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." (Ac 9:31) - Note that they were "walking in the fear of the Lord"! - In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul told them: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" (Ph 2:12) - The concept of "fear and trembling" in connection with God is not a popular concept today - People prefer to hear about God's love, longsuffering and mercy - Sometimes, when we point out God's righteous indignation, holiness, and justice, people reply "My God is not like that!" - The emphasis on God's love and mercy today is probably an reaction to the "hell, fire, and brimstone" preaching of another generation - But could it be that we have gone to other extreme? - Where there is no concept of "fear and trembling" as it relates to the Christian? -Could this be why many Christians are apathetic in their service? - Could it be we have forgotten Whom we should fear if we are negligent in our service? Mt 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. -DEFINING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" - THE WORD "FEAR"... - In the Hebrew, the word is "YIR'AH" and is used in the Old Testament to describe: - fear, terror -awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear) - fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety - The Greek word is "PHOBOS", and it is used to describe: - fear, dread, terror -that which strikes terror - IN CONNECTION WITH THE "FEAR OF THE LORD", IT IS OFTEN DEFINED AS "REVERENCE" OR "AWE"... -Which is fine as far as it goes... -But I wonder if this definition truly goes far enough... - For though the terms "reverence" and "awe" imply a place for "trembling", do most people make the connection? -. THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" SHOULD INCLUDE A PLACE FOR "TREMBLING"! -. Even as Paul indicated in Ph 2:12, by combining "fear and trembling" Php 2:12 ¶ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; - The Greek word for "trembling" is "TROMOS" and means "a trembling or quaking with fear" -. Just as one would likely tremble in the presence of one who could take our life, so Jesus taught us to fear the Lord Mt 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. -. A PROPER "FEAR OF THE LORD" WOULD THEN INCLUDE... - both "reverence and awe..." -AND A trembling and quaking if one knows they have offended God and have not obtained forgiveness! Heb 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Heb 10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Heb 10:30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Heb 12:28 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. Heb 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire. - THE IMPORTANCE OF THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" -FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, WE LEARN... - The "fear of the Lord" is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7 Pr 1:7 ¶ The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge, [But] fools despise wisdom and instruction. - The "fear of the Lord" will cause one to hate evil - Pr 8:13 Pr 8:13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. -The "fear of the Lord" will prolong life - Pr 10:27 Pr 10:27 ¶ The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. - The "fear of the Lord" provides strong confidence and is a fountain of life - Pr 14:26-27 Pr 14:26 ¶ In the fear of the LORD [there is] strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. Pr 14:26 ¶ In the fear of the LORD [there is] strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. - The "fear of the Lord" prompts one to depart from evil - Pr 16:6 Pr 16:6 ¶ In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD [one] departs from evil. - The "fear of the Lord" leads to a satisfying life, and spares one from much evil - Pr 19:23 Pr 19:23 ¶ The fear of the LORD [leads] to life, And [he who has it] will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. - The "fear of the Lord" is the way to riches, honor, and life! - Pr 22:4 Pr 22:4 ¶ By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [Are] riches and honor and life. [Without the "fear of the Lord", we cannot please God Isa 66:1 ¶ Thus says the LORD: "Heaven [is] My throne, And earth [is] My footstool. Where [is] the house that you will build Me? And where [is] the place of My rest? Isa 66:2 For all those [things] My hand has made, And all those [things] exist," Says the LORD. "But on this [one] will I look: On [him who is] poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. Only the person who "trembles at His Word" has God's promise to receive His tender mercy! Ps 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD [is] from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, Ps 103:18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. But how does one develop the proper "fear of the Lord" without going to the extreme of earlier generations?] - DEVELOPING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" - THE "FEAR OF THE LORD" COMES THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD! -. Just as "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Ro 10:17), the same can be said for the "fear of the Lord"! --. Notice Deu 31:10-13, where the children of Israel were told to gather every seven years to read and hear the Word... De 31:10 And Moses commanded them, saying: "At the end of [every] seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, De 31:11 "when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. De 31:12 "Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who [is] within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, De 31:13 "and [that] their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess." - The purpose? "...that they may learn to fear the Lord"! -. As one reads the Word of God, they should gain a healthy degree of the "fear of the Lord" -. Consider the words of Paul in Ro 2:4-11 - Or how about the words of Peter in 2 Pe 3:7-14 -. THE WORD OF GOD, PROPERLY USED, WILL MAINTAIN A PROPER BALANCE... -It is important to emphasize, however, that to avoid extremes, we must read ALL of God's Word - Some read only those portions will reveal God's love and mercy, and have no "fear of the Lord" - Others emphasize the "fire, hell and brimstone" passages, and know nothing of God's everlasting lovingkindness - The one develops an attitude of permissiveness that belittles God's holiness and justice -. The other develops a psychosis of terror that forgets God's grace and compassion - Even in the passages noted above, the context of each speaks much of God's grace and forgiveness for those who will repent! -So we must be careful how we use the Word of God, but use it we must! CONCLUSION -The Psalmist said... "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) -Why do we need to "fear the Lord"? So we will be sure to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling"! - The warning is necessary, for as it is written in Hebrews: "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]." (Hebrews 4:1-2) And again... "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:11) - With the proper "fear of the Lord", we will "work out our salvation", we will "labour...to enter into that [heavenly] rest"! "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Co 7:1) Are you "perfecting holiness in the fear of God"?