John 14:21
Introduction: We've learned that you cannot properly fear God if you do not have a proper respect for His authority structure. God expects each one of us to be, not only in subjection to Him, but also to those whom He has given us as leaders.
We learned that the man should be in subjection to Christ, the wife in subjection to her own husband, the children in subjection to their parents, employers in subjection to Christ, and employees in subjection to employers.
We learned that for one to have authority is for one to have the right to command. Jesus even found Himself in obedience and compliance to the will of His Heavenly Father. At one point, He even said, "Not my will but Thine..."
In our last two times together, I said, "To fear the Lord is to live all of life under all His authority." One of those authorities was the Scripture. One cannot be in subjection to Christ without being under the authority of His Word and that's where we are this week as we will learn about fearing God and obedience to His Word.
In contrast, to the direction of our society today, a major characteristic of one who fears God is obedience to Him. Scripture often links obedience to the proper fear of God.
- "Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged." (Deuteronomy 6:1, 2)
- "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate." (Proverbs 8:13)
- "Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments." (Psalms 112:1)
Wickedness and disobedience are often linked to a lack of fearing God.
- "And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake." (Genesis 20:11)
- "Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God." (Deuteronomy 25:17, 18)
Probably, the best reference on obedience and fearing God is Ecclesiastes 12:13, "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
In developing a proper fear of the Lord, we must keep in mind several things.
1. We must learn to obey God's commands.
- Notice the words of Jesus in John 14:21, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."
- His commands are not just the "big ten." Jesus often connects our love for God with obedience to His commands.
- However, it is easier to love God than to actually do the things He commands us to do. One of the most difficult areas involves our relationships with others.
- Romans 12 gives us a short list of commands so that we may get along with others.
* Love sincerely, "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (Romans 12:9)
* Have brotherly love, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love..." (Romans 12:10a)
* Honor others above yourself, "...in honour preferring one another." (Romans 12:10b)
* Share with others in need, "Distributing to the necessity of saints..." (Romans 12:13a)
* Practice hospitality, "...given to hospitality." (Romans 12:13b)
* Bless those who persecute you, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." (Romans 12:14)
* Rejoice with those who rejoice, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice..." (Romans 12:15a)
* Mourn with those who mourn, "...and weep with them that weep." (Romans 12:15b)
* Live in harmony with one another, "Be of the same mind one toward another..." (Romans 12:16a)
* Don't be proud, "...Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." (Romans 12:16b)
* Don't repay evil with evil, "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men." (Romans 12:17)
* Live at peace with others, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18)
* Don't be revengeful, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19)
* Overcome evil with good, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)
- Again, Paul said, "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:9, 10)
- And in Galatians 5:13-14, he said, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
- This law is summed up in James 2:8, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well."
- More than 50 passages in the New Testament command us to love each other. To not love one another is to be disobedient to a major part of the New Testament.
- The great commandment, also called the first commandment, is found in Matthew 22:37-39, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
- Interestingly, God said the second commandment is like unto the first commandment which is to "love thy neighbor." Now, look at verse 40, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Conclusion: If we are to fear God properly, we must have a proper respect for His Word and His commandments. If we are not living in obedience to the Word of God, we cannot be living in the fear of the Lord. One of those commandments is that we get along with one another.
In contrast, to the direction of our society today, a major characteristic of one who fears God is obedience to Him. Scripture often links obedience to the proper fear of God. One sure-fire way to recognize whether or not you fear God properly is demonstrated in your relationships to others.
No wonder Jesus said that you can't love God and hate your brother at the same time. How are your relationships with others?