Godly Fear
We are instructed to serve God with reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28-
29) “wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,
whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our
God is a consuming fire”.
Godly fear is reverence – a feeling of profound awe and respect, honor of God,
because of His majesty and holiness, God arouses a feeling of reverence in those
who worship and serve Him.
As you look through the Psalms which David wrote, you will see why he was called
a man after God’s own heart (Psalms 22:22-23,25) “I will declare Your name to my
brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You. You that fear
(reverence) the Lord Yahweh, praise Him all you the seed of Jacob, glorify Him
and reverence Him, all you seed of Israel. My praise shall be of You in the great
congregation; I will pay my vows before them that reverence Him”, and in Psalms
34:7-9 “the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that reverence Him, and
delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord Yahweh is good; blessed is the man
that trusts in Him. O reverence the Lord Yahweh, you His saints; for there is no
want to them that reverence Him”.
In Proverbs we see the importance of reverencing God, and it shows us what
reverence is (Proverbs 1:7) “the fear (reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. Proverbs 8:13
says “the reverence of the Lord Yahweh is to hate evil, pride, and arrogancy, and
the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate”. Proverbs 9:10 “the reverence of
the Lord Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding”; Proverbs 14:2,26-27 says “he that walks in his uprightness
reverence the Lord Yahweh, but he that is perverse in his ways despises Him.
The fear of the Lord Yahweh is strong confidence; and his children shall have a
place of refuge. The fear of the Lord Yahweh is a fountain of life, to depart from
the snares of death”.
Many people try to reverence God their own way, lets look at Cain in Genesis 4:3-
7 “and in process of time, it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground an offering to the Lord Yahweh. And Abel, he also brought of the firstling
of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord Yahweh had respect to Abel and
to his offering. But to Cain and to his offering, He had not respect. And Cain was
very angry, and his countenance fell. And the Lord Yahweh said to Cain. Why
are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall you not
be accepted? And if you do not well, sin lies at the door; and to you shall be his
desire, and you shall rule over him”. The Bible tells us that without the shedding
of blood, there is no remission of sin, yet Cain came to worship God in his own
way, without blood.
Many people today are still trying to reverence God their own way, they try to
come to God the Father, without the Son, but Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the
way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by Me”.
God says in I Samuel 2:29-30 “wherefore kick you at My sacrifice and at My
offering, which I have commanded in My habitation; and honor your sons above
Me; to make your selves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My
people? Wherefore the Lord God of Israel says, I said indeed that your house,
and the house of your father; should walk before Me for ever, but now the Lord
Yahweh says, be it far from Me, for them that honor Me, I will honor; and they that
despise Me shall be lightly esteemed”.
God’s plan of redemption is through the Son, in Genesis 3:15 God prophecy this,
it says “and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed
and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel”. The
ultimate sacrifice was Jesus, He shed His blood for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 5:15-17 says “but not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if
through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God,
and the gift by grace; which is by One man, Jesus Christ, has abounded to many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift; for the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences to justification. For if by one
man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign is life by One, Jesus Christ”.
Even many people who call them selves Christians, want the benefits of being
called Christians without repentance, using the grace of God as an excuse to
continue in their sins. Jesus came preaching repentance (Matthew 9:13) “but go
you and learn what that means, I will have mercy; and not sacrifice; for I am not
come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”.
Romans 12:1-2 shows us how, it says “I beseech you therefore, brethren; by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but
be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”. this is what Paul meant when he
said “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave Himself for me”. We too are to deem our selves as dead to
the flesh. Paul says “what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace
may abound? God forbid, how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein? Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into
death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-4).
Paul warns, and prayed that they did not receive the grace of God in vain (II
Corinthians 6:1) “we then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that
you receive not the grace of God in vain”.
Grace is a free gift, yet Jesus said “if you love Me, you will keep My
commandments. He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that
loves Me and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:15,21). Matthew 22:37-40 reveals His
commandments, it says “Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God, with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 “not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father, which is
in heaven. many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you; depart
from Me, you that work iniquity”.
Revelation 12:10-11 says “and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His
Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death”. Many
quote the first part of verse 11, but the later parts says “and they loved not their
lives to the death”, this is a laid down life, a surrendered life.
Psalms 111:9-10 says “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His
covenant forever, holy and reverend is His name. The fear (reverence) of the
Lord Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, a good understand have all they that do
His commandments, His praise endures forever”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 30, 2010
We are instructed to serve God with reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28-
29) “wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace,
whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our
God is a consuming fire”.
Godly fear is reverence – a feeling of profound awe and respect, honor of God,
because of His majesty and holiness, God arouses a feeling of reverence in those
who worship and serve Him.
As you look through the Psalms which David wrote, you will see why he was called
a man after God’s own heart (Psalms 22:22-23,25) “I will declare Your name to my
brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You. You that fear
(reverence) the Lord Yahweh, praise Him all you the seed of Jacob, glorify Him
and reverence Him, all you seed of Israel. My praise shall be of You in the great
congregation; I will pay my vows before them that reverence Him”, and in Psalms
34:7-9 “the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that reverence Him, and
delivers them. O taste and see that the Lord Yahweh is good; blessed is the man
that trusts in Him. O reverence the Lord Yahweh, you His saints; for there is no
want to them that reverence Him”.
In Proverbs we see the importance of reverencing God, and it shows us what
reverence is (Proverbs 1:7) “the fear (reverence) of the Lord Yahweh is the
beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. Proverbs 8:13
says “the reverence of the Lord Yahweh is to hate evil, pride, and arrogancy, and
the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate”. Proverbs 9:10 “the reverence of
the Lord Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is
understanding”; Proverbs 14:2,26-27 says “he that walks in his uprightness
reverence the Lord Yahweh, but he that is perverse in his ways despises Him.
The fear of the Lord Yahweh is strong confidence; and his children shall have a
place of refuge. The fear of the Lord Yahweh is a fountain of life, to depart from
the snares of death”.
Many people try to reverence God their own way, lets look at Cain in Genesis 4:3-
7 “and in process of time, it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the
ground an offering to the Lord Yahweh. And Abel, he also brought of the firstling
of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord Yahweh had respect to Abel and
to his offering. But to Cain and to his offering, He had not respect. And Cain was
very angry, and his countenance fell. And the Lord Yahweh said to Cain. Why
are you angry? And why is your countenance fallen? If you do well, shall you not
be accepted? And if you do not well, sin lies at the door; and to you shall be his
desire, and you shall rule over him”. The Bible tells us that without the shedding
of blood, there is no remission of sin, yet Cain came to worship God in his own
way, without blood.
Many people today are still trying to reverence God their own way, they try to
come to God the Father, without the Son, but Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the
way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, but by Me”.
God says in I Samuel 2:29-30 “wherefore kick you at My sacrifice and at My
offering, which I have commanded in My habitation; and honor your sons above
Me; to make your selves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel My
people? Wherefore the Lord God of Israel says, I said indeed that your house,
and the house of your father; should walk before Me for ever, but now the Lord
Yahweh says, be it far from Me, for them that honor Me, I will honor; and they that
despise Me shall be lightly esteemed”.
God’s plan of redemption is through the Son, in Genesis 3:15 God prophecy this,
it says “and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed
and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel”. The
ultimate sacrifice was Jesus, He shed His blood for the sins of the whole world.
Romans 5:15-17 says “but not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if
through the offence of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God,
and the gift by grace; which is by One man, Jesus Christ, has abounded to many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift; for the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences to justification. For if by one
man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign is life by One, Jesus Christ”.
Even many people who call them selves Christians, want the benefits of being
called Christians without repentance, using the grace of God as an excuse to
continue in their sins. Jesus came preaching repentance (Matthew 9:13) “but go
you and learn what that means, I will have mercy; and not sacrifice; for I am not
come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance”.
Romans 12:1-2 shows us how, it says “I beseech you therefore, brethren; by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but
be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”. this is what Paul meant when he
said “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who
loved me, and gave Himself for me”. We too are to deem our selves as dead to
the flesh. Paul says “what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace
may abound? God forbid, how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein? Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into
death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,
even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-4).
Paul warns, and prayed that they did not receive the grace of God in vain (II
Corinthians 6:1) “we then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that
you receive not the grace of God in vain”.
Grace is a free gift, yet Jesus said “if you love Me, you will keep My
commandments. He that has My commandments, and keeps them, he it is that
loves Me and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest Myself to him” (John 14:15,21). Matthew 22:37-40 reveals His
commandments, it says “Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God, with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And the second is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 “not every one that says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall
enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father, which is
in heaven. many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you; depart
from Me, you that work iniquity”.
Revelation 12:10-11 says “and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is
come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His
Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by
the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives to the death”. Many
quote the first part of verse 11, but the later parts says “and they loved not their
lives to the death”, this is a laid down life, a surrendered life.
Psalms 111:9-10 says “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His
covenant forever, holy and reverend is His name. The fear (reverence) of the
Lord Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom, a good understand have all they that do
His commandments, His praise endures forever”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 30, 2010
