The Fear of The Lord

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS A FOUNTAIN OF LIFE, TURNING A MAN FROM THE SNARES OF DEATH. Proverbs 14.27.

When children are young, many parents frighten them to obedience by saying, “I will call the police!” This fear of the police forces not only the little ones to obey rules but even the adults! Why do we keep the traffic rules? Because we are afraid that we will be caught breaking them and be punished. The police are to uphold the law of the country.

Yet, everyday, robbers, rapists, murderers and other criminals are caught and sent to prison and even the gallows! The way many live gives one the impression that there will be no consequence to their actions, whether right or wrong. A young pretty lady in our city was raped and brutally murdered in her apartment. Don’t these people fear that they will be caught and hanged? Like everyone else, they too think that they will never be caught!

But no one, even we Christians can hide from God's all seeing eye or escape His righteous judgment.The Wiseman wrote in the book of Proverbs, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death”. Shouldn’t at least the fear of God and His certain punishment keep you and I from doing wrong and committing sin? The young man Joseph of the Old Testament feared God and refused the sinful advances of Pothiphar’s seducing wife. He told her, “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (Gen 39.9).

A reader wrote to me, “Two members of our church on a mission trip were engaging in an illicit sexual relationship!” Can you think of anything worse - Christians, active church workers, one a married man and the other an unmarried lady, on a mission trip to win sinners and minister to saints behaving as though ‘they do not fear God? Whom are we trying to fool? We can hoodwink men but can man hoodwink God?

The problem is, ‘there is no more preaching from the pulpit of sin and judgment’. Today there is too much emphasis on God's love, favour and blessings than His holiness, righteousness and justice! Preachers must put “the fear of God” in all. We need plain preaching about God’s judgment from the Bible so that you and I will not fool with sin and hope all will be well. There must be Holy Spirit conviction and genuine repentance. The apostle Paul declared, “all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others” (2 Cor 5. 10,11).

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, put ‘the fear of God in me’ that I will tremble at the thought of sinning against You or doing anything wrong against Your Word! Amen.