~ Psalms 111:10
It is because we do not fear the Lord that we willfully sin.
It is because we do not fear the Lord that we think we can hide our sin from the Lord.
It is because we do not fear the Lord that we think we can continue to sin and yet go to church and preach and teach in the house of the Lord.
It is because we do not fear the Lord that we make so many poor choices but blame God when things do not go our way.
It is because we do not fear the Lord that we lack the power to live righteously.
Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
Galatians 6:7-8, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
What does it mean to fear the Lord?
- To have a reverent awe of God
- To have a profound reverence towards God.
What does the word to revere or reverence mean?
- To show honor and devotion to
- To show honor and respect mixed with love and awe
- Syn. with worship
What does the word “mock” mean?
- To treat with contempt or ridicule.
- To delude or defy
- To mimic in sport or derision
(The definitions above are taken from The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
So let me reiterate my beginning statements but substituting the word “fear” with reverence or awe.
- It is because we do not revere God that we sin willfully.
- It is because we do not stand in awe of God that we think we can hide our sin from him.
- It is because we do not revere God that we think we can continue in our sin and yet “worship” him and serve him in his house.
- It is because we do not honor God (we do not put him first) that we make so many poor choices and then blame God when things do not go our way.
- It is because we do not reverence God that we lack the power to live righteously.
By living our lives in such a way, we mock God. The epistle to the Galatians is written to Christians! (Galatians 1:2) We attempt to “mock” God when we think we can willfully sin or live in sin and hide from God. We attempt to “mock” God when we think we can live in sin and yet “serve” God. But we are only deceiving ourselves.
“Be not deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature (the one who sows to please his flesh), from that nature will reap destruction…”
Is it any wonder why Jesus said in Matt. 7:21-23 that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
I declare, there is no way we can revere God, there is no way we can love God and continue to live in sin. We all fall short at times, but out of fear of God, we repent; we are grieved by our sin, turn to God in repentance and turn away from our sin. We don’t go running back to the muck and mire like pigs in total disregard for the sacrifice of love God made for us by crucifying his only Son. Herein lies the difference between he who reveres God, he who loves God and he who is religious.
To fear God is the BEGINNING of wisdom. It is only the beginning of wisdom or knowledge. It is not fullness of wisdom, but only the beginning thereof. When we fear God, when we honor God for who he is, when we recognize his awesome majesty and power, we will walk and live our lives in the shadow of his presence.
To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Jesus gave us the parable of a wise and a foolish man in Matthew 7:24-27, he said:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Making wise decisions, God-fearing decisions, may cost your more, may be painful and may take more work, but the outcome is long lasting.
To honor God is the first and wisest decision one can make and yet it is only the beginning. The second part of Psalms 111:10 says, “all who follow his precepts have good understanding.” We must learn to walk in his ways.
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
They do nothing wrong; the walk in his ways.
You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
~Psalms 119:1-5
