Acts 9- Growing In Numbers, Living in the Fear of The Lord

Do you fear God? I would say that the majority of church goers would quickly answer "NO." And, their minds would race to thoughts like "God is love," Or "Jesus died for ME," or even get upset that a question like that would be proposed. 'Fearing God is a ridiculous idea. Don't you know that he loves me.'

We have a 'gentle Jesus' approach to our faith. We want to know the patient and loving and forgiving God. We do not want to 'Fear' God. That sounds primitive and wrong. 

But friends, the Bible could not be more opposed to our 'gentle Jesus.' Yes God is love. Yes God does forgive. Yes God is patient. But to truly appreciate those aspects of Him you must understand the stark contrast of His wrath, His demand for holiness, His zeal for His namesake, His supreme authority and power that could snuff out earth in a millisecond if his wrath was released in fullness. We must see the depths of grace as it is juxtaposed against God's divine holiness. 

When you see the majesty of God it will illicit fear. You do not presume God owes you love. You do not demand that He forgive you. You do not tell God to be patient with you as you continue to sin. In fact, it is quite the opposite when you experience the real God. You realize "who is man that you are mindful of him? (Psalm 8:4)" 

The problem with modern Christians is they are veiled to the reality of God. They either get a misconstrued picture of God from ill equipped pastors. Or maybe even they read their bibles into their comfy assumptions of what God is like. Highlighting favored verses that make them feel good and dismissing others as, 'not a complete picture of the New Testament God.' Ps. there is no new testament God, there is only God. The God of both testaments that never changes. But, if they took some time to think through the these thoughts; "if I had no presuppositions of what God is like, and I read the bible for myself, what would I think of God?" First off, you would be thinking correctly. God reveals Himself through his word. It is like me saying, "My name is Cory, I am 26 years old, I grew up in Rockton Illinois, I love to surf, I love coffee, and I don't like missing sleep." Then you look at me and say, "that's not really like you." That is absurd. I just told you about me and you arrogantly think that you could better describe me than I can describe myself!?  That, my friends, is what we do to God when we do not take Him at His Word. We make God out to be a liar. 

The early Christians knew better. They feared God. They knew that He is infinitely greater than them and it caused a deep respect, a reverence, and trembling worship (Psalm 2:11). I am implying these because in verse 31 of Acts it says, "living in the fear of the Lord." And because of that the church grew in numbers. God was pleased to add to them because they made efforts to know Him. Not to try to make God sound more appealing by scaling down His Might, and Sovereign control, and Wrath, and Holiness.

Let us open our Bibles and cry out, "God show us what you are really like!" And the result will definitely have an element of fear.