To Fear and Love God

Written by Karlis R. Zikmanis on 01 September 2012. Posted in About Jesus

"Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off." ~Exodus 20:1-18

Martin Luther summed up the 10 commandments in these words: We are to love and fear the Lord.  It is, perhaps, easy to understand loving God, as He is our Creator and Redeemer, our Provider and Sustainer.  But these days, it is hard for Westerners to understand why we should fear Him.  In ages past this was a clear idea. Fear Him who has power and authority. The People of God saw His might, and feared Him.  Yet authority is not respected in this modern age. We tend to, at best, ignore it, at worst, revolt against it. Love God -- yes.  But FEAR Him?

Fear is not just a negative emotion that makes us run. It is a sign of respect, like when you go to see your boss or school principal when you have done something wrong. You fear the person who has power over you, to either reprimand you, fire you, or release you.  If such an emotional reaction is induced by human authority, how much more should God's authority affect us? But does it? The words of Jesus remind us "be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." ~Matthew 10:28

GOD'S LOVE

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ~Revelation 1:5

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you. ~Jeremiah 31:3

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." ~John 3:16

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." ~John 15:13

THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." ~John 14:7-10

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." ~Matthew 1:22, 23 (Isaiah 7:14)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. ~1 Timothy 3:16

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. ~John 1:1, 14

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. ~Colossians 2:9

JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ~1 John 4:15

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" ~Matthew 17:5

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." ~Luke 1:35

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." ~John 9:35-37

JESUS TELLS US WHO HE IS:

The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." ~John 4:25,26

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." ~John 11:25

"You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am." ~John 13:13

And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." ~John 8:23

Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." ~John 8:58

Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep." ~John 10:7

And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." ~John 6:35

JESUS CHRIST IS CREATOR

And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. ~Ephesians 3:9

For by Christ all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ~Colossians 1:16

All things were made through Christ, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ~John 1:3

REDEMPTION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST ALONE

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." ~John 14:6

Jesus said "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." ~John 8:24

"Nor is there salvation in any other that Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." ~Acts 4:12

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." ~Luke 19:10

CHRIST'S RECONCILING AND CLEANSING BLOOD

Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ~Romans 3:24

And they sang a new song, saying: "You [Jesus] are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. ~Revelation 5:9

Who gave Himself for us, that He [Jesus] might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. ~Titus 2:14

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed usinto the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. ~Colossians 1:12-14

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. ~Romans 5:11

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ~Romans 5:9

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. ~Ephesians 1:7

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. ~1 John 1:7

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ~Hebrews 9:13,14

Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. ~1 Peter 1:18,19

SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent. ~John 6:28,29

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. ~Ephesians 2:8,9

And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. ~Philippians 3:9

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ~Romans 5:1

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. ~1 John 5:4

But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. ~John 20:31

SIN BREEDS DEATH

As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. ~Proverbs 11:19

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. ~Ezekiel 18:20

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. ~Romans 5:12

Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. ~James 1:15

YOU CANNOT HIDE SIN FROM GOD

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. ~Proverbs 15:3

"For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light." ~Luke 8:17

If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there...Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. ~Psalm 139:8,12

For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ~Job 34:21,22

"Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him?" says the Lord; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the Lord. ~Jeremiah 23:24

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE GODLESS?

The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. ~Psalm 9:17

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. ~Revelation 20:15

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. ~2 Peter 3:7

"If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. ~Matthew 18:8

"The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." ~Matthew 13:41,42

"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." ~Matthew 25:46

REPENTANCE

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent..." ~Acts 17:30

"I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." ~Luke 13:3

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." ~Acts 2:38

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" ~Matthew 3:1,2

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. ~2 Corinthians 7:10

"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." ~Luke 15:7

FORGIVENESS OF SINS

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ~Isaiah 55:7

Him [Jesus] God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ~Acts 5:31

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." ~Revelation 3:20

"But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die." ~Ezekiel 18:21

When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." ~Mark 2:5

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~1 John 1:9

ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. ~Isaiah 32:17

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. ~Romans 8:16

"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." ~John 10:28

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. ~2 Corinthians 1:21,22

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. ~Ephesians 1:13,14

By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ~1 John 4:13

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