The Fear of the Lord

Dear Weekly Readers!

Please enjoy this week's article written by Pastor Andrew Kandoll! 

May God Bless your week!  


Dear Friends in Christ,
 
God's peace! The Lord Jesus Christ is precious to all who believe. It is our desire to walk in His footsteps and be obedient unto Him in all things.
 
Proverbs 14:2 says, He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him. Solomon contrasts the word "fear" with the word "despise." Despise means "to look down upon; to have the lowest opinion of; to disdain; to scorn." Also contrasted are two different types of people: those who "walk in uprightness" and those who are "perverse in their ways." Perverse means "to be turned aside from the right; turned to evil." These contrasts are given that we might discern between the righteous and the wicked.
 
The meaning of the Third Commandment "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy" is "We should fear and love God that we may not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it."
 
The fear of the Lord then does not necessarily mean terror or being afraid of God, for the word "fear" has several definitions. The fear of the Lord is not just an emotion or something we feel. In this passage and in most passages, especially in Proverbs, it has the meaning of reverence, respect, awe, and highly esteeming the Lord and His holy precious Word.
 
Jesus Christ is the living Word (And the Word was made flesh… John 1:14) Through faith in His name and His precious shed blood we receive the forgiveness of our sins and inherit eternal life. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings… (Malachi 4:2) Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts… (Malachi 3:16-17)
 
May God give us great grace that we may walk humbly in the fear of the Lord, turning aside from evil and doing what is good, and highly esteem the precious name and shed atoning blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. May His blood speak forgiveness to our hearts.  God bless you!
 
In God's peace and love,
 
Pastor Andrew G. Kandoll
Champion, Michigan