“The fear of
the Lord PROLONGS LIFE, but the years of the wicked will
be short.” – Proverbs 10:27
“The reward
for humility and fear of the Lord is RICHES AND HONOR AND
LIFE.” – Proverbs 22:4
“The fear of
the Lord is INSTRUCTION IN WISDOM, and humility comes
before honor.” – Proverbs 1:7
“But THE LORD
TAKES PLEASURE IN THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”
– Psalms 147:11
“But I will
warn you whom to fear: FEAR HIM WHO AFTER HE HAS KILLED, HAS AUTHORITY TO CAST
INTO HELL. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” – Luke 12:5
Somewhere
along the way in Christian theology and teaching, we’ve strayed that tiny
little bit to the left and missed the mark.
A good friend once told me that all it takes to miss God is just to get
our attention side tracked that tiny little bit. It’s like a man with a bow aiming at a target
and then becoming ever so slightly distracted. We may hit the target, but we’ve missed the
bull's-eye.
I grew up
hearing lots about hell, rather than hearing of God’s love. It was scary stuff! Gnashing of teeth in pain! Fire that never ceased to burn us! The separation
from our loved ones! Coals of fire and ashes that envelope us forever! Living
forever in pain without God - and with Satan and his demons. While that is all true, it’s a slight
distraction.
God’s word NEVER
tells us to fear hell. But time and time
again it tells us to fear God. What’s
the difference you ask? Fear of God is
reverence toward Him, honoring Him with our submission. Fear of hell is only fear, and God did not
give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love (2 Timothy 1:7).
If you worship
God out of fear, you are a slave to God, obeying orders out of fear. But God does not call those that believe to
be His slaves, but His children. What’s
the relationship between a parent and a child?
It’s based on love - not fear. It’s
based on respect, honor, trust, loyalty, commitment. The difference in fearing hell and fearing
God is the relationship formed with Him.
He wants your LOVE (Matthew 22:37).
While fearing
hell may save you from going there, it will do nothing for you in life. Yet time and time again, God’s word tells us
that if we fear Him (respect, honor, submission, love), we will be
blessed.
Friends, fear
God only. By fearing God, you gain a
relationship with Him that is heaven on earth, as well as Heaven for eternity.
He loves you and wants your love in return.