In the Scriptures there are literally dozens of passages which teach men to
fear the Lord. We often wonder why the preaching and teaching of the word
of God falls on deaf ears. We wonder why men are not moved by the
Scriptures when they are plainly taught. However, in Romans 3:18 the answer
can be found. The inspired writer says, “There is no fear of God before
their eyes.
When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he said, “For after
that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians
1:21). But if the gospel, which is “the power of God unto salvation” falls
on deaf ears and fails to penetrate non-receptive hearts, it accomplishes
nothing; it is wasted seed.
The wise man, Solomon, states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). If one truly does fear God, he will want to know
something about Him. Jesus said, Blessed are they which do hunger and
thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
The fear of God as taught in the Scriptures means “reverential awe.” One is
to reverence the Lord for whom He is, and recognize the power and the
authority that He has. God is the creator of the universe, the maker of our
bodies, and the giver of our spirits. He has the power to condemn to
everlasting punishment or to save forever in heaven. David, who receives
credit for the book of Psalms, said, “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee;
and I am afraid of they judgments” (Psalms 119:120). Jesus said, “...Fear
him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:26). We
are told in Luke 1:50, “His mercy is on them that fear him.”
Many preachers and teachers of the gospel of Christ get discouraged and
disheartened because there are few positive results from their efforts. But
Christ and the apostles had the same problem in their day. Concerning our
Lord we are told, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John
1:11). Too, we are told by the apostle Paul, “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 4:2).
On their first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel at
Antioch in Pisidia, and because it was rejected by the Jews, they declared
to them, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been
spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy
of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). Therefore,
it did the hearers no good.
The Scriptures say, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”
(Proverbs 9:10) and “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him” (Psalms
147:11). The apostle Paul wrote to the brethren at Rome, “Be not
highminded, but fear” (Romans 11:20). The gospel fails to profit some
because they are too proud and arrogant to receive the simple gospel of
Christ. Regardless of how much gospel they hear, it makes no difference in
their attitude or conduct. They make no changes for the better. The word
of God teaches that members of the church who hear the teaching of God’s
word but do not put it into practice simply deceive themselves (James
1:22). “Dost thou not fear God?” (Luke 23:40). “O that there were such an
heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always,
that it might be well with them, and their children for ever!” (Deuteronomy
5:29).
The fear of God prompts us to treat our fellow man as we should. God’s
people were told long ago, “Ye shall not.... oppress one another; but thou
shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 25:17). Listen
to the apostle Paul as he writes to Christians at Ephesus, “Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:21). Again
Peter admonishes, “Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Honor the king?”
(1 Peter 2:17).
“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, whether it be good, or whether it be
evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14). “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the
LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). “Let all the earth fear the
Lord” (Psalms 33:8).
= = = = = = =
The greatest things of earth pertain to Christianity, the soul of a man and
its destiny. The following are a few observations on these greatest things:
1. Man’s greatest and most precious possession is his soul. It is so
valuable that Christ said if a man should gain the whole world and lose his
soul it would profit him nothing to have lived (Mark 8:36,37).
2. The greatest curse of time and eternity is sin. Sin will cause one to
lose his soul. The apostle Paul wrote, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans
6:23).
3. The greatest price ever paid is the blood of Christ. So precious it is,
that “without the shedding of blood is no remission (of sins)” (Hebrews
9:22).
4. The greatest institution ever formed is the church of the Lord. (Please
read Matthew 16:18, Acts 20:28 and Colossians 1:18, 24).
5. The greatest message ever proclaimed is the gospel of Christ – it is the
power of God to save men, (Romans 1:16).
Please share these greatest things with your friends. Tell them that the
church of Christ kindly commends these to all men everywhere. It is most
important that everyone give them due consideration.
= = = = = = =
SOME THOUGHTS ON PRAYER
One day a man was over heard maintaining an unbroken monologue for what
seemed like half an hour. In vein his companion tried to cut in with a
word now and then, but the steady flow of words continued uninterrupted.
One was reminded of the little quotation leaned in school:
I love its gentle gurgle,
Love its fluent flow;
I love to wind my mouth up,
And I love to hear it go.
All of us know how irritating it is to be the victim of this kind of
monologue, especially when we ourselves have something to say.
Did you ever wonder if that is the way God sometimes feels about our
prayers? There are some things He has said to us, but we are not
interested in what He has said just about what we want to say.
Some of us would like the words of the boy Samuel to be burned around.
So it’s not, “Speak, Lord, for they servant hears,” (1 Samuel 3:9) but
“Listen, Lord, for thy servant speaks.”
Someone put up a good sign. It read: “Don’t talk so much when you pray;
try listening.” Jesus said, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions,
as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking” (Matthew 6:7). We know that the Lord speaks to us through His
word. He even teaches us in several places, how and for what He wants us
to pray.
One thing we need to remember is that when a man prays in private that’s
his personal prayer, but when a man leads the prayer in the worship he
must not exclude any of the other worshippers by talking about his
personal needs and desires. If a man need to talk to the Lord about
himself, his forgiveness or needs, he need to do as Jesus teaches, “But
thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut
thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which
seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:9-13). However, as
you will recall, when asked to teach them to pray, Jesus taught the group
of disciples–
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it
is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever. Amen.”
He used plural pronouns, because Jesus was leading the group in prayer.
When the prayer is appropriately worded for all worshipers, all can say,
“Amen” and make it their own prayer. Note also, that the Lord taught the
need to forgive others, otherwise we will not gain God’s forgiveness. A
brother who is implacable should not lead the congregation in prayer.
We also need to pray publically and privately for those who are sick.
Our prayers are effectual with God who is all powerful and chooses to
grant or not grant what we ask. All healing is of God and not by our
prayers. We appreciate those who pray for us, but it seems to be the
height of arrogance for us to claim that another child of God need us to
pray for them.
We are also taught by Paul: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for
all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good
and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour” (1 Timothy 2:1-3).
