek study, is simply what is conveyed through God’s Word in our own language. After reading the follow verse again, there should be no doubt at all as to what it means to “fear God.”

“Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” Isaiah 8:13

A life that is not holy unto the Lord is clear proof that we do not fear (not afraid of, not in awe of) God.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Those Who Fear God Fear No Man

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? ³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:31-34

There’s Freedom in Fearing God – No Fear of Judgment as we Abide/Serve Him

Because of the One who is the “advocate with the Father,” Jesus Christ the righteous, those in Christ have “boldness (full confidence, assurance) in the day of judgment.” (1 John 2:1-2; 4:17)

“That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. ” Luke 1:74-75

The key words in this blessed passage are “serve … holiness and righteousness.” These are the conditions for being able to serve the LORD with no fear of future judgment as far as damnation. Though we are to fear God, God’s Word also tells us that Jesus came so that we can “serve him without fear.” (Luke 1:74) How do we synthesize or assimilate this with the whole counsel of God’s Word? It’s simple: As long as we are serving the LORD, that is, abiding in Christ (John 15:1-6), then we need not fear His judgment because we are “hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-4)

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18

All fear is cast out of the hearts of those who dwell with the LORD in His love.We are instructed to “keep” ourselves in that love as we look for His “abundant mercy” at the soon return of Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 4:16-18; Jude 21)

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” Psalms 31:19

Those who abide intimate in Christ have the full assurance of hope and joy in believing that they will see the goodness of the LORD for all eternity!

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ²⁶ And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: ²⁷ Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” Job 19:25-27

ALL who truly fear God are instilling the fear of the LORD in others. The reason that lame hireling you sit under isn’t invoking the fear of God in you is because he has no fear of God himself but is rather building his own castle in the sand at your expense.

Rejoice with Trembling (audio)

Are you born again? Find out more here.

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