The Fear of the Lord 

     I once heard Billy Graham say that as he has grown older, he has become more and more aware of the brevity of life.  He understands that life is brief, even when lived to it fullest.  The average lifespan is around 70 years but it is just a mere speck in terms of infinity.  We are alive here on this earth for a mere breath of time and then it is over.   

     Billy Graham did what many pastors in this day and time fail to do.  He not only taught of God's love, which most pastors still do today, but he also preached of God's wrath upon a sinful world.  He preached that we are all sinners and we have all fallen short of the glory of God.  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  The Bible says that There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God (Romans 3:10-11).  These next verses describe our world in a nutshell ... there is none that doeth good, no, not one.  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known (Romans 3:12-17).  Verse 18 sums up the whole problem - There is no fear of God before their eyes. 

     Where there is no fear there is no respect of persons.  If there is no fear of punishment then anything goes in the minds of men.  In years past, children learned a deep respect for their parents through punishment and the fear of punishment.  Very many children in this day and time have never learned this from their parents.  They therefore respect nothing and no one.  They have no regard for rules and tend to blame everything and everyone else for their mistakes.  What people need to realize is, there is someone that still needs to be feared.  There is someone that we really need to be terrified of.  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 (Luke 12:4-5).

     Sin will not be able to abide in Heaven.  No sinner will enter Heaven.  That should be a fearful thing.  We have all, at one time or another, broken the Laws of God.  We have lied, therefore, we are liars.  We have stolen, therefore, we are thieves.  We have blasphemed the name of God by using it as a curse word.  We have hated and hatred in the eyes of God is nothing less than murder.  We have lusted which God says is the same as adultery.  We have coveted or desired what is not ours.  We have all disrespected our parents at one time or another.  We are all guilty of breaking the Laws of God.  We are all under His wrath.  Don't deceive yourselves into thinking that "your" God would never condemn anyone to Hell.  Don't make up a God in your own mind that is someone different than the one in the Bible.  That is idolatry.  The real God of the Bible says, Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  The Bible is clear throughout the scriptures; all who are found guilty of sin are condemned already to Hell.  John 3:18 says that ...he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  However the first part of the verse says that He that believeth on him is not condemned.  The Bible says that we are the liars, we are the thieves, we are the adulterers, we are the fornicators, we are the condemned, yet we can all be saved from His wrath.  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 

     The God of the Bible says, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36).  People continually ask, "How can a good God condemn to Hell good and honest people or those who haven't gone to church and learned of this Jesus?"  Remember, from above, that all have sinned and have come short of the Glory of God.  No one possesses the righteousness or rightness that it takes to enter into Heaven.  We need to be as Holy as God Himself in order to enter His Kingdom.  Yet, we have learned through reading the scriptures that no one is guiltless.  In all sincerity, we all need to be afraid - terrified of falling into the hands of the living God.  Every sinner will, whether they like it or not, stand before God as their judge and Hell will be their reward.  So, again you might ask, "How can this God be a good God?"

     The love of God knows no boundaries.  He knew, even before He created mankind that He would one day need to actually die in order to save us.  Why did this not stop Him from creating us in the first place?  It was His love for us.  He said that Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).  He laid down His life, this perfect righteous God who knew no sin of His own - for us.  We committed the crimes and He took the punishment in our places.  We deserved the beatings - not Him.  We deserved the death sentence - not Him.  He chose to willingly die on that cross.  He chose to somehow transfer all of our guilt and punishment to His own self.  He died a horrific death in our places.  What does He ask in return?  We are to wholly place our trust in Him in every way.  We are to believe in Him.  We are to be so grateful for His sacrifice for us that we repent of our sins.  We are to actually turn away from what He calls unholy and strive to be Holy.  Yes, only a truly good and infinitely loving God would have gone to these extremes to save a sinful wretch as me.

     Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13-14).  Once a person becomes a believer, he is then indwelled by the Holy Spirit - the third part of God's Trinity.  The Bible warns us not to grieve the Holy Spirit.  We need to pay attention to Him.  We need to strive to walk where He walks, to follow Him wherever He leads.  When He speaks, we need to listen.  He will guide us on the straight and narrow path that leads to Eternity in Heaven.  We can never on our own be Holy enough to enter into Heaven, but by believing in Jesus' great sacrifice for us, we can be covered by His Holiness and can therefore enter into Heaven under His very own umbrella of righteousness.  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:5-7). 

     There are, unfortunately, going to be very many people who think they are saved when really, they are not.  They have not actually repented of their sins and committed their lives to God.  They say all of the right words.  They even know some scripture, yet they are actually stony ground hearers.  They have no roots in Christ.  They are superficial believers.  Churches are filled with both Wheat and Tares as Jesus described in the book of Matthew:    

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;  but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.  But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.  So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’  But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn (Matthew 13:24-30).

     Many people in our very own churches who profess to be saved are, in fact, the tares as described in the scripture above.  Many may seem to have a real zeal for God but in fact they are rebellious sinners and God's wrath still abides upon them.  They are ignorant of God's righteousness and have chosen a life or secret life of sin over the saving Grace of Jesus' sacrifice.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10: 2-4).

     Be not deceived as the Bible states, get to know God for who He really is and have faith that His Word is true.  How do we know God?  There is only one way that we can escape creating a false god in our own minds; a god that acts the way we think he ought to; a god that lets everyone go to heaven; a god that lets some sin slide by unnoticed.  We must get to know the real God by reading His very own words in the Bible.  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).  Many neglect reading and studying God's very own words.  Therefore, these people really don't know Him.  They then make up a god in their own minds that is very different from the living God of the Bible.  Unfortunately, believing in a false god of the mind will not save them in the end.  They are some of the tares living among us.  When life ends, they will be like someone who stands at the door and knocks and the master of the house says depart from me, I never knew you.  Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.  But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out (Luke 13:24-28).  What a fearful thing to imagine, being told by God to depart from His presence.  Yet, many will one day hear those very words.

     Therefore, knowing the wrath of God abides upon a sinful mankind, diligently and deliberately prepare to meet God one day, not as your judge, but as your savior.  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13).

     Remember, life is short and Hell is real.  Get to know the real living God by reading His Word.  Live your life respectfully according to His Word knowing what He has saved you from and the price He paid for your souls.  Trust Him that His ways are just and true.  Let Him lead you down the straight road, holding fast to His hand never to stray from His side and by His righteousness He will lead you into His Kingdom. 

© 2015 G. R. Workman  

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