The Fear of God: A Friend to Our Souls

 

Summary

In our ongoing series on the soul, we explore the profound truth that our souls are eternal, destined either for eternal salvation or eternal loss. This reality underscores the importance of caring for our souls, and God has provided us with four invaluable friends to aid us in this journey: the Son of God, the Word of God, the fear of God, and the love of God. Today, we delve into the often misunderstood concept of the fear of God, which, contrary to initial impressions, is a friend rather than a foe.

The fear of God is not about living in terror but about living in reverence and awe of His majesty, judgment, and love. Jeremiah 32:39 reveals that God desires His people to fear Him for their own good and the good of their descendants. This fear is not confined to the Old Testament; it is a consistent theme throughout the Bible, including the New Testament, where Jesus and the apostles speak of its importance.

The fear of God is like a three-stranded cord, comprising the splendor of God's glory, the reality of His judgment, and the wonder of His love. The splendor of God's glory is evident in His sovereignty over nations and economies, as seen in Jeremiah's purchase of a field during a siege, symbolizing hope and trust in God's promises. The reality of God's judgment reminds us that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, a truth that should inspire a healthy fear and motivate us to live righteously. Finally, the wonder of God's love, as expressed in His forgiveness and grace, deepens our reverence for Him, making His frown our greatest dread and His smile our greatest delight.

This fear of God is not only beneficial for our spiritual health but also for our decision-making, evangelism, and overall well-being. It is a fear that leads to wisdom, keeps us from sin, and fuels our passion for sharing the gospel. As we grow in the fear of the Lord, we align our hearts with His glory, judgment, and love, resulting in a life that honors Him and experiences His blessings.

Key Takeaways:

1. The fear of God is a friend, not an enemy, bringing immense good into the life of a believer. It is rooted in reverence and awe, not terror, and is essential for spiritual health and growth. [01:57]

2. The fear of God is a three-stranded cord: the splendor of God's glory, the reality of His judgment, and the wonder of His love. Each strand contributes to a deeper understanding and relationship with God. [06:56]

3. Understanding God's sovereignty, as demonstrated in Jeremiah's actions during a siege, helps us trust in His promises and remain hopeful even in dire circumstances. [10:00]

4. The reality of God's judgment should inspire a healthy fear, motivating us to live righteously and share the gospel with urgency, knowing we will all stand before Christ. [15:10]

5. The wonder of God's love, expressed through forgiveness and grace, deepens our reverence for Him, making His frown our greatest dread and His smile our greatest delight. [25:13]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to the Series on the Soul
- [00:36] - Four Friends for the Soul
- [01:30] - The Fear of God as a Friend
- [02:14] - Jeremiah 32: The Fear of God for Our Good
- [03:09] - Fear and Love in the Old and New Testaments
- [05:09] - New Testament Teachings on the Fear of God
- [06:41] - The Three Strands of the Fear of God
- [07:11] - The Splendor of God's Glory
- [10:00] - Jeremiah's Act of Hope
- [12:09] - God's Sovereignty Over Nations
- [15:10] - The Reality of God's Judgment
- [18:29] - Woodbine Willie's Conversion
- [23:20] - The Wonder of God's Love
- [28:02] - To Fear God is to Love Him
- [32:45] - Blessings of Fearing the Lord
- [38:36] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 32:39
2. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11
3. Psalm 130:4

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Jeremiah 32:39, why does God want His people to fear Him? How is this fear described in the sermon? [02:31]

2. In 2 Corinthians 5:10-11, what connection does Paul make between the judgment seat of Christ and the fear of the Lord? [15:10]

3. How does the sermon describe the fear of God as a "three-stranded cord"? What are the three strands? [06:41]

4. What example from the Old Testament does the sermon use to illustrate God's sovereignty and inspire trust in His promises? [10:00]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of the fear of God differ from common perceptions of fear? Why is it considered a friend rather than an enemy? [01:57]

2. What role does the fear of God play in a believer's decision-making and evangelism, according to the sermon? [33:23]

3. How does understanding God's judgment influence a believer's lifestyle and urgency in sharing the gospel? [15:10]

4. In what ways does the wonder of God's love deepen a believer's reverence for Him, as discussed in the sermon? [25:13]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt awe or reverence for God. How did that experience influence your actions or decisions? [01:57]

2. The sermon suggests that the fear of God leads to wisdom and better decision-making. Can you identify a recent decision where considering God's perspective might have led to a different outcome? [32:57]

3. How can you cultivate a healthy fear of God in your daily life that aligns with His glory, judgment, and love? What practical steps can you take this week? [06:41]

4. The sermon mentions that the fear of God can fuel our passion for sharing the gospel. Is there someone in your life with whom you feel prompted to share your faith? How can you approach this conversation? [33:23]

5. Consider the idea that God's frown is our greatest dread and His smile our greatest delight. How does this perspective challenge or encourage you in your relationship with God? [28:32]

6. How does understanding the reality of God's judgment impact your view of sin and grace? Are there areas in your life where you need to seek God's forgiveness and grace more earnestly? [14:56]

7. The sermon highlights the importance of aligning our hearts with God's glory, judgment, and love. What specific changes can you make in your spiritual practices to better align with these aspects of God? [30:32]

Devotional

Day 1: The Fear of God as a Beneficial Companion
The fear of God is often misunderstood as a negative emotion, but it is actually a profound reverence and awe for His majesty, judgment, and love. This fear is not about living in terror but about recognizing God's greatness and aligning our lives with His will. It is a friend that brings immense good into the life of a believer, essential for spiritual health and growth. By embracing the fear of God, we open ourselves to wisdom, guidance, and a deeper relationship with Him. This fear helps us make decisions that honor God and lead us to a life of righteousness and peace. [01:57]

Jeremiah 32:39 (ESV): "I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to cultivate a deeper reverence for God, and how can this change your daily decisions and actions today?


Day 2: The Threefold Nature of the Fear of God
The fear of God is a three-stranded cord, comprising the splendor of God's glory, the reality of His judgment, and the wonder of His love. Each strand contributes to a deeper understanding and relationship with God. The splendor of God's glory is evident in His sovereignty over all creation, reminding us of His power and majesty. The reality of His judgment calls us to live righteously, knowing that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Finally, the wonder of His love, expressed through forgiveness and grace, deepens our reverence for Him, making His frown our greatest dread and His smile our greatest delight. [06:56]

Psalm 96:9-10 (ESV): "Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! Say among the nations, 'The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.'"

Reflection: Which of the three strands—God's glory, judgment, or love—do you feel most connected to, and how can you strengthen your understanding of the other two in your spiritual journey?


Day 3: Trusting in God's Sovereignty
Understanding God's sovereignty, as demonstrated in Jeremiah's actions during a siege, helps us trust in His promises and remain hopeful even in dire circumstances. Jeremiah's purchase of a field during a siege was an act of hope and trust in God's promises, symbolizing that God's plans are always for our good, even when they seem impossible. This trust in God's sovereignty allows us to face challenges with confidence, knowing that He is in control and His promises are sure. [10:00]

Jeremiah 32:15 (ESV): "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's sovereignty, and how can you take a step of faith today to demonstrate your trust in His promises?


Day 4: Living in Light of God's Judgment
The reality of God's judgment should inspire a healthy fear, motivating us to live righteously and share the gospel with urgency, knowing we will all stand before Christ. This awareness of judgment is not meant to paralyze us with fear but to encourage us to live lives that reflect God's holiness and love. It reminds us of the importance of our actions and the impact they have on our eternal destiny and the lives of others. [15:10]

2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV): "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Reflection: How does the reality of standing before Christ's judgment seat influence your daily choices, and what changes can you make to align your life more closely with His standards?


Day 5: Embracing the Wonder of God's Love
The wonder of God's love, expressed through forgiveness and grace, deepens our reverence for Him, making His frown our greatest dread and His smile our greatest delight. This love is not only a source of comfort but also a call to action, inspiring us to love others as He has loved us. Embracing God's love leads to a life of joy, peace, and fulfillment, as we experience His blessings and share His love with the world. [25:13]

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the wonder of God's love through you today, and what specific action can you take to demonstrate His love to them?

Quotes



The fear of God is actually your friend because you may feel as as you're just hearing this right now you may think to yourself wait a minute the fear of God isn't that something that we want to get away from, I mean doesn't that sound more like an enemy than like a friend, and yet the Bible speaks to us very very clearly about how the fear of God brings immense good into the life of a Christian believer. [00:01:46]

God says there, I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me forever. Why? For their own good and for the good of their children after them. So here is God speaking and here is what he says, that his own people are going to fear him, that in fearing him this will be for their good. [00:02:22]

The fear of God is really like a chord of three strands and let me give them to you: the splendor of God's glory, the reality of God's judgment, and the wonder of God's love. These three bound together form the fear of the Lord that brings all kinds of blessing and all kinds of good in the life of a Christian believer. [00:06:43]

Jeremiah did an extraordinary and a very public thing; he bought a field. Hanamel, my cousin, came to me in accordance with the word of the Lord and said to me, buy a field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, and prompted by the Lord, Jeremiah did exactly that. [00:10:00]

Paul says this: we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and then immediately after he says that, he says therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. He's speaking about the church's ministry of reaching out to those who do not yet know the fear of the Lord and need to come to know it because we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. [00:15:09]

The reason that there's no condemnation for us is not that we have become so pure and so holy that there is nothing within us that could possibly be condemned. No, it is that God in his mercy chooses not to press charges and the reason that in his mercy he can do this is because in his justice he has brought all the charges that would have been laid against you and against me to Jesus Christ and has laid it all upon him. [00:22:20]

With you there is forgiveness that you may be feared. So here's the knowledge of mercy and grace and love and forgiveness, and what's it bringing the believer into? It's bringing the believer into this fear of the Lord that is going to do so much good, will do you good and will do your children good, and you're not going to be spiritually healthy without this. [00:25:50]

To fear God is to love him in such a way that his frown would be your greatest dread and his smile would be your greatest delight. That's what it is to fear God, and can you see how that arises out of love? It's not only seeing the splendor of his glory, it's not only coming to terms with the reality of his judgment, it's coming to the experience and the knowledge of the wonder of his love. [00:28:02]

Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always. You grow in the fear of the Lord as a result of our time together here today, you will be blessed. This is good. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always. Why? Because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. You're going to make better decisions if you are fearing the Lord. [00:32:45]

The fear of the Lord will keep you from sin, that is Exodus chapter 20 and verse 20 and also here in Jeremiah chapter 32 and verse 40, and the fear of the Lord will motivate you in evangelism. It's knowing the fear of the Lord that we seek to persuade other people. It's the sense and the knowledge of what lies ahead in the judgment of God that will contribute to our sense of urgency in mission with regards to the gospel. [00:33:00]

If we feared God more, friends, we would sin less. If we had a greater sense of the reality of his judgment, we would do more and we would be more urgent about the advance of the gospel. If we cared more about, uh, if God carried more weight in our lives, we would be making wiser decisions if we were really thinking about what is pleasing to God as opposed to what is pleasing to me all the time. [00:37:36]

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name. Lord, here I am, this heart gets pulled in all kinds of directions, and here's my prayer: make my heart one, make it one united to fear your name. Let this heart be captivated by the splendor of your glory and by the reality of your judgment and by the wonder of your love. [00:38:36]

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Transcript
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