The Excellence of the Fear of God
3. This reproves scoffers, who are the vilest of sinners.
"There shall come in the last days, scoffers" (2 Pet. 3:3). These Ishmaels jeer at holy living—and ridicule all true religion. They throw squibs of reproach at the saints. In the massacre at Paris, the Papists scoffed at the Protestants when they murdered them, "Where is your God now? What has become of all your prayers now?" These are devils in the likeness of men! They are far from the fear of God!
The scorner's chair stands at the mouth of hell!
Use 5. Exhortation. It exhorts us to get the fear of God planted in our hearts. "Happy is he who fears always" (Proverbs 28:14). The fear of God would influence all our actions. It would make us godly in both tables of God's laws. It would make us holy towards God— and righteous towards men. We would be true in our promises—and just in our dealings (Matt. 7:12).
The Excellence of the Fear of God 1. The fear of God is the true BADGE and uniform of a saint. The saints of old were God-fearing men (Gen. 22:12; Acts
10:22); Obadiah feared the Lord greatly (I Kings 8:13). All the moral virtues in their highest elevation, do not make a saint. But here is the Christian's true character—he is one who fears God. Augustine said of himself, that he did knock at heaven-gate with a trembling hand.
Christ calls his elect, "his sheep" (John 10:27). Sheep are of a trembling nature. The saints are tremulous—they dare not take liberties as others do.
2. The fear of God is the beginning of true WISDOM.
(Proverbs 1:7). Wisdom is "more precious than rubies" (Prov. 3:15).
No jewel we wear so adorns us as wisdom. Now, the fear of Lord is our wisdom: "The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom" (Job 28:28).
Wherein is the fear of God the true wisdom?
A. The fear of God is wisdom, in that it makes its careful about our spiritual accounts. Wisdom lies in nothing more than in keeping accounts exactly. The fear of God teaches a person to examine the state of his soul critically. "O my soul, how is it with you?" Do you gain or lose? Is our faith in its infancy, being but newly laid to the breast of the promise? Or is it grown to some stature?
How is it? Does grace or sin prevail? Thus the fear of God makes us wisely balance our accounts, and see how matters stand between God and our souls. "I meditate in my heart, and my spirit made diligent search" (Psalm 77:6).
B. The fear of God is wisdom as it makes its understand divine secrets. "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him"
(Psalm 21:14). He must he wise, who is acquainted with the secrets of heaven. A fearer of God is acquainted with the secret of election (1
Thess. 1:4), of God's love (Rev. 1:5), of the holy annointing (1 John 2:20). He knows God's mind: "We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor.
2;16).
C. The fear of God is wisdom, in that it makes us consider.
"I considered my ways" (Psalm 119:59). A great part of wisdom lies in consideration. He who fears God considers how vain the world is— and therefore dares not love it. He who fears God considers how short time is—and therefore dares not lose it. He who fears God considers how precious salvation is—and therefore dares not neglect it.
D. The fear of God is wisdom, in that it makes its walk wisely. "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the time" (Col. 4:5).
a. The fear of God makes us walk amiably: "Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth" (Gen. 2.3:7). Piety does not exclude courtesy. b. The fear of God makes us walk inoffensively: it prevents not only scandals but indecencies. The veneration of God, causes circumcision of heart, and circumspection of life.
E. The fear of God is wisdom, as it preserves us from hell. It is wisdom to keep out of danger; fear makes us flee from the wrath to come.
3. The fear of God is the best certificate to show for heaven.
Do you have knowledge? So has Satan. Do you have profession? So has Satan, he "transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Cor.
11:14). But do you have filial fear? In this you will excel him. The fear of God is, though not our plea for heaven—yet our evidence for heaven.
4. There is that in God, which may command fear:
1. "He is clothed in awesome majesty!" (Job 37:22). a. There is majesty in God's Name, Jehovah. It comes from a Hebrew root which speaks of God's absolute, eternal, and independent being. b. There is majesty in God's looks. Job had but a glimpse of God, and he was even swallowed up with divine amazement: "My ears had heard of you—but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes!" (Job 42:5-6). c. There is majesty in God's words. He speaks with majesty, as when he gave the law in thundering, insomuch that the people said, "Let not God speak with us lest we die!" (Exodus 20:19).
d. There is majesty in God's attributes: his holiness, power, justice, which are the irradiations of the divine essence. e. There is majesty in God's works: "They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds" (Psalm 145:5). Every creature sets forth
God's majesty; we may see the majesty of God blazing in the sun, twinkling in the stars. God's majesty is discernable in those two wonders of nature, behemoth and leviathan (Job 40:18; 41:19).
In short, the majesty of God is seen in humbling the children of pride. He turned King Nebuchadnezzar out to pasture, and made him fellow-commoner with the beasts. Does not all this call for fear?
2. "He is clothed in awesome majesty!" "He is feared by the kings of the earth" (Psalm 76:12). There is a time coming when God will be dreadful to his enemies; when conscience is awake, when death strikes, when the last trumpet sounds. And shall we not fear this God? "Do you not fear Me? Do you not tremble before Me?" (Jer.
5:22). Fearing God's justice—is the way not to feel it.
And let it not seem strange to you, if I tell you, that in respect of God's infinite majesty, there will be some of this blessed fear in heaven. Not a fear which has torment in it, for perfect love will cast out fear—but a holy, sweet, reverential fear. Though God has so much beauty in him as shall cause love, and joy, in heaven—yet this beauty is mixed with so much majesty, as shall cause a veneration in glorified saints.
5. The fear of God tends to life (Proverbs 19:23).
1. This is true in a temporal sense, "The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short" (Proverbs 10:27); in the original it is, "adds days". Long life is promised as a blessing,
"With long life will I satisfy him" (Psalm 91:16). The best way to come to "a good old age", is the fear of God. Sin curtails the life: many a man's excess wastes his vital organs, enervates his strength, and cuts him short of those years which by the course of nature might be arrived at, "Don't be excessively wicked, and don't be foolish. Why should you die before your time?" (Eccles. 7:17). You who desire to live long—live in the fear of God! "The Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes and to fear the Lord our
God for our prosperity always and for our preservation." (Deut.
6:24).
2. This is true in a spiritual sense. "The fear of the Lord tends to life"—namely, to "life eternal". Life is sweet, and eternal makes it sweeter. "Eternal life is true life" (Augustine). The life of bliss has no term of years wherein it expires: "Forever ...with the Lord!" The lamp of glory shines—but is never spent; so that divine fear tends to life; a life with God and angels forever.
6. The fear of God gives full satisfaction. "He who has it, shall abide satisfied" (Prov. 19:23). Such as are destitute of God's fear, never meet with satisfaction. "In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him" (Job
20:22). This is a riddle, to be full—yet not have enough. The meaning is there is still something lacking: he who fears not God, though his barns are full—yet his mind is not at rest. The sweet waters of pleasure do rather inflame the thirst—than satisfy it. "I have run through all the delights and grandeurs of the world, and could never find full contentment", said the emperor Severus. But he who has the fear of the Lord "shall abide satisfied".
1. He shall be satisfied. His soul shall be filled with grace, his conscience with peace. A holy man said, when God had replenished him with inward joy, "It is enough Lord, your servant is a full vessel, and can hold no more!"
2. He shall abide satisfied. This satisfaction shall not cease; it shall be a cordial in death, and a crown after death!
7. The fear of God makes a little to be sweet. "Better is little with the fear of the Lord" (Prov. 15:16). Why is a little better?
Because that little a believer has, he holds in his Head, Christ. That little is sweetened with the love of God. He has with that little a contented mind; and contentment turns Daniel's vegetables into choice meat (Dan. 1:12). Again, that little is a pledge of more; that little oil in the cruse—is but a pledge of that golden joy and bliss which the soul shall have in heaven. Thus a little with the fear of God, is better than all unsanctified riches. Lazarus' crumbs were better than the rich man's banquet!
8. The fear of God is a Christian's safety. He is invulnerable; nothing can hurt him. Plunder him of his money, he carries a treasure about him of which he cannot be robbed (Isaiah 33:6). Cast him into prison—his conscience is free; kill his body—it shall rise again. He who has on this breastplate of God's fear may be shot at— but can never be shot through.
9. The fear of God makes all things go well with us. "How happy are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How happy you will be! How rich your life!" (Psalm 128:1-2). Is it not well with that man who has all things working together for his good—and has nothing lacking which may do him good (Psalm 84:11)? If God sees health and riches good for him—he shall have them. Every providence shall center in his
happiness. Oh, what an inducement is here to solid piety! Come whatever will, "it shall be well with those who fear God" (Eccles.
8:12). When they die, they shall go to God; and while they live, everything in the world shall do them good.
10. The fear of God is a great cleanser. "The fear of the Lord is clean" (Psalm 19:9). It is so:
1. In its own nature—it is a pure, crystal, orient grace.
2. In the effect of it—it cleanses the heart and life. As a spring works out the mud—so the fear of the Lord purges out the love of sin. The heart is the temple of God, and the fear of the Lord sweeps and cleanses this temple, that it may not be defiled.
11. The fear of God makes us accepted with God. "In every nation he who fears him ... is accepted with him" (Acts 10:35). What was Paul so ambitious of? "We labor that we may be accepted by him" (2 Cor. 5:9). Divine fear ingratiates us into divine favor. Such as are fearless of God, neither their persons nor offerings find acceptance: "I despise your feast days, and I will not dwell in your solemn assemblies. Though you offer me burnt offerings . . . I will not accept them" (Amos 5:21-22). Who will take a gift from one who has the plague!
12. The fear of God paves the way for spiritual joy. Some may think the fear of God breeds sadness; no, it is the inlet to joy! The fear of God is the morning star, which ushers in the sunlight of comfort: "Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:31). The fear of God has solid joy in it, though not frivolity. God mixes joy with holy fear, that fear may not seem slavish.
13. The fear of God drives out all base fear. Carnal fear is an enemy to true religion. The fear of God frightens fear away; it causes courage: "Able men, such as fear God" (Exod. 18:21); some translations render it, "men of courage". When a dictator governed in Rome, all other offices ceased. Where the fear of God rules in the heart—it expels fleshly fear. When the empress Eudoxia threatened to banish Chrysostom, the preacher said, "Tell her, I fear nothing but sin!" The fear of God swallows up all other fear, as Moses' rod swallowed up the magicians' rods.
14. To be void of God's fear, is folly. "I said to the fools—do not deal foolishly" (Psalm 75:4).
1. Are not they fools who gratify their enemy? Those who lack the fear of God, do so. Satan baits his hook with pleasure and profit, and they swallow bait and hook and all! This pleases Satan; men's sins feast the devil. Who but a fool would please his enemy?
2. Is it not folly to prefer slavery before liberty? If a slave in the galley should have his freedom offered him—but says that he would rather tug at the oar and be a slave, than have his liberty— would he not be judged to be a fool? Such is the case of him who does not fear God. The gospel offers to free him from the miserable captivity of sin—but he chooses rather to be a slave to his lusts. He is like a servant under the law: "I love my master—I will not go out free" (Exod. 21:5). The foolish sinner had rather have his ear bored to the devil's service, than be translated "into the glorious liberty of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:21).
3. Is not he a fool who, having but one jewel, will venture the loss of it? The soul is the jewel, and the sinner is fearless of it, he will throw it away upon the world; as if one should throw pearls
and diamonds into the river. He who pampers his body and neglects his soul, is like him who feasts his slave and starves his wife!
4. Is not he a fool who refuses a rich offer? If one should offer to adopt another and make him an heir of his vast estate, and he should refuse it, would not his discretion be called in question? God offers Christ to a sinner, and promises to entail all the riches of heaven upon him—but, lacking the fear of God, he refuses this great offer: "Israel would have none of me" (Psalm 81:11). Is not this a prodigy of madness? Yay not the devil peg every sinner for a fool at the last day!
15. The fear of God is a sovereign antidote against apostasy.
The devil was the first apostate. How rife is this sin! More shipwrecks are on land—than at sea; men make shipwreck of a good conscience.
Apostates are said to put Christ to "open shame" (Heb. 6:6). The fear of God is a preservative against apostasy: "I will put my fear in their hearts—that they shall not depart from me" (Jer. 32:40). I will so love them—that I will not depart from them; and they shall so fear me—that they shall not depart from me.
16. There are excellent promises made to those who fear God. "Unto you who fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Mat. 4:2). Here is a promise of Christ; he is a Sun for light and life-giving influence; and a Sun of righteousness, as he diffuses the golden beams of justification. And he has healing in his wings; the sun heals the air, dries up the cold moistures, exhales the vapors which would be pestilential. Just so,
Christ has "healing in his wings"; he heals the hardness and impurity of the soul. And the horizon in which this sun arises, is in hearts fearing God: "To you who fear my name, shall the Sun of righteousness arise."
And there is another great promise: "He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great" (Psalm 115:13). God blesses such in their name, estate, souls. And this blessing can never be reversed! As Isaac said, "l have blessed him—and he shall be blessed" (Gen. 27:37).
Such as fear God are privileged people: none can take away from them—either their birthright or their blessing.
17. Fear is the admirable instrument in promoting salvation. "Work out your salvation with fear" (Phil. 2:12). The fear of God, is that flaming sword which turns every way—to keep sin from entering (Prov. 16:6). The fear of God stands sentinel in the soul, and is ever upon its watchtower. Fear causes circumspection: he who walks in fear, treads warily. Fear gives birth to prayer, and prayer engages the help of heaven.
18. The Lord is much pleased with those who fear him. "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him" (Psalm 147:1). In the Septuagint it is, "The Lord bears good will towards those who fear him." Some render it, "The Lord delights in those who fear him."
Never did a suitor take such pleasure in a person he loved—as God does in those who fear him; they are his "Hephzibah", which means, my delight is in her (Isaiah 61:4). He says of them as of Zion: "This is my rest forever—here I will dwell" (Psalm 132:14). A sinner is "a vessel in which is no pleasure" (Hos. 8:8). But fearers of God are his favorites.
19. Such as fear God are the only people that shall be saved.
"Salvation is near those who fear him" (Psalm 85:9). Salvation is said to be "far from the wicked" (Psalm 119:155). They and salvation are so far apart—that they are likely never to meet. But God's salvation is near to those who fear him. What do we aspire after, but salvation? It is the end of all our prayers, tears, sufferings. Salvation is the crown