It’s hard to know yourself completely.  Think about it.

We are promised one day to know as we are known, (1 Corinthians 13:12) but today is not that day.  I know I sin; I fail to accomplish everything I could.  At the same time everything God ordained for me to accomplish I have accomplished.  Trials, temptations, sin committed by me in open rebellion (those I know I shouldn’t do) and sins committed in ignorance (those I don’t know about or understand.)

Sin!  The grossest of all conditions, I am guilty of sin.  I could go into details and some of you might even sympathize with me over them.  Some of you might believe they are not sins at all, but my conviction, my heart tells me they are sin.

The word Sin occurs over 700 times in some variant in the King James Version of the Bible.  By comparison Love occurs over around 419 times, Hope 143, Evil 622, Salvation 164, LORD 8000+, Christ 573, Faith 348 and so on.

Sin is an overwhelming theme in the Bible.  Don’t let anyone tell you sin is no longer an issue, is unimportant, or no longer of consequence.  When Christ comes again, then sin will no longer be an issue, because He will judge the living and the dead, (2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5) and He can’t judge what is not longer an issue.  If He will judge, there must be something to judge.

God has determined evil for good,(Genesis 50:19; Psalms 76:10; Proverbs 19:21) more than once in the history of the world, in fact Romans tells us that all things work together for the good of those that love the LORD and are called, according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28-30)

This is love, that God meant sin to abound, (Romans 5:20) He set its limits and borders within creation, He limited even the evil of Satan. (Job 1,) that men might receive the blessed gift of eternal love. Eternal Love is a gift received in part in this life, and delivered in full on the final day, when we as created eternal beings will receive the just recompense of our sins, (Hebrews 10:30) and every word will be called into account. (Matthew 12:36.)

Think about it.  Does anyone really know themselves?

A study by Kent Wilkens
Kent was an influence in my life for many years, as a God fearling and Bible loving child of the light. The study presented below (and commented on by me at the end,) was written in the Mid 1980′s. (Funny thing how the truth remains relevant, forever.) Kent has been blessed with a wonderful family and an artist’s heart and talents. Please visit his site to review his awesome art, and learn a bit more about the man.

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What is it? Does it apply to Christians? If so why should we fear God? What are the benefits? Are there any other practical applications?Since I have this most peculiar habit of turning to the word of God for such answers (happen to believe that 2 Timothy 3:16-17 has some meaning behind it), I will share with you what I have found. Because of the large number of scriptures on this subject, I will quote only one from the O.T. and one from the N.T. for each aspect that I will look at.

THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE

PROVERBS 1:7 NKJV The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12 NKJV Therefore, 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;

SHOULD WE FEAR GOD?

JOSHUA 4:24 NKJV “that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

MATTHEW 10:28 NKJV “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

WAS IT A COMMAND?

DEUTERONOMY 10:12 NKJV “And now, Israel, what does the Lord 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,

1 PETER 2:17 NKJV Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

WHY SHOULD WE FEAR GOD?

PSALM 76:7-12 NKJV 7 You, Yourself, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence When once You are angry? 8 You caused judgement to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, 9 When God arose to judgment, To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah 10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself. 11 Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them; Let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared. 12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is terrible to the kings of the earth.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10-11 NKJV 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I trust are well known in your consciences.

SHOULD WE FEAR ANYTHING ELSE?

ISAIAH 8:12-13 NKJV 12 “Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. 13 The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.

LUKE 12:4-5 NKJV 4 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

WHEN SHOULD WE FEAR GOD?

DEUTERONOMY 4:10 NKJV “especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’

1 PETER 1:17 NKJV And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear;

WHAT IS THE MAJOR PRACTICAL BENEFIT OF THIS DOCTRINE?

PROVERBS 16:6 NKJV In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.

2 CORINTHIANS 7:1 NKJV Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

SOME OTHER PRACTICAL BENEFITS

PSALM 34:9 NKJV Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

LUKE 1:50 NKJV And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

WERE PEOPLE CHOSEN BECAUSE OF THIS

EXODUS 18:21 NKJV “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

ACTS 10:35 NKJV “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

HOW DO WE LEARN TO FEAR THE LORD?

PROVERBS 2:1-5 NKJV 1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,

ROMANS 11:19-22 NKJV 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

WHY DO SOME OF US NOT FEAR GOD?

ISAIAH 57:11 NKJV “And of whom have you been afraid, or feared that you have lied And not remembered Me, Nor taken it to your heart? Is it not because I have held My peace from of old That you do not fear Me?

HAND IN HAND WITH FEAR:
FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS

DEUTERONOMY 5:29 NKJV ‘Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

ACTS 10:35 NKJV “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

WHO WILL FEAR HIM

PSALM 33:8 NKJV Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

REVELATION 15:4 NKJV Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgements have been manifested.”

DOES THIS FEAR HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE GOSPEL?

REVELATION 14:6-7 NKJV 6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth– to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people–7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgement has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH SALVATION?

PSALM 85:9 NKJV Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.

PHILIPPIANS 2:12 NKJV Therefore, 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;

TO WHOM DOES GOD SHOW MERCY

PSALM 33:18 NKJV Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,

PSALM 103:11 NKJV For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

PSALM 103:17 NKJV But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,

PSALM 118:4 NKJV Let those who fear the Lord now say, “His mercy endures forever.”

PSALM 147:11 NKJV The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

LUKE 1:50 NKJV And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

DID THE ENTIRE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH FEAR GOD?

ACTS 2:43 NKJV Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
ACTS 5:5,11 NKJV 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
ACTS 9:31 NKJV Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
ACTS 19:17 NKJV This became known both to all Jews and Greeks welling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Kent’s Comments

When was the last time you heard this message in a sermon. For me it has been so very seldom that I cant remember one instance, but I am sure there were, just as I have read these scriptures many times and never really understood them. When I consider the spiritual state of the church and the average Christian today I can say in most cases “There is no fear of God before their eyes”(ROM 3:18 NKJV).

I consider my own spiritual state, on this subject and I cannot say that I have been “perfecting holiness in the fear of God”(2 COR 7:1 NKJV).

I cannot agree with Paul when he says “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord”(2 COR 5:11 NKJV).

I cannot say along with Peter that I have been “conducting myself throughout the time of my sojourning here in fear;”(1 PET 1:17) (PARAPHARSED)

If the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”(the Hebrew word for beginning is the same one used for the beginning of the word of God and creation itself “In the beginning”) and you make claims to being a Christian and do not fear God, then I would say that you are not wise. How many of us Christians do all kinds of good deeds, in the name of the Lord, and then turn around and do something abominable. How many of us practice what we preach one day and don’t the next. I have found that doing good as a Christian is usually rather easy, but I have also found that “keeping oneself unspotted from the world”(JAMES 1:27) is a rather difficult proposition to maintain. Is it possible? The answer now seems to be clear.

Is it the end of religious knowledge? No, just a beginning, but without it have we truly begun?

I could go on but I think I would prefer to hear some replies (affirmations, constructive criticism, rebuttals) before I put into writing any further insights on the meaning and application of such a sober doctrine.

May the mercy, grace and peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and in you!

Selah

P.S. PRAY FOR, OR DESIRE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD IN YOUR LIFE, ABOUT AS OFTEN AS YOU WOULD FLY A KITE IN A LIGHTNING STORM. IT IS SIMILAR TO PRAYING FOR PATIENCE. LET HIS FEAR COME FROM A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS WORD, BY STUDY. LET THE CHANGE BE IN THE HEART, BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE WORD OF GOD AND THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BibleFreak’s Comments

I thank God for Kent’s commitment to keeping the Word as his primary source of encouragement. There are no few Christians today substituting their “view” or “understanding” for the plain Word of Truth.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.(AV)
John 17:17

The sanctification of man comes not through the well-meaning efforts of Christians. The acts of the truly converted are evident in the actions of Love that account to the work of faith, not dependent upon the will of caregivers, mothers, father, or ministers; instead the actions of Love which are the result of-

God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.(AV)
Philippians 2:13

Contact Info

KentWilkens@aol.com

BibleFreak@biblefreak.org

I have asked the question what is the Gospel, and to be certain the Gospel is far more than the word I have put to page. Its depth cannot be known, for within the Gospel is the revelation of God, at its end is the gift of “knowing and we are known,” for this reason we cannot now know the full details of the Gospel, even though God has given us the Bible.

In the Gospels we have an account of Christ during His incarnation. He came and lived as a man, fully vested in both the human form, as it was in the garden prior to the fall, and all of the attributes of God. John in his Gospel, tells us of the deity of Christ, of His goodness and service to a rebellious people, a people His father had determined to use as a vessel of His mercy, delivering to them the revelation of Scripture, the ordination of priests, and the conduit of delivery through which Christ was born in the flesh.

John tells us many great things about Christ, and some things omits which he says,

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written. (NASB95)
(John 21:25)

So many things which He did, even miracles which are not recorded (John 20:30.) I want us to think about these words. Given by God to us, inspired Scripture and a deep truth reflected throughout the context of Scripture.

Let us reflect for a moment on these passages,

From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (NASB95)
(Romans 11:28-36)

Here in these inspired passages we find the Mercy, Wisdom and Grace of God spoken of and given to us in terms which are almost foreign. No they are foreign. How do we comprehend, the casting away of some for the salvation of others? How do we comprehend, all things, those from Him, all through Him, and all to Him. If there is any doubt this is Christ of which is being spoken then compare,

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. (NASB95)
(Colossians 1:13-20)

There is no doubt. Christ is the “author and finisher” not only of the Faith of men, but all things.

The passages presented here are only a small reflection given in small words to men, to invoke the correct response of “fear and trembling.” We can no more comprehend the universe than a single blade of grass, or the horrific scent of war, or the overwhelming beauty of a single human iris, unique, sorrowful, and amazing. All these things cannot be written for the space of our world would be too small to contain these, and the details of all things, which God has done.

Think about it, for this is what meditation upon the word is.  Thinking about it for an extended time.

Hmmmmm, maybe I have my next article.
Blessings!