What Does It Mean To Fear God? Pt. 3

The last two weeks we have been talking about what it means to fear God and whether or not we ought to do it. We said that fear in this case means reverential awe, not a sense of danger, and that reverential awe has many positive affects on one’s life. This week we’re talking about what happens to a person or to a society in general when a person or culture at large has no reverential awe of God.

All societies need structure and a sense of order and procedure to operate successfully. That structure is provided by a moral code and set of laws put in place by the leaders of that society. But a moral code has to originate in a foundational set of beliefs. In our society, our foundational set of beliefs, that is our moral code, has been based on God and His life instructions which we call the Bible. But something has gone awry. Over the last 200-300 years we have gradually drifted away from a God-based moral code toward a relativistic moral code based on whatever feels good for the moment.

But moral codes don’t start with societies, they start with individuals. The trouble is that people have sin natures and unless a person diligently practices obedience to God’s moral code, they begin to waiver and fall away. For instance I have thought for a long time that each generation is a little bit less Godly than the one before it usually because the new generation thinks to itself something along the lines of “I’m not going to treat my kids the way my parents treated me!'“ The other thing to remember is that moral codes promulgate through society as parents and pastors teach them to their children and congregations. So less teaching implies less adherence and God is gradually pushed away.

So nasty things begin to happen when parents and pastors don’t teach the fear of God. One of the basic rules of life is that every action has a consequence. Righteous living brings blessing if for no other reason than that righteous living doesn’t engage in the nasty part of life. Sin always brings consequence like jail time, or financial loss, or public exposure.

Trivializing the weighty matters of God brings moral decay. Moral decay in individuals promotes moral decay in society. Keep in mind that a sense of humbleness before a great and awesome God reminds a person of his or her propensity to sin and weakness. As we fail to practice the reverential awe of God and begin to push Him away, pride raises its ugly head and we begin to think ‘we are all that and a bag of chips’.

Another thing I know for sure is that for society to change individuals must change. One often hears these days that revival is near. But for God to bring revival, people have to choose to turn away from the moral decay of the world and choose to turn towards God. These thoughts probably touch some sore spots in our hearts, but remember we follow a God who restores and heals. If you are reminded of a frequent sin in your life, go to God and He will heal you; if you failed to teach a sound moral code to your kid, remember they have a sin nature too and it is their job, not yours, to go to God for their own restoration.

Another thing: Hit delete. The past is past and what is important now is will you draw closer to God. Remember as you draw close, so will he.

Next week we begin a new series on trusting God.