Guilty vs Godly Fear of the Lord  (Adam vs Midwives) (c) 2017 WF Cobb Truthbase.net  DailyTrutbase.blogspot

DT (NT) Believers: There are inexorable consequences for our actions (even if we don't immediately see them)  due to the direct actions and/or immutable sovereign laws of God (sin»death Gen 3): God will bless whole-hearted obedience, discipline half-hearted obedience and curse/diminish disobedience. Therefore the righteous person will live in faithful fear of the Lord (being careful to do what is right in His sight), knowing that the Omni³ God, who recompenses the just and unjust is watching and remembering all we think, do, and say.

Gen 31:42;53 God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac had been with me...God has seen my affliction...Ex 14:31

Ps 25:14 The secret/divan of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will cause them to know by experiences His covenant (blessings) 

Ex 20:18 all the people witnessed thunderings, lightning, sound of the trumpet, mountain smoking; they trembled and stood afar off. 19 "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die." 20 "Do not fear; for God has come to test you, that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin."21 people stood afar off, Moses drew near thick darkness where God was. 

Ps 90:11 Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger? Your raging fury/wrath causes people to fear you. 12 number days.  NET

Dt 10:11...Yahweh heard me, and the LORD chose not to destroy you.11 'Arise, begin your journey...that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.' 12 And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul 13 and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? 14 heaven...earth (belong to the Lord) 15 The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose...16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 20 You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast..   cf Rm 3:18

21 He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.

Jer 32:40 everlasting covenant..not turn away to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me

Heb 12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 28 Since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. 

Rev 14:7 "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, sea

Isa 33:6 He is a sure foundation for your times, rich store of salvation, wisdom,knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure NIV 

I. Why Fear God

A. Starting Point  Pr 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Pr 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and  the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.

Ps 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments

B. Commanded  Pr 24:21 son, fear the LORD and the king  Ps 2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

C. Pleases God  Ps 147:11 The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy/hesed.

D. Enduring  Ps 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean/pure, enduring for ever

E. Necessary for worship  Ps 5:7 in fear of You will I worship toward Your holy temple.

II. Negative Consequences of Failing to Fear

A. Short Term Pr 1:26 laugh at your calamity; mock when your fear comes 29 hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD

B. Long Term Pr 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongs days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

III. Positive Consequences of Fully Fearing

A. The Whole Shebang Pr 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life.

B. Safety Pr 1:33 But whoso listens to me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

C. Life Pr 19:23 The fear of the LORD tends to life: and he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

D. Confidence Pr 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death  

E. Intimacy Ps 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him

F. Oversight Ps 33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy/hesed

G. Safety Ps 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.

H. No Lack Ps 34:9 O fear the LORD, you his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

I. Victory Ps 60:4 You have given a banner to them that fear you, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.

J. Heritage Ps 61:5 O God, have heard my vows: you have given me the heritage of those that fear your name.

K. Salvation Ps 85:9 Surely his salvation is near them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

L. Steak Ps 111:5 He has given meat/food to them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

M. Blessing Ps 115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

N. Mercy/Hesed Lk 1:50 his mercy is on them that fear him Ps 103:11,13,17 great is his mercy/toward them that fear Him

O. Fulfilled Promises Ps 119:38 Establish your word to your servant, who is devoted to your fear.

P. Fulfilled Desires Ps 145:19 He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

IV. How to Develop a Fruitful Fear

A. Hunt the Word Pr 2:5 {seek as treasure} Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

B. Humbly learn Pr 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.

C. Dependence Ps 31:19 great goodness, you have laid up for them that fear you...trust in you before the sons of men

Pr 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure with trouble.

Ps 55:19 God shall hear, and afflict them...Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

D. Keep Away Ps 34:1-18 Come, you children, listen/hearken (hear/obey) to me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

Pr 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Pr 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.

Pr 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

E. Keep it in front Ps 36:1 wicked...there is no fear of God before his eyes. 

F. Observe Ps 40:3 put a new song in my mouth, praise to our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Ps 67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

G. Single-minded (+prayer) Ps 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD; I will walk in your truth: unite my heart to fear your name.

H. Know God Ps 90:11 Who knows the power of your anger? even according to your fear, so is your wrath.

I. Worship Ps 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

J. Fellowship Ps 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear you, and of them that keep your precepts.

K. Shake, Rattle and Roll Ps 119:120 My flesh trembles for fear of you; and I am afraid of your judgments.

L. No Envy Pr 23:17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

V. Motivational Commands for New Testament Believers to Fear God

A. Fear appropriately Mt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Gehenna = burning garbage pit I Cor 3)

B. Fear God Alone Lk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: 

Fear Him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell/Gehenna; yea, I say to you, Fear him.

C. Church Growth Ac 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

D. Daily Tremble Ac 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied.

E. Stand Rm 11:20 because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: (1Cor 10)

F. Perfect Holiness 2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

G. Basis of Body Life Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

H. Work Eph 6:5 be obedient to masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ

I. Basis of Salvation (justification, sanctification, glorification) Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

J. Motivation for Godliness 1Ti 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

K. Motivation for Reward Heb 4:1 fear, lest, a promise left to us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it

L. Motivation for Obedience Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape punishment, if we neglect so great a salvation; which first spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed...

Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you   

   suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, by which he was  

   sanctified, an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs to me, I will 

   recompense, says the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge His people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Heb 12: 25 See that you don't refuse Him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven:

M. Motivation for Sanctification 1Pt 1:17 if you call on the Father, who w/o respect of persons judges acc to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 4:17 time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall  the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18  if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

N. Fear vs. Honor 1Pt 2:17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

O. No Fear Jude 1:12 These are spots in your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Is fear of God something New Testament believers should do? How do you reconcile fear with a God who loves and forgives?

2. How should a Biblical, foundational fear of God affect our confidence, obedience, relationships, ministry, perseverance…daily lives?

3. If a person doesn’t fear God, what could you conclude about their lives?  What are some hallmarks of someone with a proper fear of God?

4. How would you help someone develop a biblical fear of God?  How obvious are those qualities/actions in your life? How did they get there?

5. T or F: Fear of God = “reverential trust.” Why would such an attitude develop? What are the consequences? Daniel 11:32

6. Why is fear of God absent in modern Christianity? What are the consequences of its absence?

7. Is fear a more effective motivator for you than desire/love? Which is reflected in other areas of your life?

8. What do you fear with respect to your relationship with God? How does that affect your Quiet Time?