Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 ^ESV

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

 

The end of the matter, on the story that is vanity, the life lived apart from God, the end of the matter is this: Fear God!

 

Whatever people use to define ‘reverence’ (for people don’t like to use the word ‘fear’ in reference to God though the Bible is not ashamed of the word from beginning to end…hmmm, I wonder if that means anything significant, oh well we shouldn’t think about that???!), whatever people use to define ‘reverence’, if that word is correctly defined it means exactly what we say when we define the fear of God. 

 

Another verse in my reading today was:

Proverbs 8:13 ^ESV

The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

 

To Fear God is to hate evil.  That is pretty simple in my mind.  But just in case we missed it:
2 Corinthians 5:11 ^ESV

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

The key to 5:11 is found in 2 Cor 5:10. Who is the ‘we must all’ in this verse if not also believers.  In light of that day let us life holy lives (n.b. 2 Peter 3:11-13 !).

 

2 Corinthians 7:1 ^ESV

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

 

Note the emphasis on ‘promise’ in these last two verses.  Note how the promises of God are associated with a correct understanding of the ‘fear of God’.  We are not cringing in our walk with Jesus: we instead look to Him so that we will find favor (Psalm 123:1-4).  Keeping our eyes on Jesus is the reality that is the fear of God for all those who trust Him for salvation by grace through faith.  Let us then press on towards godliness and holiness, for Hebrews 12:14!

 

Thank You Father that You can be both loved and feared.

Thank You Son that You redeemed us from eternal fear.

Thank You Spirit that You speak peace and sonship into our hearts so that we need fear nothing on earth.

 

Fearing and loving God together with you,

Pastor Greg