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The Fear of the Lord (page 5)
- STUDY
INDEX
- Page 1 - Introduction; What Does it Mean?
- Page 2 - How Does it Apply to Our Lives?
- Page 3 - Fear of the Lord and the Modern Church
- Page 4 - Fear of the Lord and the Modern Church (cont'd)
- Page 5 - Conclusion
- Page 1 - Introduction; What Does it Mean?
Fear of the Lord and the Modern Church (continued)
4. There Will Be a Holiness In The Countenance of God's Servants - and It Will Be a Rebuke to Those Living in Sin.
"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" (Psalm 89:7). A holy man of God once wrote: "Surely, when the saints shall be exalted in their holiness, when every one of them shall have their hearts filled with God, it will cause abundant fear in the hearts of those who shall even talk with them." In other words, when you are full of Jesus, you automatically become a rebuke and reproof to anyone who has secret sin in his heart!
A truly godly person is a rebuke to those living in secret sin. His look is not sad - red-eyed, weeping and sorrowful - but rather is full of peace,with God shining through. It is a look of assurance that says, "All is right between God and me." This type of bright, peaceful holy countenance is piercing a beacon light of conviction to a dark and sinful world. Beloved, I tell you again with all assurance: In the last days a church is coming forth that will be full of the fear of God - and it will be the righteous fear of His goodness. And that glorious revelation of His goodness and glory will keep them from the power of the wicked one!"
In Conclusion
When the Bible says that the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (see Proverbs 1:7; Psalms 36:1-4), it means that respect and reverence for God is the foundation of our faith and morality. The nature and results of a reverential awe of God is clearly expressed in the words of Deuteronomy 10:12-13. Here, God admonishes Israel to fear Him, describing the lifestyle and attitudes such fear creates. "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?"
The person who fears the Lord and has an awareness of God's power and authority will live a godly life out of respect for Him. As the writer of Hebrews states, "Let us be thankful, and so worship god acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29).
The fear of the Lord, respect, and reverence is definitely missing from the modern church. Without it, we can never truly understand God, we can't worship Him in spirit and truth, and we lose the desire and motivation to separate ourselves from the world and to live righteously. Thank the Lord for the remnant who walks in holiness and fear, who refuses to walk after another in spiritual adultery, but remains faithful to God.
We hope you enjoyed this study and that it was a blessing to you. Please check back with us soon as we begin a new study. As always, we welcome your ideas or suggestions for Bible study topics.
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