1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
I'll probably come back to this verse at some point. I felt like the Lord was prompting me to explain what 'The Fear of the Lord' is NOT. This verse says that worldly fear (the fear that comes the enemy of our souls - i.e. satan and his minions) has to do with punishment.
Yes, if we do something wrong, there are usually consequences. Blatantly run a red light and changes are if a police officer is sitting there, he will pull you over and more than likely issue you a citation that costs something. Sin against God and changes are, since He is ever watching over us, he will send or prompt the Holy Spirit inside of us to convict us of our sin and more than likely bring us to our knees in humble repentance and what does it cost us? Our pride, ego, wanting to do things our own way; whatever you want to call it. Take a look at Psalm 121. Not once, not twice, but FIVE times in eight verses the psalmist mentions God watching - one time saying He never sleeps, but watches over us. He is all-knowing.
In the Old Testament, sin required a sacrifice - many times an animal, sometimes the 'sinner' was stoned (no, not THAT kind of stoned) with real rocks, one time the earth opened up and swallowed a family. Even with all this, knowing what the punishment was for sin, they still would sometimes, well, most of the time rebel. There was always consequences. But still, it was God's kindness (in not wiping them ALL out like He wanted to a few times - but Moses interceded for them) that led them to repent and follow the God of their Fathers once again. So, basically for fear of punishment, the Lord made His power known and letting them know He was not happy with their actions, He turned them back to Himself. But in reality, it was the kind of punishment that was done in love, love requires discipline at times for our wayward selves.
Only the discipline of the Lord is always done in love and for our best interests, not out of anger and rage - as some of us remember our fathers or mothers disciplining us. That angry punishment that some of us may have received, even if we didn't do anything wrong, is not the kind of discipline the the Father hands out. He is not angry with us. He is not a God of anger towards His children (even when we screw up). He's not even waiting for us to screw up. But if we do, there are consequences.... one very huge one.
He required sacrifice for sin in the Old Testament - even when they done away with sacrificing. In the New Testament, that didn't change.
Tomorrow we will see what The Fear of the Lord is.
Only the discipline of the Lord is always done in love and for our best interests, not out of anger and rage - as some of us remember our fathers or mothers disciplining us. That angry punishment that some of us may have received, even if we didn't do anything wrong, is not the kind of discipline the the Father hands out. He is not angry with us. He is not a God of anger towards His children (even when we screw up). He's not even waiting for us to screw up. But if we do, there are consequences.... one very huge one.
He required sacrifice for sin in the Old Testament - even when they done away with sacrificing. In the New Testament, that didn't change.
Tomorrow we will see what The Fear of the Lord is.
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