The Fear of God
Exodus 20:18-21
Attention
1. We don’t hear much preaching about the fear of God
today; fear is outdated; a more modern motive is love.
a. But actually the love of God
and the fear of God are two sides of the same coin.
b. The scriptures describe a
dynamic co-existence between the two; neither is complete without the other.
2. The fear of God is neither an OT concept nor a NT
concept; it is omni-testament; it runs throughout scripture.
a. When the children of Israel
came to Mt. Sinai they learned the fear of God firsthand. Ex. 20:18-21
b. Encounters with God and His
word are supposed to put His fear within us, for our own good.
[Proposition] We must respond to God’s power and word
with godly fear to keep ourselves from sin.
I.
Godly Fear Will Purge Our Minds: It Does Not Torment Us
A.
Jehovah is a Mighty God
1.
When Israel saw the thunder and lightning and smoke and heard the
trumpet, they were terrified.
a)
On this occasion God revealed Himself in an awesome way to impress the
people.
b)
He wanted to inspire fear in their hearts; He wanted them to know – this
is the great God!
2.
But the awesome power of God that stirs fear in the hearts of men is not
all there is to Him.
a)
When Elijah met with the Lord on the same mountain, God was not in the
fire. 1Ki 19:9-12
b)
Jehovah is multi-faceted: all-powerful, but gentle; holy, but full of
love; just, but forgiving.
3.
Though God may exemplify certain qualities, no single quality can fully
express Him.
B.
Do Not Be Afraid
1.
God wants men to know His power and fear Him, but His people are not
tormented by fear.
a)
There are two basic types of the fear of God.
(1)
The wicked should be terrified of God’s wrath and judgment. Re.
6:15-17
(2)
The righteous are in awe of God and greatly reverence Him. Re.
1:12-17; 4:8-11
b)
Barbara Williamson’s definition is best: Godly fear is a wholesome
dread of displeasing.
2.
Jesus repeatedly tells His disciples, “Do not be afraid.” (E.g.
Mt. 14:27; 17:7; 28:10; Ac. 18:9)
a)
God’s people are at peace with Him; His grace should give us confidence.
1Jn. 4:17-19
b)
This confidence is not casualness; God’s people may be bold, but they are
never brazen.
3.
If we are not at peace in our relationship with God, it is a sign that
love has not matured.
a)
If you are terrified, you may have unforgiven
sins, or you may need to learn about grace.
b)
Do not be tormented by God’s power; be in awe of Him; love Him; long to
please Him.
II.
Godly Fear Will Prove Our Hearts: It Tests Us
A.
Jehovah is a Demanding God
1.
It wasn’t easy to stand at the base of Mt. Sinai and watch God’s power
set it afire.
a)
It must have been terrifying to see the mountain burn and hear God’s
voice come from it.
b)
But all these great events had a purpose; God was testing the hearts of
His people.
2.
Jehovah isn’t seeking people who giddily worship Him but lack a sober
commitment.
a)
God wants those who know His greatness, listen to His voice, and heed His
demands.
b)
God allows trials to come into our lives to test the depth of our
commitment. De. 8:2-3
3.
Coming before the living God is serious; He won’t accept lip-service; He
seeks a proven heart.
B.
Examine Yourselves
1.
Do we welcome God’s examination of our hearts to prove our sincere
commitment? Ps. 26:1-3
a)
The apostle Paul encouraged the brethren to examine themselves carefully.
2Co. 13:5
b)
Without regular, objective self-examination, we cannot stand before God
with confidence.
2.
The word of God is a major test of our commitment to Him. Jn. 6:60-64
a)
How do we react to truth? Do we deny, ignore, scoff, protest, or become
offended by it?
b)
The word of God forces us to deal with things as they are, not as wished
or pretended to be.
3.
If faith falters or our hearts balk at the basic expectations of God,
what will we do with the rest?
a)
The weak often try to find the minimum level at which God will
accept them. (E.g. Wed. PM)
b)
How we respond to God reveals the true nature of our heart. What is being
said about yours?
III.
Godly Fear Will Protect Our Souls: It Teaches Us
A.
Jehovah is a Holy God
1.
One would think seeing God’s glory and hearing His voice would be a
life-changing experience.
a)
We often say that one minute in Heaven or Hell would forever dedicate a
person to God.
b)
But that probably isn’t true, because Israel’s experience at Sinai didn’t
last long. 32:7-8
2.
Six weeks after they saw God’s glory descend and heard His voice, they
worshipped a gold calf.
a)
They feared God when they heard Him, but they didn’t retain true, godly
fear in their hearts.
b)
Had they remembered the reverence they felt at first, they would not have
turned to idols.
3.
Knowing the fear of an awesome, mighty God helps us keep our attention on
what is important.
B.
Be Holy As I Am Holy
1.
Godly fear can be a great thing in our lives; it can make us better
servants of God.
a)
It can help us spurn sin and flee the things that would separate us from
Him. 2Co. 7:1
b)
Knowing the terror of God can inspire us to carry the gospel to others.
2Co. 5:11
2.
But godly fear, if not regularly reinforced, can eventually be forgotten.
a)
Our memories are short; we can become comfortable before God, excessively
bold, careless.
b)
When men forget the fear of God, they will abandon His law as well.
Ps. 36:1-4
3.
There should always be a healthy tension between the love of God and our
fear of Him.
a)
We need to feel the comfort, peace, and confidence of grace and
forgiveness.
b)
But we also need to feel the responsibility and requirement of daily
holiness and devotion.
4.
Don’t let the delight of fellowship blind you to the demands of it.
Action
1. We might think the Israelites were cowards at Mt. Sinai;
they should have been brave and bold in listening.
a. But their response pleased
God; He saw the kind of fear He hoped to inspire. De. 5:23-33
b. Unfortunately, they did not
continue to show godly fear; they may have feared Him, but not enough.
2. How important is the fear of God?
a. The fear of God tests us. It
proves the quality of our heart’s response to God.
b. The fear of God teaches us.
It helps us turn away from sin and pursue a path well-pleasing to our God.
3. The fear of God is the fundamental duty of man.
Ecc. 12:13-14
4. Do you fear God? Would you be free of the fear of His
wrath, and bow in reverence to His will? Mk. 16:16