FEAR OF THE LORD
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INTRODUCTION
Fear of the Lord is becoming overlooked in an ungodly environment that is being formulated by what has been foretold in God’s Word; calling evil good and good evil; putting darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight (Isaiah 5:20-21); which justify the wicked for reward and take away the righteousness of the righteousness from him (Isaiah 5:23)!
Along with the warning; came God’s response: As the fire (tongue of fire) devours the stubble; and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and there blossom shall go up as the dust, because they have cast away the law of the Lord and despised the Word of the Holy One (Isaiah 5:24)!
Fear of the Lord
Growth of Ungodliness
There is a growth of ungodliness that has festered and is increasing on a daily basis; reflecting a lack of a fear of the Lord, as in the pre-Flood days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Babylon the hold of every foul spirit!
The Prophet Isaiah foretold of justifying the wicked and taking away the righteousness of the righteous from him (previously mentioned) (Isaiah 5:23); which is flourishing in an ungodly environment that promotes wickedness and seeks to undermine the righteousness of man! There is a lack of promulgation of the truth of God’s Word; with appeasement and tolerance rather than condemnation of sin.
There is a social gospel that is a “feel-good” religion rather than strict adherence to the Unadulterated (Pure) Word of God without compromise. There is a flotation of words to tickle the ear as foretold by Apostle Paul!
Not Endure Sound
Doctrine
Apostle Paul, in speaking to Timothy, a young evangelist: The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine (teaching); but after their own lusts (desires) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned into fables (that which is fictitious)!
We are seeing plenty of activity of this sort in many churches today; with little reproach given towards ungodly lifestyles, and in some cases even promoted! Paul did not condone such activity; rather stated: Preach the word; be instant (ready) in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).
Watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry (2 Timothy 4:5). It was noted that preaching is the God-ordained means to prevent defection from the truth; teachers who appeal to itching ears, tell people what they want to hear, not what they need to hear!
Separation rather than
Endorsement
Apostle Paul taught the concept of sanctification rather than appeasement of the flesh; a separation rather than endorsement of ungodly activities, in saying: Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion has light with darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)?
There is a lack of the fear of the Lord today because of acceptance of secular ways that push aside sanctification of the church! Paul did not encourage walking hand in hand with the world; rather, in speaking the words of the Lord, stated: Come out from among them, and be you separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:17).
There is a disengagement from the world, at the moment of conversion, as noted by Paul: If any man be in Christ (a new birth in Christ), he is a new creature (creation); old thing are passed away, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17)! It was noted that when a man comes in union with the risen and glorified Lord (Christ Jesus) he perceives Him in a new way; old things are passed away indicates a decisive break with the old life (pre-Conversion life) at the moment of salvation!
Lives Without Change
When lives are without change; feeling comfortable in one’s relationship, without a lasting commitment to Christ, and no fear of the Lord to stem the tide of the one’s former life, it may be questionable as to a genuine conversion in Christ! As previously mentioned, there is a social gospel that has evolved that fails to recognize the need for sanctification, righteousness, and holiness.
Apostle Paul noted: Put off the former conversation (conduct) of the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Paul then identified some of the characteristics of one’s pre-conversion days: Let him that stole steal no more; let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good for the use of edifying; let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice (Ephesians 4:26-32).
New Direction
At the day of my conversion; a new direction in life ensured due to the love of Christ coming into my life, along with a sincere desire to be obedient to His Word! The Apostle John wrote: He that says he abides in him (Christ) ought himself also to walk even as he walked (1 John 2:6).
John further noted a separation call from a worldly nature that previously existed, in saying: Love not the world (signifying the evil desire and sin so much part of the world). If any man love the world the love of the Father (God) is not in him. For all that is of the world, the lust (desires) of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world passes away, and the lust thereof; but he that does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17).
Future Judgment
Apostle Peter wrote of a future judgment of the ungodliness of man: Whereby the world that then was (pre-Flood days of Noah), being overflowed with water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which are now (our present day), by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against (until) the Day of Judgment and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men (2 Peter 3:6-7). Peter revealed the reason why such has yet to take place: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (destruction of the ungodly); but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
To the believer in Christ, Peter wrote: Nevertheless we, according to his (God’s) promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness; wherefore, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless (2 Peter 3:13-14). Beware less you (the believer), being led away from with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus (2 Peter 3:17-18).
Lack of Fear
Scripture reveals: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 16:6).
On the other side of the coin is the lack of fear of the Lord; it was noted that where there is no fear of God, no reverence for God; every evil can and will abound. The idea that we humans will be good without God is a deceptive fallacy. When people are devoid of the knowledge and wisdom that come from believing God and having reverence for Him, they become morally corrupt, exceedingly evil, violent and destructive.
The most dangerous society is one in which people have no sense of accountability to God, and no fear of God. Those words reflect what is happening at a time when the fear of the Lord is most needed by a society that is seeking its own pleasure; without regard to the Judgment of God!
Day of Accountability
Scripture reveals the words of the Lord spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah: O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved, How long shall your vain (wicked) thoughts lodge with you (Jeremiah 4:14)? It was noted that today such thinking can arise from many sources: absorbing immoral movies and television; carelessly surfing the Internet; listening to malicious talk; ignoring the Word of God; giving into a materialistic worldview.
Will we allow the sanctifying Scriptures and the purifying blood of Christ to cleanse our heart and mind or will we persist in sin-filled thinking and experience God's judgment? A day of accounting is coming for all people; Scripture reveals it is appointed to men once to die but after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27).
We can accept the work of redemption Christ accomplished for us and have our sins forgiven and be welcomed to a home in heaven, or we can stand before God in that great Day of Judgment and be sentenced to eternal separation from Him.
Great Tribulation
Jesus spoke of what is yet to come: There shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor every shall be (Matthew 24:21); Apostle John noted the terror of such a time: The kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, hid themselves in the dens (caves) and in the rocks of the mountains.
They said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne; and from his wrath; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand (Revelation 6:15-17)? The great day of God’s wrath is referred to as the Day of the Lord, a time of God’s judgment unleashed on the earth and its inhabitants!
God's Love Towards
Mankind
A reminder to those who presently do not hold a fear of the Lord or of His Judgment: God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (the Lord Jesus Christ), that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). He that believes on him is not condemned; but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:18).
He that believes on the Son has everlasting life; and the that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides (remains) on him (John 3:36). Today is the Day of Salvation; tomorrow may be too late!
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