GOD Is A GOD To Be Feared

Why is it?
(Arthur Pink, "Fearing God in His Sovereign Majesty")

"An oracle is within my heart
concerning the sinfulness
of the wicked: There is no
fear of God before his eyes!"
Psalm 36:1

Why is it that, today, the masses
are so utterly unconcerned about
spiritual and eternal things, and
that they are lovers of pleasure
more than lovers of God?

Why is it that defiance of God
is becoming more open, more
blatant, more daring?
The answer is, because

"There is no fear of God
before their eyes" (Romans 3:18).

Again, why is it that the authority
of the Scriptures has been lowered
so sadly of late?

Why is it that even among
those who profess to be
the Lord's people, that there
is so little real subjection
to His Word, and that
its precepts are so lightly
esteemed and so readily
set aside?

Ah!
what needs to be stressed today--
is that God is a God to be feared!

Happy is the person who has been
awed by a view of God's majesty,
who has had a vision of . . .
God's unutterable greatness,
His ineffable holiness,
His perfect righteousness,
His irresistible power,
His sovereign grace!

Time was, when it was
the general custom to speak
of a believer as
"a God-fearing man".

That such an appellation
has become extinct--
only serves to show where
we have drifted. Nevertheless,
it still stands written,

"Like as a father pities
His children, so the Lord
pities those who fear Him!"
Psalm 103:13

When we speak of godly fear,
of course, we do not mean
a servile fear, such as prevails
among the heathen
in connection with their gods.
No!

We mean that spirit which
Jehovah is pledged to bless,
that spirit to which the prophet
referred when he said,

"To this man will I will look--
even to him who is poor and
of a contrite spirit, and trembles
at My Word." Isaiah 66:2

Nothing will foster this godly fear,
like a recognition of the sovereign
majesty of God!

"I tell you, My friends, do not
be afraid of those who kill
the body and after that can
do no more. But I will show
you whom you should fear:
Fear Him who, after the killing
of the body, has power to throw
you into hell. Yes, I tell you--
this is the One to fear!" Luke 12:4-5

Grace Gems