The fourth reason for fearing God

 

4.     His Forgiveness

The fourth reason for having the rightful fear of God it is because of His forgiving mercies for it is written, "If you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared (Psalms 130:3-4).

Thankfully, "the Lord has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities; but He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us or will He keep His anger forever" (Psalms 103:8-10).

The willingness for the Lord to forgive ought to stimulate the rightful fear in us, by holding Him in high esteem, reverence, adoration, and to depart from evil. For, "if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness: If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (1John 1:8-10).

The gracious thing is that, Jesus Christ has made all the provisions for His people to live in holiness, and be constantly cleansed of their sins, through the cup of the New Covenant (agreement) which He instituted on the night before His death. For it is written; “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11, Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14, 20; Hebrews 9:22; 1John .1:7; Matthew 26:28).

The cardinal error which most people make is, accepting sin as part of our new nature. How often do we hear people make such comments as, "God understands!" when someone exercises a lack of faith by not trusting God, or being disobedient, or exercising a lack of self-control, by habitually living in sin. This is very prevalent because the basic assumption is, God understands their needs, their predicament, their weakness of the flesh, and therefore will sympathize with them when they compromise with sin. But what the Lord truly understands is our willingness not to sin as we have been duly admonished saying; "My little children, these things I write to you that you may not sin" (signifying that there is the possibility of not sinning. And if anyone sins (not when anyone sins, as though it is expected, but "IF" signifying that it is optional, peradventure), we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." What the Lord understands and sympathizes with us is, "As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him: For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust" (1John 2:1; Psalms 103:13-14).

Notice; His pity is not towards those exercising lack of faith, or lack of self-control, or who violates His laws with impunity, but towards those who fear Him because, it is by the fear of the Lord that one departs from evil.

And so, we have been instructed saying;, "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them" (Psalms 103:17-18).

The Lord pities those who strive for excellence because we have been duly instructed saying; “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” So, those who strive to enter the narrow way; those who, when faced with trials and temptations whilst pursuing the right path, will boldly come to the throne of grace, so that they may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." For, "Indeed, He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham" (Hebrews 4:16, 2:16).

Furthermore, we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).

And, "for to this we were called, because Christ also suffered for us (in the flesh by being tempted just as we are being tempted yet without sin), leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth" (1Peter 2:22).

Therefore, since Jesus Christ suffered for us in the flesh and leaving us an example that we should follow His steps, we are to arm ourselves with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin" (1Peter 4:1).

Yes, if indeed we have proven that the Lord is gracious, His forgiving mercies will stimulate the right fear of God in us, and we will strive to give unto Him the honor, the reverence, and the glory which is due to Him by departing from evil, stop disobeying His commandments and making excuses. That is, not allowing our independent sinful nature which is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked to entice us to walk after the imagination of our own evil heart and do what seems right in our own eyes and worshiping Him according to the commandments and traditions of men.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph