Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture, but before we do that I wanted to tell you a little story.
About 15 years ago, I hooked up the trailer and took a short trip with my family to pick up something from another town. After we got there and loaded up, I drove through a fast food restaurant and picked up some dinner for the family. We decided to park in the parking lot and eat our food, but it was right next to the railroad tracks, and before we knew it, the railroad crossing began to ring and a huge train came barreling by. It’s hard to believe how close we were, as you could feel the ground shaking as it thundered past the restaurant. As I looked around, I could tell that the entire family was incredibly nervous, so I started up the truck and quickly got out of there.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
What causes you to jump out of the way of a running locomotive? Fear. It’s because you are scared of getting hurt. What prevents someone from jumping out of a moving car? Fear. What causes somebody to run to the basement of their house when a tornado approaches? Fear. Fear produces a natural reaction in someone’s life to protect themselves from harm; and In order to serve God perfectly, we must fear Him. Having the proper amount of fear towards Him will help us to turn away from sinful living. Godly fear will recognize the everlasting consequences for sinful living so we can jump off the path that leads to destruction before it’s too late.
Hebrews 4.¹ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. ² For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. ³ For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Noah took actions to save his family, but his response was caused out of fear for what God was going to do to the world. He was the only one who feared God, and the rest of the world perished in a flood.
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Hebrews 11:7
I think it’s impossible to love God perfectly without reverence and Godly fear. We live in an era of great wickedness when many people who profess to be followers of Christ have no fear of God whatsoever. Many of their false prophets are even preaching that the Lake of Fire doesn’t even exist, because a God of love wouldn’t do that kind of thing to people. These people are living in fantasyland.
“But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Luke 12:5
What keeps a soldier from disobeying their commanding officer? Fear! What causes a child to be on their best behavior in the grocery store? Fear. It is knowing that there will be consequences for the wrong things that you do. God will reward good and punish evil because He is perfectly just. If people are going to do evil then they had better be afraid, because they will reap what they sow, whether they claim to believe in God or not!
“And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:29
There are numerous passages throughout the scriptures that warn about the dangers of not possessing the fear of God.
Romans 3 ¹³ Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵ Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷ And the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes.
2 Peter 2 ⁴ For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; ⁵ And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Holiness is perfected through the fear of God.
“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
God protects and delivers those who fear Him.
“Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;” Psalms 33:18
“The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Psalms 34:7
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;” Psalms 103:17
In our study verse verse, God gives us the promise of eternal life, but if you want to obtain it, you have to repent of your sins. This is not optional. He promises to save those who submit to His will, but he also promises to destroy those who continue to live in sin. You will reap certain results depending on your own behavior. For example, if you choose to stand in front of an oncoming train you’re going to get killed, and if you choose to live in sin, you will reap its wages; death.
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Romans 8 ¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Some people are going to attempt the Christian Life but then come up short of the finish line. Rather than abiding in the truth, they will begin to walk in a lie instead. Do you fear God enough to abandon your sinful living? Will you save yourselves from this untoward generation? Will you do whatever is necessary to keep you and your family safe from….
……The Speeding Locomotive
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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