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THE TALE OF TWO FEARS.

by ROBIN BOSCH  
9/23/2016 / Devotionals

Under the Old Covenant Of the Law, unbelievers,as well as the hypocritical Priests, Scribes and Pharisees, put the Lord to an outward shame, openly despising and rejecting their Messiah ( Heb.10:28)

Under the banner of liberalism, atheism and institutionalized religion: the liberals have many gods, the atheists have no God and the religious, deny the power of God.

Then, as well as in the modern era, having a need of a good healthy dose of the "Law of Moses" exposing their evil condition and spiritual recklessness.

They, of their own volition, open themselves up to the righteous indignation of God, having good reason to fear, as in - "terror fear." "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,"(Rom 1:18)

There is one thing the Lord never took away from man and that was their free will and choice. God didn't make puppets and in no way wanted them to serve Him out of obligation, duty, subjugation and outward religious piety.

From the beginning, God wanted us to love Him because we chose to. He's not a military dictator demanding obedience, loyalty and love. He is our Father, our Daddy.

I am able to understand this clearly when I relate it back to my own children. How awful it would be if they were obedient and subservient, doing things out of fear and trepidation - cowering from me. What a tragic heart breaking situation that would be.

In Proverbs 7:2 the Bible says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,"

Under the New Covenant of Grace, the kind of fear the Holy Spirit is talking about here is: being proud of, honoring, admiring, a respectful looking up to, being in awe of, and being amazed. Marveling at how wonderful God is.

In other words, being star struck by His untiring, infinite and undying love. It is total adoration and heartfelt willingness to do anything and everything for Him who is absolutely GOOD.

The beginning of "Wisdom" in this Proverb, I believe means - all the blessings of God that flow when we fear the Lord in the context of the New Covenant of Grace. Like a father giving gifts to his children - copiously, without measure, from a heart overflowing with infinite generosity.

A heart, bursting with pride and love. Not, and I repeat, not, the body shivering, knee shaking, lip quivering type. A type that reduces you to a bundle of nerves, uncertainty, condemnation and guilt.

That kind of fear is a perversion of the truth under the Gospel of His Grace

Unfortunately today, that's how many perceive God to be. They walk around under a burden, seeing Him as fearful, frightening and furious; ready to lose His cool at the drop of a hat.

Many people teach, that the problem with the Church today is that they have lost the fear of God. That in essence is very true. But I tender the suggestion that the Church and its leaders have misinterpreted, misconstrued and misrepresented what the "the fear of the Lord" really means, "in Christ," and "His Righteousness."

They have placed God in a grave and grey cubby hole, having an erroneous perception that He is to be served on tippy toe; with gravity, dejection and solemn seriousness.

That He should be approach with cowering caution. That He just might be in a bad mood and get angry at the slightest infringement of His people. These poor souls have a warped view of God.; believing that He is touchy and sensitive to the slightest travesty, ready to leave the building at any moment.

How wrong they are.

Using my own children again as an example: If they thought of me, as I've just described, I would be horrified. I would have to seriously examine my roll as a parent; doing some serious soul searching and repentance.

I would have to re-evaluate and re-construct the way my children see me. I would have to drastically change my attitude, showing them by my actions what the real meaning of: "the fear of dad is . In short, show them genuine love that is not based on fearful reaction, brow beating and nervous tension.

The unadulterated "fear of the Lord" under the New Covenant of Grace is being able to approach God at anytime under all circumstance, with anything, without repercussion, recrimination and the threat of being labelled irreverent.

"We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it allall but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help'"(Heb.4:15,16Msg)

Many believe that God is to be feared, but what do they mean by that?
Do they mean that they are to be scared of Him?
Do they means He is angry and to be kept at arms length?
Do they mean that he is touchy and can turn on them at anytime?
Do they mean that He is in a Holy Bubble, which prevents them approaching Him with joy and liberty?

If so, their belief system is a gross distortion of His loving nature.

At one stage Jesus highlighted this when His disciples tried to prevent children from coming to Him, as they thought He had more important things to do. Did Jesus agree with them? No! Did He give the impression that they were to be fearful of Him? No!

".......when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."
16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."
(Jn 10:14-16)

You see, the Good News is, "......you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (Ro 8:15)

Does all this mean that the Lord has changed His mind about sin and it's horrors? No, not at all. Sin is still sin. The unrighteous - those who are out from under umbrella of His protection and who have not accepted the gift of His Righteousness, can expect harsh judgement, and should indeed fear and expect wrath and indignation. (Rom 2:8-11) The Law will testify against them.

But Christ fulfilled the Law completely. When we accept His sacrifice we become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor 5:21)

We are not appointed to wrath.(1 Thess 5:9)

Therefore to conclude the "Tale Of Two Fears"

The fear pertaining to the Old Covenant is,
MOUNT SINAI.
"For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore."(Heb 11:18,19)

The fear pertaining to the New Covenant of Gods Grace is,
MOUNT ZION
"But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,"(Heb 11:22,23)

"With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death." (Rom 8:1,2Msg)
Amen.

I have been a believer in Christ for many years. It has only been in the last three or four years that I have received greater insight into the Grace of God. This has injected me with energy to tell others about the blessed "rest" we have in Christ. Grace is not a theology but is a Person-- Jesus.

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