The Soul of Godliness

Again.

The Forgotten Fear of the Lord

Well when growing up One would give an ultimate compliment to a believer in Christ. They would say they were God-fearing man. That's almost extinct today. It is almost extinct today. That's a God-fearing woman.

Beloved we're gonna see that that's God's highest form of piety that he does up that he described an Old Testament saying and many you. See his book as a great encouragement through trials and sufferings.

Many people skip over this book, but uh. It was a great book of encouragement by God's grace and his help this morning. I wanted to Speak on something. It's almost like a child.

You know.

It's 20. I think it's over 20 something letters. But as a child one of the first things they learn is the alphabet and oftentimes many of us don't eat. We I didn't even mean you really start to reflect on this.

Where did the alphabet originate? They started in caves over 6 ,000 years ago. It was like an a was an ox a for ox and it was upside down. And then the question was who was the first person to see a sea?

So you think about those things but really you think about it. Those are the fundamental elements of building blocks in linguistics in emails and text today. But it's in everything. So the Romans perfected it and then we have the alphabet if you really think about it from the Greeks.

Alpha.

Beta Alphabet and those are the only two letters that came over. That are in the English language the a and the B. That's where you get a lift and bent.

Alphabet.

Then why do you say why are you bringing this up? Because I believe the element today that we're going to be speaking about this great dominant theme throughout scripture is a Fundamentally fundamental building block of our entire Christian walk.

It's not something we do once but we continue our entire life. By God's help I've tamed I've titled this Series and Lord willing is called the forgotten fear. I would like to this morning speak about the dominant theme of the fear of the Lord throughout the entire Bible.

No, it will not be exhaustive but selective Because we would be here months on end. But I would like to if we can get to just to define fear because not all fear is the same. Not all fear is the same and then later on.

I'd like to say why it's important.

I'd like to.

Also in a speak Lord willing on another day about the consequences and benefits of the fear of the Lord Get to the incentives of why we should grow in the fear of the Lord and then last a final word of encouragement.

But today this is so much to cover. But uh, let's pray before we get started and dive into this study and Let's pray dear Lord. I pray Lord. You'll help those that are listening. Lord oftentimes we listen and we already got our thoughts and minds otherwhere.

God forbid that we do that to you. I Pray dear Lord that you'll help the stammering tongue. Lord, we are all so prone to learn and so prone to forget so prone to wander the God we love. Oh Lord I must decrease you must increase and we come here to get our eyes and behold the Lamb of God.

Oh Lord, no one is sufficient for these things. So father, I'm grieved by the graceless Heart that I have when you've showered endless grace upon me. We are swimming and basking in your grace this very moment.

I Pray dear Lord. Will you make it our chiefest joy to meditate and gaze on you?

And.

Let us be so ever careful to give you all the glory Lord you are.

Good.

And Lord, we praise your we bless your holy name. We ask Oh God, please be with us within this next hour. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Well, I would like for you to turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew 28, I mean Matthew 10 28, this will be kind of a Launch pad into this series kind of a touchstone scripture and Lord willing by the Spirit's aid.

I would like to remove any confusion about such a dominant theme and Stir up your holy affections to see the beauty of the Lord. So if you will in context if you look at a chapter 10 here We have Jesus sending out his disciples his 12 apostles and he's telling them You're about to endure some hardships.

You're gonna endure some hardships. If you will look at we'll start in verse 24 in context and let's get a running start and go to verse 28. Hear the Word of God.

The.

Disciples the disciple is not above his master nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the master the house of Beelzebub How much more shall they call?

Them of his household fear them not therefore. For there's nothing covered that shall not be revealed and hid that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness that speak in the light and what you hear in the ear that preach Ye upon the housetops and here's what we want to focus in on and Fear not them which kill the body But are not able to kill the soul.

But rather fear him which is able to distort it both soul and body and hell. Beloved I want you to remember this. Jesus does not lead his disciples and Jesus will not lead you where he himself is not willing to go and has not gone.

That separates from every other false teacher. Fear is a really let's just get down on the root of the word fear. Often times when I study this subject, excuse me one second. I'm gonna take this off. So here's what I want to say.

Let's just look at the word fear. Fear is a complicated emotion. It's often hard to grasp. It seems elusive at times. Seems like a paradox which it is a paradox. But fear is such a complicated thing. Oftentimes is fascinating.

It's terrifying. We watch scary things then we like to go boo and jump out in front of people. You know my wife and I do that a lot to each other week. We keep score. Oh, it's your one up. You're two.

I'm three. It's my turn. Don't do it again. She did it to me one time really bad and I was like Because she's really Really quiet. She's Not that much. But nevertheless, it's fun. It's fun game. But still it's a it's an elusive thing.

Fear fear. We fear losing our health. We fear losing our lives. We fear losing a job. We fear of missing a plane. We fear somebody cutting us off on the road. It just never ends. Fear is probably the strongest human emotion yet.

It perplexes and confuses us more than we would really like and then God says Fear me you're like, oh, no, you're adding another one. If we would really honestly say that we're like we're adding another one.

So the question is this fear a good or bad thing. For a great deal in Scripture fear is clearly a bad and tormental thing. But the thing is this is what Christ came to rescue us from. This is what Christ came to rescue us from.

As you all know the Imperative I think it's over 365 I even heard 366 for a leap year. I Don't know. It's a lot fear not fear not fear not fear not.

But.

Oftentimes as brother Ben already mentioned in Sunday school A lot of people say well God is just the God of fear and terror in the Old Testament and love in the new. That is a truncated God and that is a God not of the Bible.

Christ came not to eliminate fear, but to Really just like a highlighter To highlight the fear of God. So he didn't come to Abolish the fear the one side of fear, but that one side of the fear which is Tormental fear is what drives us to the remedy.

So.

As already mentioned Here's the paradox. What? perplexes us all. Proverbs 1 7. Many you said I've heard this. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of knowledge.

But notice this this is the best known but as far from being alone. It is the best known but as far from being alone. So the fear of God. John Murray quotes. The fear of God is such a dominant theme throughout scripture.

The fear of God was nothing less than the soul of godliness. Listen to this take away the soul from the body and all you have left in a few days is a stinking carcass. Take away the fear of God from any profession profession of godliness and all this left is a stinking carcass of pharisaism.

Barren religiosity and calculated hypocrisy. In quote. The late RC Sproul many of you have his study Bibles and great Student and man of God when to be with the Lord. I Love what he said about this. The greatest need of an unbeliever and believers to know God.

Bottom line. The greatest need of an unbeliever and believer is to know God. Therefore I want you to rejoice with trembling in this paradox that the gospel both frees us from fear. But it also gives us fear.

So I want you to rejoice in this paradox. If you will turn with me to first Peter 4 17 first Peter's right after James first Peter 4 17 19.

Hear this.

For the time It's come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first began at us What shall the end be of of them that obeyed not the gospel of God? That's a question. And if the righteous be scarcely saved where shall the ungodly in the center appear?

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him and well-doing as unto a faithful creator.

Yes.

Beloved do you see here? What God is in essence is saying not play in church. I will not trifle with sinners. But I desire truth and righteousness and a broken and contrite spirit. Beloved the church is no social gig.

It is a dangerous thing to be in the presence of God. 2nd Corinthians 5 Says therefore knowing the fear of the Lord we do what? We persuade men, I think the first persuading starts at home. Then it goes out.

So let's strap on our jetpacks and go through a quick survey. I want to touch on some Old Testament scriptures. New Testament scriptures and let's see the harmony They have in together and that I pray that this will be edifying in your walk and you will have a different I pray that we will have a Greater depth of appreciation of God's holiness.

This is what it comes down to because we don't see God rightly. We won't live rightly and that's our problem. If you will.

So.

Turn with me to the beginning. Prolegomenon of first things. Big word saw that in a systematic theology book Genesis 3. So the first things I'd like to go to Genesis and Job because we think of Job being the first book of The Bible, but Genesis is the first one in order.

So let's start with these first orders of the fear of God. And I thought last night when my wife was making soup She asked me to taste it and about burn my lip off my tongue. I thought I was being purged like Isaiah.

So.

So as you all know Genesis 3 is the where it all the fall. Let's just hear starting in verse 7 in Genesis chapter 3. So here we go. And the eyes of them both were open and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apron Aprons and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves From the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden and the Lord God so gracious Called unto Adam and said unto him. Where are you?

And he said I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself as All sin has done. The first thought was to cover.

Ourselves.

And hide it. Do you see these futile attempts to cover?

Sin.

Fig leaves empty attempts to be right in the presence of the Living God in our own. In our own way in our own means which is idolatry. This is all religions fig leaves knowing. These little branches are gonna rot.

They're not gonna sustain. Do you realize David? I mean, do you realize Adam signed the first declaration of independence? Independence from his living God. He signed it with a fig leaf. But we have the greater David who signed it with his blood.

The declaration of dependence. I didn't come to do my will but the father who sent me praise God. Notice in this right here the progressions now. Will you consider the horrible effects of the fall? Immediately if you look at this look in verse 7.

Their eyes were open. They sold fig leaves and they hid themselves.

Shame.

Notice in verse 8. And they heard a voice in the Lord walk in the garden and they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Separation.

Shame.

Separation. And notice this and look at verse 10. And he said I heard thy voice in the garden. I was afraid naked and I hid myself guilt. So you notice immediately there's Shame separation guilt. That is the definition of Tara.

If you want to summarize that take all three of those.

Shame.

Separation and guilt.

Tara.

This is what fear does it causes us to terror. I'm quoting John Murray he said. So since this is such a dominant theme is this Tara right here good or bad? He says quoting. It is the essence of impiety not to be afraid of God.

When there is a reason to be afraid of him. It is impiety. It would be a madman. But notice in this very statement of the curse that comes. God announces the first gospel of seed who will reverse the curse.

God gives not only a word of grace, but the God of grace. We have a great Redeemer and we need to stand in awe. If you will now let's turn over to Deuteronomy chapter 4. There's so much here that we could dive into.

So what I want to do. We started with the first of God's creation now. Let's go to a nation. Then we're going to go to an individual. Prolegomenon of first things. Deuteronomy chapter 4. If you will let's start in verse 9.

Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently. Least I'll forget the things which thine eyes has seen. Least Thy depart from the heart all the days of their life, but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons especially the day that thou.

That thou stoodest before the Lord God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me gather me the people together. And I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days. That they may live upon the earth that they may teach their children.

Here Moses explains to the nation of Israel why God has chosen them. Why he's given them his laws and statutes. Moses charges the nation that they might learn what it means to fear God. Now shifting from God dealings to teaching with a nation to fear God.

Let us turn to another Old Testament Saint.

Job.

You will turn to the book of Job. Now we're going from a nation to an individual. This Old Testament Saint Amazes us, but he shames us. Job was not like the Pharisees who boasted but God boasted on him.

God boasted on him. Now let's look at why says there was a man in the land of us whose name was Job and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and Eschewed evil he shunned evil if you notice this.

Blameless and upright are the fruits of his character. What's the root of that? It's the fear of God? It's the fear of God. The very heartbeat of this Saints external pieties was his inward fear of his God.

Look across the page at verse 9. I don't know where it is on your Bible, but then look at this wicked question. Then Satan answered the Lord and said do with Job fear you for nothing. I fear today. If that question was asked would say I can't depart with my boat.

Can't depart with this house. My possessions under the Old Covenant. The Covenant gave a blessing of prosperity. Under the New Covenant gave a blessing of adversity. It's a blessing to be afflicted of God that we won't go astray.

Yes, every piece of gold must go through the fire. My question is do you personally fear God. That's the question. Do you fear God? If you will. Now, let's turn back to the New Testament.

I.

Want to skip over to Acts chapter 5. There's so much in the Gospels that we could go to one of my favorites the thief on the cross. But I want to sort of look at the early church and in the book of Acts.

And reason why because fear is heightened with a with a word an adjective called great fear. If you will turn to Acts chapter 5 Starting in verse 1. But a certain man named Ananias and Sapphira his wife sold a possession and it kept back part of the price.

His wife also being privy to it had bought a certain part of it and laid it at the feet of the Apostles feet. But Peter said Ananias why have Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back a price of the land.

While it remained was it not thine own? And after it was sold was it not thine own power? Why has thou conceived such a thing in your heart? Thou has not lied unto men, but to unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost.

In great fear came on all them that heard these things and the young men arose wound him up. Carried him outside buried him. And well, and it was about the space about three hours afterwards when his wife not knowing what was done came in.

And Peter answered unto her tell me whether ye sold the land for so much and she said Yes for so much. Then Peter said unto her How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of them which have buried thy husband or at the door and shall carry the feet out thee out.

Then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost and the young men came in found her dead and Carrying her forth buried her by her husband in great fear came upon all the church. And upon as many as heard these things in the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.

And they were with one accord in Solomon's ports and the rest did it not it says and the rest durst. No man joined himself to them, but the people magnified them and Believers were more added to the Lord multitudes both men and women.

Beloved you see God's way of church growth. It's not a renovation of a building. It's not a slip-and-slide. It's not let's go on a retreat. God prunes his church. God's judgment right here God. I'm gonna tell when I read this.

This is God's judgment on hypocrites and play actors in the church. This produces a healthy reverence and holiness for fear of God and for offending him. Notice this. God checks novelty and popularity is checked at the door.

Who is it at the door? But the church grows through the fear of God.

So.

Quickly, I want to I'd like to take a little bit of time and talk about the two aspects of the fear of God to an unbeliever and to Believer, I think this is important to distinguish these fears. Because to an unbeliever I'm gonna share with you what scripture says a verse that summarizes you.

There's no fear before God before their eyes. That's what scripture says. Romans 3 18. This is Paul quoting Psalm 36 1. Basically, your heart is hard and sensitive without emotion. Listen to this. Your greatest defender is a liar and the devil himself.

He is your greatest defender. The devil is your greatest defender. Because he's always on your side against God and your camo is called fig leaf camo and Your pitiful confession of faith is I've said a prayer and I've been baptized.

I go to church. I'm a Christian. I go on missions. I give. I serve. Oh, I go to so-and-so Church. My question is but do you fear God? My question is is sin bitter to you. It's sin bitter to you. I'll share this with you.

God is your judge. I'm gonna share this real quick. God you choose your fire. God is a consuming fire as your judge. But as your father through the Lord Jesus Christ, he's gonna be a refiners fire. My question is you choose your fire.

What fire do you want? God is a judge to you. Those that are rebellious God is angry with you. You may say well, I don't have a problem with you. I'm okay. I don't have you don't Believe in God. I don't hate you.

But you know what God is angry with you. That's the problem. It's not your position with him. It's his position towards you. We don't call God to our bar. For you to fear God is to fear the aspect of his holiness that manifests itself in wrath.

But here's the but here's the other side. So now that terror drives us to the remedy which Christ said he came. To seek and save that which was lost. He came to be a propitiation. To take that wrath of God that now you may stand before God as if you were him.

Because he stood before God as if it was you. That's I call it a scandalous Exchange and that's what we say. How can it be? How can it be to save a wretch like me? But here's the but but the believer I love the believer starts with like a B, but These are to the God fears.

It's different. The first terror is what drives or better yet. Let's say ushers. I Think it takes us and ushers us. Because Jesus said no one comes to me unless the father draws him near usually that drawing is a breaking away.

Sometimes it's forceful because we cling to the sins Which so easily entangle us, but then also it ushers you. He's not a horrible taskmaster. So this fear ushers us to the remedy the Lord Jesus Christ Who set his face on a flint and went to a cross more willing to die than we're willing to confess our own sin.

He is so gracious. He drips with graciousness and Coming to Christ you are now reconciled through him and your legal standing is once and for all settled. Do I believe in once saved always saved? Absolutely.

If you're in Christ, and you're trusting in his righteousness. Nothing in my hands. I bring Simply to the cross I clean. Like a limpet like this sea creature has the strong that's tensile. It almost becomes part of the rock and don't you want to become a part of the rock?

Your beloved Savior Christ Jesus. More like him more like thee more like thee. Yes. He's gonna perfect it and I want you. I want you always remember this. God is not gonna waste one drop of his honor.

And when he's began a good work, he's gonna finish it. So let that be your living hope because when he rose from the grave He conquered what conquered us. That's where our living. Hope is not in a principle.

It's not in a dogma. It's not in a it's not in a denomination. Our living hope is in a person. And there comes hope so in Jeremiah the believer God says I were right. My laws upon their heart. I will be their God.

Yes. So our legal standing has changed therefore there the fears changed from terror to veneration. It goes from terror to veneration. So a lot of people say was one without there. No, no, no, they're complimentary.

It's like the sovereignty of God a man's responsibility. It's not the exclusion of one of the other then one helps us. Drive us from what fears like if your feet are hanging over the The Grand Canyon that fear that wells up in you.

That's a good thing. It says get back. Get back. That's what the law of God tells us.

Get back.

Turn.

Flee.

So that that fear goes now from terror to veneration, which is an honor and awe. So it becomes a phileo fear which takes careful pains not to displease. The one whom loves you most God is a father to you because of your elder brother Christ Jesus.

So now I would ask again. Choose this day your fire. Choose this day your fire. Will it be a consuming fire. Will be a refiners fire. Consuming will be job God as your judge. Refiners fire will be Christ as your advocate.

And you're all in all so let's continue. I. As we bring this to a closing. When I started I has a carpenter. I had a project in Marietta. I'm not. I know this is a small community. I'm not gonna Don't kind of disclose the name kind of.

This man was very prominent person in Marietta, Georgia very prominent. Well to do done really well. I'm the wrong ladder. Doing well, I was working of course as a deck builder there. I Saw the countenance of his wife and I asked her UK so sad.

What what had happened? She ended up sharing with me that they were going through marriage counseling. Going through marriage counseling that there had been a mistress. Another woman.

Involved.

Went through several counseling sessions in a church. And basically in the end turned to his wife and said This is how it's gonna be. It's gonna be her plus you. And she said Do you not fear God? Do you not fear God reminds me of the thief on the cross?

Do you not fear God? And this man hardened in his sin says God will have to deal with me.

Beloved.

That night he went to his office and drank fell down the stairs and broke his neck and died that night. We live in a time as the evangelist Bernard Barnard said Proverbs 29 1 like 1 out of 2 deaths are an accident.

But beloved let's think about this. There's no accidents with God. He who hardens and stiffens his neck. After several admonitions after several warnings. Being reproved that means being reproved. Rebuke corrected.

He who hardens his neck like an ox. That doesn't want to go to his master's way. It says will be destroyed killed without remedy. Receiving the eternal judgment of God. So many accidents we. As I just heard he we just this this evangelist and this was probably 50 30 40 years ago.

How much has God blessed us with with the eternal riches of heaven. The mystery of God. Bibles? And I think Zach was showing one tiny yesterday that fitting the palm of your hand. I mean we got them in many large extra-large.

We got it in 50 different versions. We got a church on each corner and in between. Morality is increasing, but godliness is decreasing. I'm gonna share this with you. The devil's believe in shutter. They're orthodox.

They're reformed. But they haven't been transformed. They don't live a holy life. They will assent to the right doctrine. They will attend the right conferences. They will attend the right churches. But never desire to be obedient to the will of God.

Obedience is better than sacrifice. So in closing.

Like to continue.

This right here. Do you want to know a secret a lot of times? We bend in and say hey you want to hear a secret old man. We've been that ear real quick. Gives us some new meat to maybe slander somebody that we shouldn't be doing but know this If you will turn to Psalm 25 14 and I want to show you Do you want to know a secret?

Psalm 25 Verse 14.

Psalm 25 14.

25 14 here it is the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. He will show them his covenant. Beloved. God has kept no secrets from you. There's no partiality with him. No favorites. The cross is a great equalizer of us all.

His secrets are let loose with you through his son. It's by God's sheer grace that we don't bust hell open wide right now that he hadn't opened it up and swallowed us. Question is will God kill you? That's a hard word.

But God is a God who makes alive and kills. So God keeps no secret from you. So why should we keep any secret from him? That'd be a very lopsided relationship. Really that word secret means friendship and below it as you already know the one who warns you most loves you the most.

I Was reminded miss Lillian told me to tighten up. But it's good, you know, we want to be useful as long as we can here on this earth not pamper the flesh. We have work to do why still day. We've been given much.

We've been loved much. I mean, I don't know about you. But that that's what convicts me to the core is the goodness of God. So to the one that's still in rebellion. Doesn't fear God your heart is hard.

No emotions. The only word I have for you is repent.

Repent.

Repent call upon the name of the Lord. Today is your day of visitation. Christ died for you. Christ died for you. So walk away from this free gift of grace is the most pitiful creature and really insane.

You can honestly come and lay all your sin down at the feet of Jesus. And Jesus alone is enough. He cast those sins into a sea that has no bottom or shore. No bottom and no shore. Shore protects. From from it coming in further.

No without bottom or shore. But God fears godly the believers. Let this text put this subject into perspective for you if you will turn to Proverbs 23 17. Proverbs 23 17. This is the word to those that fear God.

That may be discouraged today of trying to do well trying to obey God in the secret, man. Because if you fall in a secret place.

Watch out Watch out.

You fall there you fell everywhere. Let this be an encouragement. Let not thine heart envy sinners number one.

But.

Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Notice it says let not that heart envy sinners. Don't be jealous of the dainties that you see before them. Don't be jealous of what they They flop before you.

Because they have no restraints upon them. They don't they have no clue of denying yourself taking up your cross following me. It's not selflessness. It's selfishness. Guard your heart from being envious of anything of any kind of their longings of their life pleasures.

I think one of miss Lillian's like that big bay tree. You remember it opens up its spreads it. And next thing you know, it's it's not. Don't but here it is. Look at the second part of this but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day long and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ until eternal life where your faith has become sight and You will be able to say with all the saints of old.

When the end of your life comes to an end, you will find that true godliness with contentment is great gain. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Amen. Let's pray. Oh Lord.

We.

Magnify your name. Oh We thank you that you have not given us what we deserve. Father, we just want to meditate and gaze upon the beauty of your of the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you father. We thank you son.

And Lord we can think of that hymn that says he will hold me fast. For my Savior loves me. So He will hold me fast.

Those.

He chose to save or his delight God delights in us. Or to fathom that a worm a rebel would be your delight. Lord, it should humble us all to the dirt. Lord let us continue and fellowship with you throughout this day and Sing a song unto you because we see in your book in the song of Solomon.