Fear and Judgment

God is love. That is true. The Bible tells us that in many different passages, but none as clearly as 1 John 4:8 & 16. But that is only one characteristic of God, even though it is the one characteristic that is often used to excuse sinful lives by a selfish world. Most people describe God as a loving God. Until something happens that they don't understand, then God becomes the punching bag of society.

I believe that Christians have not been as successful or as burdened with witnessing because we have focused so much on God's love. Many people do not feel the urgency to accept Christ as their Savior because they cannot imagine a loving God condemning people to an eternity in Hell. And others reject God because they cannot believe in a loving God who will allow pain and suffering. The church's focus on a loving God has enabled the world to see a perverted religion. A religion that has been minimized to a jolly, smiling, good-natured God who stands above, but does not actually participate in the world at large.

I don't believe that very many Christians sitting in the church pews have a good understanding of God's judgment. The Bible depicts the anger and wrath of God and tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus [God] is the same yesterday, today, and forever, yet we live as if God has modernized His ways and is now a politically correct God. Christians must return to the full Gospel, sharing with the world the complete God rather than the meek and mild God that we now portray to the world. God is full of love, yes, but He is also full of justice.

Perhaps Christians need to spend more time studying the Old Testament or the book of Revelation so that we can truly come to fear God. Look at this prophecy against the Israelites by Ezekiel: 

“Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine.’ It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.” (Ezekiel 21:6-7, NIV)

Granted, we probably won't have to face the destruction of our country as we are hauled off into slavery, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't fear God. Even Jesus had a healthy fear of God.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3, NIV)

Not only did Jesus fear God, but He delighted in the fear of God. The Hebrew word for "delight" is "ruwach" and means smell, perceive, or accept the fear of the Lord. Jesus recognized God's perfect, righteous, and sinless nature, and He accepted the judgment of God based on His knowledge and understanding of God's justice.

God's Word also gives us a hint as to why most churches are not growing: they no longer have a fear of Him.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31, NIV)

The early church continued to increase in numbers [new converts] because they lived in the fear of the Lord. Noticed it did not say they increased because of their love of God and others, although it goes without saying that they had to express love for others as they shared the Gospel with their friends and families. They enjoyed peace, were strengthened, encouraged, and increased because of their fear of God.

Share God's love, but make sure that we are showing the world that we fear God. Just as Abraham feared God when he willingly offered up his only son as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:12). Just as Joseph told his brothers that he feared God (Genesis 42:18). Just as Moses selected men who feared God to serve as leaders among the nation of Israel (Exodus 18:21). Just as first Century Christians feared God (Acts 2:5, 10:2, 17:4) Paul proclaimed in the book of Acts that the message of salvation came to the children of Abraham and to those who fear God. (Acts 13:26)

Peter gives us some recommendations on how Christians are to live godly lives in a pagan society, and we certainly live in a pagan society. (Bracketed words have been changed to terms familiar under the United States governmental system)

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the [president], as the supreme authority, or to [judges], who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the [president]. (1 Peter 2:11-17, NIV)