7/20/13

From Gary... Pictures, perception and the possibility of greatness with God






The three pictures above were taken by "The Photogirl" (My Granddaughter, Elizabeth Merwin).  Ever since our first photoshoot in the field several years ago, she has displayed what I think is a remarkable talent and an "eye" for beauty.  This has been on mind since Thursday because for her birthday she received several things related to her hobby of photography. Each photo above shows me something different.  The top one focuses in on the simple things (like a bug on a wire), the middle one emphasizes the beauty of the flower (by making it a close-up) and the third one is of Sandy (one of the family's dogs).  I think I like the last one the best because of the use of shadows coupled with Sandy in her bed.  This really brings out the contrast of her character, as she is extremely loving and gentle with the family, but with any threats- well, you really don't want to see her "dark side".  So, from something as simple as a few pictures, we see into Elizabeth's view of the world- and something about how she sees it.  But, how do we perceive our environment, and what are we really like?  Not sure, don't know, or simply still looking?  You are not alone!!!  And what you might discover will probably surprise you!!!  Consider the following two passages from the Bible; one from the Old Testament and one from the New....

Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2

 1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth: therefore enjoy pleasure”; and behold, this also was vanity.  2 I said of laughter, “It is foolishness”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?” 

  3  I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.  4 I made myself great works. I built myself houses. I planted myself vineyards.  5 I made myself gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit. 6 I made myself pools of water, to water from it the forest where trees were reared.  7 I bought male servants and female servants, and had servants born in my house. I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all who were before me in Jerusalem;  8 I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—musical instruments, and that of all sorts.  9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn’t keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.  11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun. 

  12  I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king’s successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.  13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.  14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness—and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.  15 Then I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.  16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! 

  17  So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.  18 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.  19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity. 

  20  Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.  21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.  22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?  23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.  24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?  26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind. 


Luke, Chapter 2
  42  When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast, 43 and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it,  44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.  45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.  46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  

Solomon was probably the greatest of the kings of Israel; a man of curiosity, intelligence and wisdom.  One who sought for the hidden meanings to everything around him.  His efforts showed him the futility of his own strivings and the vanity of life apart from God.  He even thought of those who would follow him (verse 19, above) and wondered...   In stark contrast, we see Jesus, one who evoked amazement at his understanding of the things pertaining to God; even as a child!!! The difference between the two is their relationship to the Almighty.  Solomon chose other gods later in his life, whereas Jesus- well, he followed HIS FATHER PERFECTLY!!!  Truthfully, when a child comes into the world, we can only wonder what will become of it.  Will it a person of worth or worthlessness?  No one knows, but if that person exhibits sensitivity and insight into the world around them- then the chances are very good that they will be a credit to humanity.  IF, there is a spiritual aspect to their character and a desire to please God as well- then they are like one of the candles on Lizzie's birthday cake.  They shine and shine and shine!!!  

One more time- Happy birthday, sweet Elizabeth!!!

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrew writer said (7)

Hebrew writer said (7)

Hebrews 6:10 is a word of great comfort. It’s one of the statements in scripture that while it doesn’t deny or undermine the majestic sovereignty of God it brings him within our reach. We are in his image, are like and to be like him—but this passage seems to put the shoe on the other foot; God is like us!
“God is not unjust,” he says, “he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” He has been very stern in the preceding verses but now he softens his tone and calls them “beloved” (6:9—agapetoi) and says something very human about God. Some versions add the word “so” in order to catch the tone (see the REB and the NJB). “God is not so unrighteous as to forget…” The “so” is not to suggest that God is a little unrighteous! We use that kind of expression when we say of someone that people might be expressing a hard view of, “Oh, come on, he’s not so insensitive as all that.”
I can see where pain and anger would make it hard for us to give credit where credit’s due to someone who has grieved us. That makes sense. Still, a fine human will take into account the goodness in someone and will give that person credit for what he/she has done. Think no less of God! Okay, so we note their blunders and failures and call those what they are but we’re not so vindictive that we’re incapable of seeing that it isn’t the entire story of their lives or character. [I say that fully recognising that some of us are so vindictive at times.]
The Lord who sees all our wrong also sees our sincere efforts to be good. Jesus who knew the flaws in his disciples said of them that they were the ones that stood by him in all his troubles (Luke 22:28). Isn’t that a lovely quality in Jesus? He learned it from his Father.
Listen, God is not insensitive or unfair. He won’t forget what you have done and are doing in his name—not even the giving of a cup of cold water, a simple word of uplifting or a warm, welcoming smile to a shy and fearful heart.
That’s what the Hebrew writer said.
Think noble things of God.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrew writer said (6)

Hebrew writer said (6)

I mentioned that Friedrich Nietzsche roasted Christianity for creating wimps and snivelling cowards. He said the Christian leaders took the life out of life; they made ambition and strength a crime and called grovelling and submission virtue. He called people to resist that blood-sucking religion and urged them not to neglect the hero in their souls. Poor Nietzsche was wrong in many things but in an evangelical Western world that’s awash with ceaseless sympathy, a tireless proclamation that woos people and a God who (it seems) will just weep with us as soon as our bottom lip trembles—in light of that N had a call that needs to be given a hearing.
The Hebrew Christians are depressed, church attendance is down, they’re missing the comfort of their old and familiar environment and they’re bitterly disappointed that the dream of fulfilled promises was greater than the fulfilment they were experiencing in Jesus Christ. What do you say to such people? Beyond words of assurance, I mean.
Should there be compassion and gentleness? Well of course, and those that give it should give it without apology; but there should be words that put heart in the people, words that take their trouble seriously without making it appear that “trouble” is the last word. There should be words so spoken to real sufferers that help them to face bravely and hopefully—yes, hopefully!—what it is that they endure day after day.
[As I write this I’m half afraid that some tormented soul might read it and think I am trivialising his/her trouble. With my heart on its knees I vow before God I mean to do no such thing. I’ve seen troubled lives and it makes me impatient with those that act and speak as though inconvenience or acute but past trouble is a lifelong purgatory. That kind of trouble is nothing like the awful and obscure “long, long patience of the plundered poor.” And like every other person that has a heart I’m sickened by predatory wealth and power. What our strength and efforts cannot change God swears he will change and one day all wrongs will be righted in the fullest sense of that phrase.]
In the meantime, to dispirited people who know what suffering means the Hebrew writer said was this: “In your struggle...you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:4)
Can you imagine saying that to a complaining modern Western congregation and can you imagine the reaction it would get? And if the assembly actually was having a tough time you’d be accused of being heartless! Strange Hebrew writer, who can say such a thing and in the same breath call them “beloved” (agapetoi) in 6:9. How did he dare to speak that way to people who knew what it was to have suffered loss for Jesus Christ (see 10:32-34)?
How do you suppose his 12:4 has come to sound so alien to us?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... What the Hebrew writer said (5)

What the Hebrew writer said (5)

I don’t know if Friedrich Nietzsche was an atheist or not. He certainly reads like one but careful scholars have recently suggested that N was more a Joban figure than an atheist. The God he raged against and said was dead, it’s been suggested, was the God that spineless Christians invented; the one that loved weakness and grovelling. That God was dead and deserved to be. Be that as it may, N looked at the Christianity around him and raged against its impotence and ranted against its shrewd way of making weakness a virtue and strength a vice. When people piously bleated about Jesus or God as “saviour” he would snarl that first they needed to show that they’d been saved and then there could be talk about their “saviour”. He had a point! “Christians,” he insisted, covered the failure of Christianity to make a real difference in the world—covered it by bleating on about submission rather than ambition, obedience and weakness really being strength and leadership. The hierarchy kept the sheep in line with this drivel and the flock were more than willing to go along with it. The entire “Christian” enterprise reeked of impotence and as a substitute for real humans it produced snivelling, gutless wimps and it did it by getting them to worship a God that was impotent, growing old and decomposing.
The Hebrew writer and N would have had heated discussions had they met but N wouldn’t haven’t confused the Hebrew writer for a body of a different sort. The Hebrew writer spoke of impotence and weakness but it had to do with ancient sacrifices and priestly systems and people that didn’t have it in them to finish the race set before them. When he spoke of God and Jesus Christ his only Son he repeatedly says, “He is able!”
He is able to give help to the tempted (2:18)
He is able to save out of death (5:17, 11:19)
He is able to save utterly and entirely (7:25)


©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrews writer said (4)

Hebrews writer said (4)

Sometimes non-believers say silly things that avoid the more obvious truth that faces us all. Of course they’re not alone—we believers know how to do that as well. We used to hear how culturally backward the ancients were (I don’t deny some were, especially since so many moderns are) and this was supposed to explain their belief in miracles or general providence. That’s why they spoke of something like floating axe-heads and virgins births—we were told. Poor things, they were so ignorant that they didn’t know that axe-heads sank or how babies were made. Had they really understood the laws of biology and physics they wouldn’t have spoken of miracles—so we were told. It seems, at least in Joseph’s case, that it was because he did understand the laws of biology that he thought of divorcing his espoused wife (see Matthew 1:18-19).
But it’s this ancient ignorance—we’re assured—that leads people like the Hebrew writer to say that the universe is carried and governed by the powerful will and wisdom of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:3). Paul is no smarter, we’re told, when he claims that it’s in Jesus Christ that the entire creation holds together (sunesteken in Colossians 1:17 is a perfect indicative and speaks of a permanent reality—all things remain standing together in him).
These people didn’t know about gravitation—how could they? Newton hadn’t yet been born or whacked with a falling apple. I suppose the difference between faith an unfaith has little to do with the very basic laws of life but the status we grant them. Non-believing scientists describe what they see (or theorise about what they don’t see) and leave it at that while believers go on and give the "laws" or what is seen a place under God.
Only a fool despises true science and only another kind of fool worships science. In light of Newton’s work "everybody knows" that what sustains our solar system or the entire universe is gravitation. But that requires matter, and what if you can’t find enough observable matter in the universe to keep it from flying apart? This question becomes even more urgent because you discover that even the hydrogen at the extremities of the observable universe is being manipulated by some gravitational pull and that the universal expansion is speeding up rather than slowing down. What do you do to explain why all things continue to hold together? You first you come up with a theoretical and undetectable particle (dark matter) and when that’s not enough you come up with something you call "dark energy". It doesn’t matter that dark matter can’t be detected and that there’s no known equipment that can detect it. It doesn’t matter that no one knows what "dark energy" is, though it accounts—we’re told—for 75% of what the universe is made of.
I don’t say there’s no such thing as dark matter or dark energy (though many scientists think they’re fictions required by needless theories). It doesn’t matter to believers that scientists some day might be able to show the physical realities that are involved in the coherence of the universe. If they did, the Hebrew writer (and Paul) would say, "My, my, now that’s really interesting." But it wouldn’t change their views on what sustains the "laws" of physics. They knew how a rain shower developed and they still said God sent the rain (see Jeremiah 5:24, 14:22 and Matthew 5:45).
It isn’t hard to show that the sun "rises" in the east because of the earth’s rotating. That’s the descriptive part of the story. But believers will agree with G.K Chesterton who said that the sun rises in the morning because God says, "Get up!"

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrew writer said (3)

Hebrew writer said (3)

In chapters 1 and 2 the Hebrew writer said that prior to Jesus Christ the truth of God was given in fragments that led the way to the present in which all the purposes and promises have been and are being fulfilled. He said they are and were being fulfilled in the one whom God has made the heir of all things. This was more than a prophet—it was a "son". (There is no possessive or definite article in the Greek; it’s simplyen huio, which stresses status and difference from "servants" rather than his relationship to his Father.)
These fragments of truth were given by servants (prophets) but this fullness of truth and the fulfilment of all God’s purposes are centred in and brought to fulfilment in an incarnate Son (and not merely a servant) that is the very image of God. He’s the glue that holds all things together and his is the power that maintains all that exists. Though he became a human and for a little while (see 2:7,9) was made a little lower than angels he accomplished his redeeming work and was exalted above the angels. (1:1-3)
The OT covenant and Torah were brought to Israel by angels (angels that appeared in bushes and on mountains, angels that represented God and spoke for him—compare Acts 7:32-32,35,38). But God himself brought this new covenant; it came by one that is part of the divine "family" and not one of the angelic beings. (1:4-14)
That being true, it’s of critical importance that they don’t drift from the truth that has now been brought to them. For if the OT that was brought by angels had to be obeyed and demanded faithfulness how much more is that true of truth brought by God himself and confirmed by miracles and such? (2:1-4) Here the Hebrew writer doesn't have a host of individual truths or commands in mind; he has in mind the covenant and the Torah that was immediately linked with it. It's apostasy that the Hebrew writer has in mind and not simply "committing sins". Committing sins is not to be scoffed at but it is full scale apostasy the writer has in mind. He tells us that every disobedience was punished but we know that isn't true of every individual sin committed by individuals. The book of Judges and the exiles would illustrate what he has in mind.
Prior to Jesus, angels had brought liberating truth and while it was truth they brought, they were almost spectators of those to whom they brought the truth. That was not the case with the Messiah. He brought no truth that he offered from a distance. His truth was embodied truth. He brought help and salvation by becoming one of those in trouble. Though higher than all the angels he became for a while lower than angels (see 2:7-9, taking brachu ti as temporal rather than qualitative). He became a son of Israel, a child of Abraham and wasn’t ashamed to be called their brother. He worshipped with them and saw what they feared most, embraced it and in that way defeated death, and thus the fear of death and the world spirit that had introduced death to the world through sin (compare Genesis 3:1-4,19). No, this was no angelic spectator and so he could understand the troubles and weaknesses of Israel as he brought them to glory. (2:5-18)

2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrew writer said (2)

Hebrew writer said (2)

The Hebrew writer said to his readers, "Your past was glorious, your gifts were prizes indeed, your leaders were worthy, your covenant towered above all others and your blessing within in the bounds of that covenant was rich and real."
But what is that to us? This ancient writer spoke of even more ancient realities; things like curtains, priestly rituals, temple gatherings, animal sacrifices, pomp and lineage, censers and mountains and heroes with feet of clay. What is all that to us? The past is past and it wasn’t even our past. We can see ancient Jews being interested in such things but now reading such a book is like doing archaeology. Unearthing and rummaging the past.
That’s a serious consideration and I suppose many of us justify our continued "archaeological" work on the basis of finding principles we can apply. I don’t say that looking for principles is a bad thing but that practice must be handled with great care. "Their situation is like ours so we can apply the principles the Hebrew writer laid down to our situation." Hmmm. I can see that that might have some place in what we're supposed to engage in but if we had asked the Hebrew writer if he was laying down "principles" he would probably have been offended by our ignorance.
The Hebrew writer was laying down the gospel! He was unveiling the person and work of Jesus Christ and in light of Jesus Christ he was judging all that they had ever known or would know. He had nothing to say about general "principles" (especially general "moral" principles) and everything to say about Jesus Christ and what he meant.
Jesus himself, speaking of his cross in John 12:31, said, "Now this world is judged!" The Hebrew writer, speaking in light of Jesus Christ, said, "Now is the past with all its glories and pleasures judged!"
If what the Hebrew writer said about Jesus Christ (and not "principles"!) has nothing to say to us all then we should regard it as a dated, ancient old book with an interesting argument for 1st century Jewish people. But he spoke of a Jesus Christ who is "the same yesterday, today and forever."
That same Jesus Christ, in and through whom the entire creation holds together (Hebrews 1:3), is Lord of all (compare Hebrews 1:4 and Philippians 2:9—11). And in light of him—the ever living and ever present one, all our pasts and pleasures and glories and deams are judged.
If we can lock Jesus Christ into the past, then the book of Hebrews can only be of archaeological interest. A relic! If he is as alive today as ever he was, and as he ever will be, then he is present to judge our very existence. The Hebrew writer would say to a converted hedonist that is now depressed, "Your past may have been pleasant but..." He would say of our religious experience apart from Jesus Christ, "It was impressive and satisfying but..." He would say of our non-believing arguments, "They were plausible but..."
If it is something less than Jesus Christ that the Hebrew writer is talking about it might not be enough. But if it is Jesus Christ himself and all that he means then we need nothing more.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Hebrew writer said (1)

Hebrew writer said (1)

Church attendance was down, spirits were low and getting lower, disappointment was in the air and some were drifting away from the Christ and going back; listening to the backward call of an old environment. But, as Thomas Long observed, it wasn't a pep-talk the Hebrew offered this depressed community or a new programme that would help the church to grow. It was one of the richest theological works in existence. 
The Hebrew writer said to these discouraged people, "What you had was true but fragmentary what you now have is the whole Story. What you had was brought to you by prophets and angels but what you now have was brought to you by a Son who is part of the Godhead. What you had was real but was still only a shadow of what was to come; what you now have is the real thing. Where you were going as you travelled was wonderful but where you are now going takes the breath away and beggars description. The covenant you had was glorious but the one you now have outshines it as the sun outshines an oil lamp. The fellowship you enjoyed was huge and wondrous but the fellowship you’re part of now embraces the universe of beings. Who you followed was heroic and majestic but who you follow now towers above him like a mountain over an ant hill. You once followed a faithful house servant but now you follow the Son in the house and the builder of it.
All that is greatest and best in what you had is gathered up, cherished and brought to the fullness to which it pointed. All that was glorious and permanent in your former life is treasured and deepened beyond imagination. The sacrifices that spoke profound truths are now swallowed up—not despised—in the one sacrifice to which they bore witness. The city you so rightly prized and stood as a beacon of light to the world has been made more splendid by transformation and association with the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The faith that made your history and nation great—as reflected in people like Abraham, Sarah, Jochebed and Moses, Joshua and Deborah and in events at the Red Sea and heroism in chains—that history brought you to these days. The faith that brought your ancestors through until now has brought your ancestors to you for only with you who have placed your faith in Jesus, the Messiah, are they made perfect.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER SAID

WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER SAID

Many discouraged Hebrew Christians were going back to an old arrangement or period or dispensation of God.
They weren’t going back to paganism or to moral chaos. They wanted to go back to what was established and authorized by God. They wanted to go back to what Moses praised and served as a faithful servant of God; back to morally ordered lives of decency and uprightness.
But in order to do that they had to go back to a place and time where Jesus Christ was not!
In order to do that they had to join the multitude that judged Jesus as a fraud and crucified him. They had to agree with their formerly bitter enemy Rome with whom they now had established a somewhat peaceful co-existence [though their Palestinian brothers and sisters suffered under the Roman consuls and governors].
They had to deny their new history as the new People of God through the “Exodus” and “return” [resurrection] of Jesus of Nazareth. They had to return to an old covenant that though in its time it had offered life to the nation it now stood in judgment on the nation for its constant covenant infidelity.
It wasn’t that there was no good prior to Jesus Christ. Man and women of faith and prophetic gifts saturated their former [and true] history. It had people like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Jochebed, Moses, Joshua, Hannah, Samuel and David as part of a long line of God-loving heroes.
All that went before was good in its time and place. The faith of Moses or Samuel or Gideon was praiseworthy because they were faithful in their place, faithful in a way fitted to the place God gave them. The comparison wasn’t between things good and bad but between the temporary and the permanent, between the shadow and the fully revealed reality, between the “earthly” and the “heavenly” and between the “flesh” and the “conscience”. [When he talks about the OT tabernacle he sees it as “earthly”, constructed by human hands [even though it was by God’s will]. The new Tabernacle is at one and the same time the body of Jesus and the new way of relating/having access with and to God. That arrangement has been made “without hands”. The city to which these believing Jews were looking was not a physical one like Jerusalem but a “heavenly” city.

What’s the value of Hebrews to 21st century Gentile believers?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Walking In The Fear Of The Lord (Acts 9:31) 


                          "THE BOOK OF ACTS"

                 Walking In The Fear Of The Lord (9:31)

INTRODUCTION

1. In writing about the early church, Luke recorded:

   "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee
   and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the
   Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied."
                                                       - Ac 9:31

2. In writing to the church at Philippi, Paul told them:

   "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in
   my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out
   your own salvation with fear and trembling;" - Php 2:12

3. The concept of "fear and trembling" in connection with God is not
   a popular concept today...
   a. People prefer to hear about God's love, longsuffering and mercy
   b. When we point out God's righteous indignation, holiness, and
      justice, some say "My God is not like that!"
   c. The emphasis on God's love and mercy today is probably a reaction
      to the "hell, fire, and brimstone" preaching of another generation

4. But could it be that we have gone to other extreme...?
   a. Where there is no concept of fear and trembling as it relates to 
      the Christian?
   b. Could this be why many Christians are apathetic in their service?
   c. Have we forgotten Whom we should fear if we are negligent in our 
      service? - cf. Mt 10:28

5. In this lesson, I hope to accomplish three things...
   a. Define the fear of the Lord
   b. Point out why the fear of the Lord is important to the Christian
   c. Suggest how we can develop a healthy fear of the Lord without going
      to either extreme

[Let's begin by...]

I. DEFINING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"

   A. THE WORD "FEAR"...
      1. The Hebrew word is yir'ah and is used in the Old Testament
         to describe:
         a. Fear, terror
         b. Awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
         c. Fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
      2. The Greek word is phobos, and it is used to describe:
         a. Fear, dread, terror
         b. that which strikes terror

   B. WITH REGARDS TO THE FEAR OF THE LORD, IT IS OFTEN DEFINED AS
      REVERENCE OR AWE...
      1. Which is fine as far as it goes...
      2. But I wonder if this definition truly goes far enough...
      3. For though the terms reverence and awe imply a place for
         "trembling", do most make the connection?

   C. FEAR OF THE LORD SHOULD INCLUDE A PLACE FOR TREMBLING...
      1. Even as Paul indicated by combining "fear and trembling" - Php 2:12
      2. The Greek word for "trembling" is tromos (a trembling or quaking
         with fear)
      3. Just as one would likely tremble in the presence of one who
         could take our life, so Jesus taught us to fear the Lord - Mt 10:28

   D. A PROPER FEAR OF THE LORD WOULD THEN INCLUDE...
      1. "reverence and awe..."
      2. "being afraid to offend God in any way" - Hendriksen
      3. A trembling and quaking if one knows they have offended God and
         have not obtained forgiveness! - cf. He 10:26-27,30-31; 12:28-29

[The value of such an attitude is seen as we continue and now notice...]

II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"

   A. FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS, WE LEARN...
      1. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7
      2. The fear of the Lord will cause one to hate evil - Pr 8:13
      3. The fear of the Lord will prolong life - Pr 10:27
      4. The fear of the Lord provides strong confidence and is a
         fountain of life - Pr 14:26-27
      5. The fear of the Lord prompts one to depart from evil - Pr 16:6
      6. The fear of the Lord leads to a satisfying life, and spares one
         from much evil - Pr 19:23
      7. The fear of the Lord is the way to riches, honor, and life!
         - Pr 22:4

   B. WITHOUT THE FEAR OF THE LORD...
      1. We close ourselves to the treasures of God's wisdom and 
         knowledge!
      2. We will flirt with evil and be corrupted by it
      3. Our lives are likely to be shortened by our refusal to heed 
         God's word (e.g., suffering STDs because we did not heed His 
         Word on sexual relationships)
      4. We will not come to know the love of God that gives us
         assurance and confidence of our salvation
      5. When fallen into sin, we will not be motivated to repent and
         turn to God!
      6. We will not be motivated to truly "work out our own salvation"!

[Without the fear of the Lord, we cannot please God (cf. Isa 66:1-2).
Only the person who "trembles at His Word" has God's promise to receive
His tender mercy! (cf. Ps 103:17-18).  But how does one develop the
proper fear of the Lord without going to the extreme of earlier
generations...?]

III. DEVELOPING THE "FEAR OF THE LORD"

   A. IT COMES THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD...
      1. Just as "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
         God" - cf. Ro 10:17
      2. The children of Israel were told to gather every seven years to
         read and hear the Word - Deut 31:10-13
      3. The purpose?  "...that they may learn to fear the Lord"! - cf. 
         Deut 31:13
      4. As one reads the Word of God, they should gain a healthy degree
         of the fear of the Lord
         a. Consider the words of Paul in Ro 2:4-11
         b. And the words of Peter in 2Pe 3:7-14

   B. THE WORD OF GOD, PROPERLY USED, MAINTAINS A PROPER BALANCE...
      1. To avoid extremes, we must read all of God's Word
         a. Some read only portions that reveal God's love and mercy, and
            have no fear of the Lord
         b. Others focus on the fire, hell and brimstone passages, and 
            know nothing of God's everlasting loving kindness
         c. The one develops an attitude of permissiveness that belittles
            God's holiness and justice
         d. The other develops a psychosis of terror that forgets God's 
            grace and compassion
      2. Even in passages noted above, the context of each speaks much of
         God's grace and forgiveness for those who will repent!
      3. So we must be careful how we use the Word of God, but use it we
         must!

CONCLUSION

1. The Psalmist wrote...

   "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, 
   And to be held in reverence by all those around Him." - Ps 89:7

2. Why do we need to fear the Lord?  So we will be sure to work out our 
   salvation with fear and trembling! - Ac 9:31; Php 2:12

3. The warning is necessary, for as it is written in Hebrews...

   "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us
   fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed
   the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word
   which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith
   in those who heard it." - He 4:1-2

   And again...

   "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone
   fall according to the same example of disobedience." - He 4:11

4. With the proper fear of the Lord, we will "work out our salvation", we
   will "be diligent to enter into that [heavenly] rest"...!

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the
fear of God." - 2Co 7:1

Are we perfecting holiness in the fear of God...?


Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2012

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