What happened to the 'fear of God'?

'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.'  Psalm 89:7

OK, so let me 'say it different'.

'The Almighty God and creator of all things should indeed be feared for his majesty and awesomeness amongst the gathering together of those who call on his name. He should be shown the greatest and highest reverence by everyone who comes to him or stands in his presence.'

If the Queen, or the President, or the richest person on earth, were to invite you to their private residence, how would you dress? How would you behave? How would you fashion your words? How would your heart begin to beat? What emotion, anticipation, and feeling, would there be inside of you?

And yet, we are told that our meeting together as Christians is a meeting (by special  invitation) from the Creator of all things. 

'Unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.' (Genesis 49:10) Every time we come away from everything to talk with God, it is a meeting at the highest level. It is with the King above every king, the most powerful force in the universe, the judge of all the earth, the reader of every thought, the Master of every situation, the Ruler of the nations, the only hope of salvation, forgiveness, and mercy; and the joy of the whole earth.

Well, that sort of throws a huge spanner in the works and behaviour of those who go to church and claim to be his followers (especially here in the west). The cheapness and carnal familiarity that is shown towards God in the meetings held in many churches, shows less respect than most of them would show to a policeman or a school teacher. These days, you can walk in and out as you wish, check your text messages, and even take a call from someone during the short hour together.

The meetings may be loud and happy, the music group pirouetting around the stage in their fancy clothes, the hands of the congregation up in the air whilst having a look around at everyone else, 'but where is my fear?" says the Lord.'

'You show respect, and honour to those who you place higher than yourselves, but treat me with disdain and as a casual acquaintance of lesser importance.' (Malachai 1:6)

In fact, I have noted on many occasions that when a very rich business person is sat in the congregation, the people show more reverence to them than they do to the things of God. They will show more appreciation to the businessman's handouts than to the Bible that is offered them when they enter the building (although, that is quite unlikely to happen these days).

Modern 'Christians' tell us that we do not need to fear God because he is a God of love. "All that 'fear' stuff was for previous generations who were ignorant."

However, 'The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.' That is divine knowledge which you cannot learn at college or buy off the bookshelf.  (Proverbs 1:7)

'The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life.' It springs up inside you, and flows out of you wherever you may go. It comes from a divine source.  (Proverbs 14:27)

'The fear of the LORD prolongs your days.' It sustains and keeps you through all of life's winds and storms, and brings you to where you need to be. It originates in heaven, and delivers you from evil.  (Proverbs 10:27)

And before anyone says that these verses were all 'Old Testament stuff'', let me point out that the New Testament has much to say about it also.

That early, fresh-born church, 'walked in the fear of the Lord'. (Acts 9:31) All the teachings of the New Testament bring us to the certain conclusion that all flesh should fear before God, for he is a consuming fire, judge of all the earth, and yet draws near to the humble soul. (2Corinthians 7:1)

To fear God is to understand a little of who he is, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of true knowledge. It is not a cowering fear that causes us to have nothing to do with him, but a holy reverence on such a high level that might indeed be seen by others to be fear. It does not cause us to run from him, but actually inclines us to run to him.  

The 'fear of God' is an honour and reverencing of him, of his holiness, his majesty, his greatness, and his faithfulness. It is at a level that exalts him and respects him properly. The great majority of this generation of church-goers today know nothing of this, and as such know nothing of God. If that makes you angry, then that is proof sufficient to what I say.

The Psalmist said, 'Unite my heart to fear thy name'. (Psalm 86:11) He was asking God to bring his whole life and heart to honour and respect God at the very highest level possible, to walk humbly with Him, and to bow before him who made him. 

If you are a true believer and love the Lord, then you will want to walk with him in reverence and fear. It comes with the born-again experience, for it is the work of the Holy Spirit within you. But of course, if you have not the Holy Spirit of God within you, then you cannot understand the fear of the Lord.

 'Come, you children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.' (Psalm 34:11)

In this Psalm 34, King David expresses most eloquently what the fear of the Lord is. To read this psalm a few times, and drink its truth into your soul, will transform your understanding and give you a right knowledge of the fear of God.  (Psalm 34)

Pilgrim Warrior