The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
~Proverbs 1:7
The question is often asked of us,
"Why Fear God? Isn’t He a loving God?" That is a good question! The answer
depends on your relationship with Jesus.
A Dreadful Day
There is a fearful end awaiting men
and women who have not received God’s free gift of salvation. Every man,
woman and child will stand before God on the great day of judgment and give an
account for their life. The fact of the matter is, all have sinned and come
short of the standard God requires. For those who have not received
salvation through Jesus, this will be a day filled with terror on a level they
have never known.
- It is a fearful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God.
-
~Hebrews 10:31 KJV
In contrast, those who have received
Jesus as their savior are "saved" from this day of judgment because they have
already been judged in Christ. Again, all have sinned, but in the case of
those who are "saved", the blood of Jesus is offered as
acceptable payment for their
sin.
Daddy Sir
But what about those who are
"saved"? The fear of the Lord still applies! In this context, the fear of
the Lord is not a terrifying thing, simply an ever present reminder that while
we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus, we are still accountable before
God for our actions. In other words, the blood of Jesus is not a license to
do as we please. Would you live your life differently if you had to give the
Father a complete accounting for your work at the end of each day?
