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ARE CHRISTIANS TO FEAR GOD?
Or, Is That Only for the Lost?
Are Christians to fear God? What does "fear" mean? What does it mean to "fea
r God?" What does the Bible say?
Are Christians to fear God?
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)?
Let me stop here and ask you to examine whether or not you truly believe the Bible? The question is not whether or no
t 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:
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 (Gentiles) 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."
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.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "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."
todd tomasella
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