Fearing God
The Key to the
Treasure House of Heaven
by
Dr. Robert Morey
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
1
Table of Contents
Part 1: A Modern Analysis of the Fear of God
 Lesson 1: What Has Happened
 Lesson 2: The Liberalization of Christianity
 Lesson 3: The Feminization of the Clergy
 Lesson 4: The World Molding the Church
 Part 2: The Importance of Fearing God
 Lesson 5: How Important Is It?
 Lesson 6: The Importance of Wisdom

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
2
Table of Contents
Part 3: The Nature of Fearing God
 Lesson 7: The Vocabulary of Fearing God
 Lesson 8: The Meanings of Fearing God
 Part 4: The Origins of Fearing God
 Lesson 9: Why We Should Fear God
 Lesson 10: The Terror of the Lord
 Part 5: The Results of Fearing God
 Lesson 11: The Blessings of Fearing God

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
3
Introduction
Have I ever resisted the temptation to sin
because I feared the wrath of God?
 Will God really judge me if I cheat on my
wife or husband?
 Does the God I worship ever get upset or
angry with me because of my sins?
 Does God really punish people today?
 Does the idea of fearing God ever enter my
mind?

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
4
Introduction

Some common objections:
 You are asking me to think negatively
about God.
 Since God is love, the idea of fearing Him
never crosses my mind.
 Why would I fear sweet Jesus, meek and
mild?
 He would never do anything to hurt me.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
5
Introduction

When the average “born-again” Christian
does not fear the Lord, things have gotten
completely out of hand.
 Adultery and divorce are as common
among church goers as in the world.
 Immorality, drugs and wickedness can be
found today in our families, churches,
Bible colleges and seminaries.
 But this was not always so.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
6
Introduction

Evangelicals used to be called “a Godfearing people.”
 Now, adultery and divorce are as common
among church goers as in the world.
 Church discipline was swift and sinners
were rebuked for their wickedness.
 When a pastor fell into adultery and
divorce, he left the ministry in disgrace.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
7
Introduction

Today, we tolerate pastors who have gone
through the cycle of adultery and divorce
two or three times.
 When one pastor was caught on video
tape “entertaining” hookers at a cheap
motel, he is not only still pastoring his
church, but back on TV as if there was
nothing wrong!
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
8
Introduction
Paul’s condemnation, “There is no fear of
God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18), was
originally aimed at unbelievers to explain
why unbelievers were going to suffer the
eternal wrath of God in hell.
 It would have come as a complete surprise
to the apostle Paul to find that his
condemnation now describes the church as
well as the world.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
9
Introduction

The fear of the Lord is the missing note in
Evangelical theology today.
 There have been no major works on this
subject in this century.
 The last full book on the fear of God was
written by John Bunyan in A.D. 1688!
 The last popular systematic theology text
to devote an entire chapter to fearing God
was John Gill’s Body of Divinity (1770).
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
10
Introduction

The textbooks used by most Christian
colleges and seminaries do not teach the
fear of the Lord.
 An entire generation of pastors and
missionaries have never been taught the
fear of God.
 They, in turn, have never taught the
people of God that the Lord should be
feared as well as loved.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
11
Introduction
 Is
it any wonder then that Christians are
no longer referred to as “God-fearing”
people?
 Indeed, who today views himself or
herself as “God-fearing”?
 Do you?
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
12
Introduction
 We
have moved so far away even from
the idea of fearing God that the very
words “God-fearing” seem strange to our
ears.
 Most Christians today assume that
“fearing” God is no longer necessary.
 This situation cannot and must not be
allowed to continue.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
13
Introduction
The fear of the Lord is absolutely necessary
for the spiritual health of our nation, our
churches and our families as well as for our
personal lives.
 Any nation, church, family or individual that
ceases to fear the Lord will fall into gross
sins.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
14
Introduction
The positive effects of fearing God are many.
 The blessings that come our way as we fear
the Lord benefit the individual, the family, the
church, and the nation.
 What it means to fear the Lord and how to put
it into practice in our daily lives is the focus of
this study.
 May God use it to revive the fear of the Lord
in our day.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
15
Part One
A Modern
Analysis
of the Fear of
God
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
16
What Has Happened

The entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation
is filled with commands to fear the Lord.
 In the Old Testament, the fear of God was
viewed as the fundamental attitude of the
believer to his God.
 In the New Testament, the fear of God is
taught from Matthew to Revelation.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
17
What Has Happened

In the Gospels, the fear of God played a
significant role in the life and teachings of
Christ.
 Stop being afraid of those who kill the
body but can’t kill the soul. Instead, be
afraid of the one who can destroy both
body and soul in hell.
— Matt. 10:28 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
18
What Has Happened

The fear of God was preached as part of the
early Church’s proclamation of man’s duty to
God.
 As [the church] continued to be built up
and to live in the fear of the Lord, it kept
increasing in numbers through the
encouragement of the Holy Spirit.
—Acts 9:31 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
19
What Has Happened

The Apostle Paul viewed sanctification as
taking place in the context of the fear of
God.
 Since we have these promises, dear
friends, we should cleanse ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and
spirit by perfecting holiness in the fear of
God.
—2 Corinthians 7:1 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
20
What Has Happened

The Apostle Peter commanded all men to
fear God.
 Show honor to everyone. Keep on loving
the brothers, fearing God, and honoring
the king.
—1 Peter 2:17 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
21
What Has Happened

Heaven itself is filled with the glorious hymn
that all nations should fear the Lord.
“Your deeds are spectacular and amazing,
Lord God Almighty.
Your ways are just and true, King of the nations.
Lord, who won’t fear and praise your name?
For you alone are holy,
and all the nations will come and worship you
because your judgments have been revealed.”
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
22
What Has Happened

Historically, the fear of God has always been
a part of the historic Christian understanding
of God.
 From the Apostolic Fathers to our
country’s Pilgrim Fathers, the fear of God
was a part of fundamental Christian belief
and practice.
 Our Puritan and Pilgrim Fathers delighted
in the fear of the Lord.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
23
What Has Happened

Before the 1770s, the average person
mostly held to a Puritan view of God who
was:
 Aggressive in rewarding saints and
punishing sinners.
 Not a wimp or pushover.
 A righteous and holy God who would not
let sin go unpunished.
 Holy as well as loving.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
24
What Has Happened

The God of the Puritans and Pilgrims:
 Was worthy to be feared.
 Was mighty to save.
 Was mighty to judge.
 Held all people accountable for the way
they lived.
 Would one day judge all people for their
sins.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
25
What Has Happened

The God of the Puritans and Pilgrims:
 Was
enthroned in the heavens.
 Laughed at the puny efforts of rebel
sinners to throw off His sovereign rule.
 His justice would be fully vindicated by His
divine judgment on Judgment Day.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
26
What Has Happened
To the Puritans and Pilgrims,
 Hell was not an empty threat.
 Heaven was not an empty dream.
 There was a hell to shun and a heaven to
gain.
 The fear of God was the soul and substance
of the Gospel.
 Salvation made sense only upon the
assumption of the fear of God.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
27
What Has Happened

The Great Awakening was the greatest
revival in American history.
 Its most famous sermon was “Sinners in
the Hands of An Angry God” by Jonathan
Edwards.
 Revival broke out in Edwards’ church on
the day the sermon was preached.
 Before it ended, the revival turned America
into a church-going nation.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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What Has Happened

Have you ever heard preaching like Edwards
today?
 We are more likely to hear “God in the
Hands of Angry Sinners”.
 In Edwards’ day, people in general
believed that God would indeed punish
people for the evil they do.
 This meant that sinners must prepare to
meet their God.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
29
What Has Happened

The Puritans and Pilgrims did not deny the
love of God.
 They had a profound understanding of the
love of God that exceeds the “cheap” love
so often preached today.
 God’s wrath was the black velvet pillow on
which the jewel of divine love shined its
brightest.
 Wrath always forms the context of love.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
30
What Has Happened

In the third chapter of John, we find the most
well known verse in the Bible:
 For this is how God loved the world: He
gave his unique Son so that everyone
who believes In him would not perish but
have eternal life.
—John 3:16 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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What Has Happened

But with the message of God’s gracious gift
is the message of God’s wrath:
 The one who believes in the Son has
eternal life, but the one who disobeys the
Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of
God remains on him.
—John 3:36 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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What Has Happened
What if you do not fear the wrath of God?
 You will not appreciate the love of God.
 That’s why cheap grace and cheap love
are so popular today.
 The fear of God is not limited to conversion.
 It is the foundation for holy living.
 It is a sign of spiritual maturity and depth.
 Its lack shows immaturity & shallowness.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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What Has Happened

To conclude:
 When a nation or a church no longer fears
God, iniquity and lawlessness will abound.
 The only real and lasting cure for violence
and crime in modern society is a return to
the biblical understanding for the fear of
God.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
34
The Liberalization of Christianity

The demise of the fear of God can be traced
back to two “mega-shifts” during the 18th
and 19th centuries.
 A mega-shift is a radical change that
alters a culture or society to such a
degree that it becomes something new
and different.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
35
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Industrial Revolution moved people
from the rural areas to the inner city.
 Churches were few and attendance was
meager.
 An entire generation grew up that had
never to church to hear the Gospel.
 People lost any sense of the fear of God.
 They sinned and cursed God while doing
so.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
36
The Liberalization of Christianity

Darwinianism
 The theory of evolution gave people the
excuse to live as they pleased.
 It led to secular humanism, which denied
there was a God to fear.
 It led to Marxism and Nazism, which
sought to destroy the Church and its
Gospel.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
37
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Church’s Condition
 The Church became more interested in
buildings, numbers, and money.
 The Church failed to teach the whole
counsel of God.
 Confessions, creeds and catechisms were
laid aside in the vain pursuit of carnal goals.
 Churches became places of entertainment
instead of repentance and conversion.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
38
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Root Cause
 Religious liberalism in the 19th century
caused of the demise of the fear of God.
 Liberal theology proclaimed that there
was nothing in God to fear.
 It paved the way for the triumph of secular
humanism and Darwinianism.
 Charles Spurgeon stood virtually alone
against the tide of liberalism.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity
 A typical
n
n
n
n
n
n
sermon outline from the time:
Is there a hell? No!
God is too loving for divine judgment.
God is the Father of all mankind; all men
are His children; all men are brothers.
If there is a heaven, we are all going
there.
Hell cannot exist with a loving God.
God is all love; there is nothing to fear.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity
 The
God of liberalism was pictured as being
so loving that “He would never hurt a fly.”
 Because He would never damn anyone,
hell was an empty threat.
 The denial of eternal punishment became
the theological fad of the day.
 Because God was viewed as sensitive,
compassionate, tender, loving and kind,
there was nothing left in God to fear.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
41
The Liberalization of Christianity
 The
“hard” attributes of God were rejected.
n Gone was His power.
n Gone was His holiness.
n Gone was His righteousness.
n Gone was His judgment.
n Gone were any other threatening
attributes.
 Only the “soft” attributes of God’s love and
mercy remained.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
42
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Feminization of God
 The feminization of God began in the 19th
century when God was reduced to a
sentimental blob of love.
 People began praying to the “Mother God”
instead of God the Father.
n Mary Baker Eddy and “Mother-God.”
n Feminist Mary Daly called for the
castration of the Father and the Son!
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity

From New Thought to New Age
 The feminization of God became part of
the 19th century New Thought movement.
 New Thought became the New Age by the
end of the 20th century
 The teachings of both were embraced by
liberal theologians who now control most
seminaries and colleges in mainline
Protestant denominations.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity

A Word of Clarification
 We believe in all of God’s attributes,
whether “hard” or “soft”.
 We object to the assumption that His
“hard” attributes should be ignored or
rejected.
 We object to reshaping God, the Bible,
Jesus, the clergy, preaching or the Church
to reflect only “soft” attributes.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity
 We
reject references to God’s “hard”
attributes as “male” qualities which are to
be rooted out of our understanding of
God.
 We reject references to God’s “soft”
attributes as “feminine” qualities which
need to be emphasized in order for us to
feel good about God.
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The Liberalization of Christianity

Mother or Father
 Feminist theologians claim that referring
to God as “Father” hurts the self-image of
women.
 If true, then would not referring to God as
“Mother” hurt the self-image of men?
 If true, men and women would have to
worship different deities.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
47
The Liberalization of Christianity
 God
cannot be reduced to what makes us
feel warm and fuzzy.
 The attempt to create a goddess or god in
our image is futile and blasphemous.
 We must accept God as He has chosen to
reveal Himself to us or we are guilty of
gross idolatry.
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48
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Feminization of Jesus
 The feminization of Jesus began in the
19th century.
 Famous painting depicted Him as a weak,
effeminate, white European male with
long hair set in a womanly manner.
 None of these portrayals looked like
someone who could survive 40 days in a
wilderness without food.
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49
The Liberalization of Christianity
 Jesus
was no longer viewed as someone
who was so strong and virile that He
commanded the allegiance of other men.
 He did not look like someone who had been
a carpenter from the days of his youth.
 He did not look like someone who was
strong enough to knock over the tables of
the money changers and drive them out of
the Temple.
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50
The Liberalization of Christianity
 He
was not the kind of man who was
likely to throw anyone into hell.
 He was depicted as an effeminate while
male whose appearance was not
threatening.
 One liberal California church proudly
displays a portrait of Jesus as a white,
long-haired, blond, blue-eyed California
surfer; hardly the God of Isaiah 9:6.
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51
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Feminization of Hymns
 The hymns of the Christian Church were
strong in doctrine and majestic in style.
 They emphasized God’s:
n Sovereignty
n Power
n Judgment
n Love and Mercy
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
52
The Liberalization of Christianity
 Beginning
in the 19th century, hymns
were marked by:
n Romantic terminology
n Gushy sentimentality
n Erotic expressions
 Many were written by single Christian
women who were fantasizing a romantic
love to Jesus which was clearly sexual in
nature.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Liberalization of Christianity
Hymns Before 1900






Deep doctrinal content
Majestic in style
Terms of praise
Gratitude for salvation
Expressions of worship
What God has done,
He has done out of
grace for His glory
Hymns After 1900






Shallow in content
Sloppy in style
Terms of romance
Gushy sentimentality
Expressions of eroticism
What God has done,
He has done for me
because He values me
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The Liberalization of Christianity
 The
Greek word agape (and sometimes
phileo) is used for our love for God and
Christ.
 The Greek word eros is NEVER used of
our love for God and Christ.
 Jesus in NOT our male lover.
 Any hymn which expresses a romantic
love to Him borders on blasphemy.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
55
The Liberalization of Christianity

The Feminization of Christianity
 As a liberal view of God swept through
Protestant churches, the men stopped
going to church because “religion was for
men and women.”
 To be “like Jesus” was to not fight for what
was right.
 Careers in police work or the military were
abandoned to unbelievers.
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The Liberalization of Christianity
 Novels
of the period such
as Mark Twain’s Tom
Sawyer pictured religion as
something fit only for the
“Aunt Polly’s” of the world.
 Real
men could safely
ignore going to church.
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57
The Liberalization of Christianity

A Mega-shift
 God’s holiness and wrath became
eclipsed by His love and mercy.
 The same changes in mainline Protestant
churches is happening today in
evangelical seminaries, colleges and
churches.
 Are we to worship the God of Scripture or
the goddess of modern liberalism?
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
58
The Liberalization of Christianity

Conclusion: What is your view of Jesus?
 Is He “sweet” or “strong”?
 Is He “commanding” or “meek and mild”?
 Is He “Judge of all the earth” or “my friend”?
 Would He take a whip and throw the
moneychangers out of the temple or would
He say, “Can’t we just all get along?”
 Would He throw unrepentant sinners into
hell or forgive their sin without repentance?
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59
The Feminization of the Clergy

Masculine Pastors
 Before the feminization of Christianity,
pastors were:
n Soldiers
n Judges
n Mayors
n Hunters
n Pioneers
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60
The Feminization of the Clergy
 Throughout
church history, many pastors
died in battle defending their home, their
church and their nation.
n Swiss Reformer Swingli
n Oliver Cromwell
n John Owen
n Washington’s Generals
 The Puritan pastor shared a common life
with the men of his congregation.
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61
The Feminization of the Clergy

Feminized Pastors
 With the rise of religious liberalism, the role
of pastors was feminized.
n It became unseemly for a clergyman to
hunt or fish, fight in a war, or hold public
office.
n He was restricted to the parlor to read
poetry with the Ladies’ Literary Society.
n He was “sweet” and no longer respected.
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The Feminization of the Clergy
 Pastors
were held up to ridicule.
 They were depicted as wearing fancy
clothes and spending their time going to
teas for bored women.
 During the Civil War, for the first time in
American history, clergymen were forbidden
by law from fighting on the front lines with
their men.
 They were sent to the rear with the women.
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63
The Feminization of the Clergy
 A number
of states even passed laws
forbidding clergymen from holding public
office.
 This was in stark contrast to Colonial
America:
n Cotton Mather—Mayor and Judge
n Pastors were Generals and Officers
 Separation of Church and State was
redefined to mean “Clergy Stay Out”.
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The Feminization of the Clergy

Sissy Sermons
 As the role of clergy became more
effeminate in character, sermons began to
change.
 Bold, strong, virile doctrinal preaching gave
way to soothing sermons and “quite talks”
on love.
 People didn’t want sermons to make them
think; they wanted to feel warm and happy.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
65
The Feminization of the Clergy
 To
raise your voice or pound on the pulpit
became no longer acceptable.
 The use of logic and argumentation in
sermons was frowned upon.
 Seminary students were told not to be
bold, authoritative or doctrinal in their
preaching.
 Today, a strong pastor will be accused of
being prideful, unloving, or insensitive.
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66
The Feminization of the Clergy
 The
glory of God and biblical truth have
been eclipsed by “church growth”
techniques that focus on the “felt needs”
of the people in the community.
 Giving people what they want has
become more important than obeying God
and preaching the truth.
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67
The Feminization of the Clergy

Lesbian Pastors
 Feminist and lesbian pastors have been
ordained in liberal denominations.
n “Lead On, O Queen Eternal”
n “Our Mother, which art in heaven…”
 Masculinity is under attack, so men leave.
 “Neuter gender” hymnals and prayer
books have replaced traditional works.
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The Feminization of the Clergy

The Return of the Goddess
 At one Boston church, over 400 women
met to worship Diana of Ephesus.
n They proclaimed that the biblical view
of God as “Father” is now dead.
n They proclaimed that the time had
come to worship the ancient pagan
goddesses, such as Diana.
 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The Feminization of the Clergy

Conclusion
 The fear of God vanished as God, Jesus,
the clergy, hymns, the church and
preaching were liberalized and feminized.
 The liberals have already emptied their
churches. Should we allow them to empty
ours as well?
 We must stand up to the “PC” crowd and
proclaim the fear of the Lord once again.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The World Molding the Church

The Apostle Paul has warned us:
 Stop being conformed to this world, but
continue to be transformed by the
renewing of your minds so that you may
be able to determine what is God’s will —
what is proper, pleasing, and perfect.
—Romans 12:2 (ISV)
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The World Molding the Church

Hell Fire Sermons
 Most evangelicals believe in the
conscious torment in hell of unrepentant
believers, but it is rarely preached.
 Liberal theologians view hell as “unkind,”
“insensitive” and “morally repugnant.”
 The liberal media portray clergy who
preach “hell” as backwoods nut cases.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The World Molding the Church

The Raw Truth
 We do not preach the doctrine of hell
because we are afraid of the mockers and
scoffers of this world.
 We have allowed the world to squeeze us
into its mold.
 The Apostle Peter warned us about this!
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The World Molding the Church
 First
of all you must understand this: In
the last days mockers will come and,
indulging in their own lusts, will ridicule us
by saying, “What happened to his promise
to return? Ever since our ancestors died,
everything continues as it did from the
beginning of creation.”
— 2 Peter 3:3-4 (ISV)
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The World Molding the Church
 Did
Peter or Paul stop preaching because
some people mocked? No!
n God is true, even if everyone else is a
liar.
— Romans 3:4 (ISV)
 When the frown of the world is more
influential than the frown of God, the fear
of the Lord needs to be revived.
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The World Molding the Church

Whatever Happened to Sin?
 The same liberalization of the church
made it unpopular to preach about sin.
 The media portrays adulterers, rapists,
and child molesters not as sinners who
needs to repent, but as addicts who need
therapy.
 We are told not to condemn them as
sinners but to “feel their pain.”
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The World Molding the Church

Doctrinal Preaching Today
 Doctrinal sermons have given way to
relational sermons which focus on the
feelings of man.
 Any doctrine that might hurt someone’s
feelings is either denied or ignored.
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The World Molding the Church
How to Alienate a Congregation in 14 Easy Steps
Just Preach These Time-Honored Topics




The man is the head of
his household.
His wife should submit
to his leadership.
Children should obey
their parents.
Criminals should be
punished.




The death penalty
should be used more
frequently.
We are not part of God.
We cannot be all that we
want to be.
We do not have infinite
potential.
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The World Molding the Church
How to Alienate a Congregation in 14 Easy Steps
Just Preach These Time-Honored Topics



All things are not
possible with us.
Being positive will not
do much for you.
We are not all created
equal because some
people are smarter or
stronger than others.



Adultery and divorce
disqualify you for the
ministry.
The heathen are lost.
Young people need to be
fully accountable for their
actions by the age of 12
or 13.
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The World Molding the Church

The Price of Discernment
 When you point out all the false teachings
on popular “Christian” radio and TV
programs, you are:
n told to be quiet for the sake of unity
n called a trouble-maker
n labeled “insensitive” to feelings
n accused of pride and conceit
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The World Molding the Church

The Church Growth Movement
 Numbers, money, and buildings are the
only goals that count.
 The New Testament is irrelevant when it
comes to the nature, structure and
programs of the local church.
 We should take surveys in the community
and ask the heathen what they want to
hear and what sermon topics to preach.
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The World Molding the Church
 The
n
n
n
result:
We build a church that reflects the
counsel of the ungodly.
We ignore what the Bible says about
how a church is to be structured and
governed.
We place sociologists and surveys
above the word of the Apostles.
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The World Molding the Church

I Will Build My Church
 Jesus will build His Church His way.
 Did the Apostles in the Book of Acts take
surveys of the heathen to see what they
wanted? No!
 The New Testament tells us the nature
and structure of a local church.
 The Bible is our rule of faith and practice,
not pragmatism.
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The World Molding the Church

The Whole Counsel of God
 Acts 20:27 tells us that the “whole
counsel” of God must be preached.
 If the church growth movement is of God,
then why is the doctrine of hell never
preached?
n The heathen do not want to hear that
they are sinners under God’s wrath.
n They hate the very idea of repentance.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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The World Molding the Church

The Cult of Happiness
 When the fear of God is not preached,
Christians will not understand that their
purpose in life is to glorify God.
 Happiness becomes the idol before which
all must bow.
 It is time to tell people the truth: God is
more concerned with our holiness than
with our happiness.
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The World Molding the Church
 Come
close to God, and he will come
close to you. Cleanse your hands, you
sinners, and purify your hearts, you
double-minded. Be miserable, mourn, and
cry. Let your laughter be turned into
mourning, and your joy into gloom.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and
he will exalt you.
— James 4:8-10 (ISV)
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The World Molding the Church
 Instead
of preaching that we exist for
God’s glory and that we are His servants,
we are told:
n God exists for our happiness.
n He is our servant.
n He is supposed to “fetch and carry”
wealth and health for us whenever we
“name it and claim it.”
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The World Molding the Church

Dedicated to Jesus?
 The “Me First” generation is not interested
in the personal sacrifice required to serve
Christ.
 Have you ever heard a sermon calling upon
you to be totally surrendered to Christ?
 We are told the Christian life is easy and
fun.
 Morality and truth do not matter anymore.
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The World Molding the Church

Let Us Entertain You
 Because people no longer fear God,
many worship services are not centered
on the preaching of the Word.
 As more entertainment is included in a
church service, the sermons get shorter
and more shallow.
 Crowds come when the service is long on
entertainment and short on preaching.
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The World Molding the Church

The End Result
 Most evangelical Christians have never
heard a single sermon on fearing God.
 “Fear” does not fit into the “positive
thinking” movement.
 “Fear” is not politically correct.
 How can you tell people to fear God when
we are trying to convince people that
Jesus will “make them happy.”
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The World Molding the Church
 If
we told people the truth that they should
fear the just judgment of Almighty Jesus,
we won’t be able to con them into joining
our “warm” and “fuzzy” church where
everything is “nice” and “sweet.”
 Like Esau, we have sold our birthright for
a bowl of mush.
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The World Molding the Church

Conclusion
 The Church at the beginning of the 21st
century, despite its wealth and power, is
desperately sick and weak.
 Some men in the pulpits are more carnal
and immoral than the people in the pews.
 Why? There is no fear of God before their
eyes.
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The World Molding the Church
 If
the Church is to regain its spiritual
strength and power, it must begin with the
fear of God.
 Those who fear the Lord will depart from
evil.
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Part Two
The
Importance
of Fearing
God
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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How Important Is It?

Training Children
 The frequency of its mention in Scripture,
as compared to other aspects of piety,
reveals the importance of the fear of God.
 We have to repeat things to our children
over and over in order for them to learn.
 Why? This is human nature.
 To fear God is the most repeated
admonition in Scripture.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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How Important Is It?
Some Common Admonitions in Scripture

Loving God

88 References
 45 in OT; 43 in NT

Trusting God

91 References
 82 in OT; 9 in NT

Fearing God

278 References
 235 in OT; 43 in NT
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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How Important Is It?

A Logical Conclusion
 The fear of God is the predominant
response and fundamental attitude that
God desires toward:
n Himself
n His Word
n His Law
n His Name
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How Important Is It?

What We Are Not Saying
 The Fear of God is NOT the ONLY way to
relate to God.
 Loving God is not at issue. We must
relate to God in more than one way.
 Loving God is not enough, according to
the Bible. We must fear Him, too.
 Fearing God must be fundamental to our
relationship to God.
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98
How Important Is It?

The Psalms on Fearing God
 There are 62 references to fearing God in
the Psalms alone.
 Entire psalms are dedicated to the
blessings which come from fearing the
Lord.
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How Important Is It?

The Proverbs on Fearing God
 In the Proverbs, the fear of God is
referred to 15 times as being the source
of wisdom, knowledge, discretion,
truthfulness and morality.
 Thus the fear of the Lord should not be
limited to “inner” piety.
 The fear of the Lord is practical and helps
us live a godly life in a sinful world.
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How Important Is It?
 The
fear of God leads to wisdom.
n The ability to see things from God’s
viewpoint.
 The fear of God leads to understanding.
n The ability to respond to what you have
seen according to God’s Word.
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How Important Is It?
 The
fear of God is a fountain of life.
n The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of
death.
— Proverbs 14:27
 Practical Stuff, Too
 The fear of God leads to good sleep.
n The fear of the Lord leads to life. The
one who fears God can sleep satisfied,
untouched by evil. — Proverbs 19:23
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How Important Is It?
 The
fear of God is the key to the treasure
house of heaven.
n And He will be the sure foundation for
your times, a rich store of salvation,
wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the
Lord is the key to this treasure.
— Isaiah 33:6
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How Important Is It?

A Defective Covenant
 The Old Covenant could not provide a
redeemed heart to fear God.
 It dealt with external things.
n Oh, that they had such a heart in them,
that they should fear Me, and keep all
my commandments always, that it may
be well with them and with their sons
forever!”
— Deut. 5:29
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104
How Important Is It?

A Superior Covenant
 The New Covenant provides a redeemed
heart to fear God.
 It deals with internal things.
n I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel… I will put my law
within them, and on their heart I will
write it. They shall all know me.
— Jer. 31:31-33; 32:38
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How Important Is It?

The New Testament
 The New Testament is the record of the
establishment of the New Covenant through
the person and work of Christ.
 This New Covenant is a covenant of grace
through which God provides man with a
new heart to fulfill God’s OT promise.
 Thus, the goal of the New Covenant is to
fear God.
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How Important Is It?
 Liberals
claim that:
n The Old Testament God was a savage
and primitive god you had to fear.
n The New Testament did away with the
fear of God and substituted the love of
God in its place.
 But the NT goal is to bring sinners into a
permanent relationship with God to fear
Him and keep His commandments.
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How Important Is It?
Some Common Admonitions in Scripture

Loving God


Trusting God


Fearing God

88 References
 45 in OT; 43 in NT
91 References
 82 in OT; 9 in NT
278 References
 235 in OT; 43 in NT
The same number of references!
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How Important Is It?

The Frequency of Mention
 There are as many references to the fear
of God as there are to the love of God.
n “So the church… continued to be built
up and to live in the fear of the Lord, it
kept increasing in numbers through the
encouragement of the Holy Spirit.”
—Acts 9:31 (ISV)
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How Important Is It?

The Frequency of Mention
 The fear of the Lord was the divinely
appointed means by which the early
church experienced peace and growth.
 As they feared the Lord, the Spirit
comforted them.
 Thus the fruit of the Spirit is rooted in the
fear of God.
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How Important Is It?

No Fear of God
 The unsaved are described in Romans
3:10-18 as “There is no fear of God before
their eyes.”
 When men no longer fear God, there is no
restraint upon their lusts.
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How Important Is It?

Conclusion
 The fear of the Lord is the recognition that
God is holy as well as loving.
 God is to be feared as well as trusted.
 If we neglect the fear of God, we will suffer
in our spiritual life.
 God has revealed Himself in Scripture and
to worship any other God than the One
revealed in Scripture is idolatry.
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The Importance of Wisdom

The Beginning of Wisdom
 A Popular Memory Verse
n “The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom.”
— Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10
 The word translated “beginning” in these
two verses are actually different words.
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The Importance of Wisdom
 The
n
“beginning of wisdom” in Ps 111:10
“Re-sheet” means the best or highest
quality.
n Exodus 23:19
n Amos 6:1
n 1 Samuel 15:21
n Ezekiel 48:14
n Proverbs 4:7
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The Importance of Wisdom
 The
“beginning of wisdom” in Prov. 9:10
n “Te-chil-lah” means the first in a
succession of things.
 Conclusion
 Fearing God is the first step to wisdom
and the chief aspect of wisdom.
 It is the “soul and substance” of our
relationship to God.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
115
Part Three
The Nature
of Fearing
God
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

The English word “fear” —
 does not tell us what kind of fear we are to
have.
 does not indicate any specific attributes.
 is not precise enough to convey the
richness of meanings of the various
biblical words for fearing God.
 is not precise enough to tell us how to
relate to God.
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Goor: Stand in Awe
 Stand in awe of Him, all you descendants
of Israel. — Psalm 22:23
 Let all the inhabitants of the world stand
in awe of Him. — Psalm 33:8
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Chool: Tremble Before Him
 When
they hear the report of you, they shall be in
anguish because of you. — Deut. 2:25
 Tremble before Him, all the earth.
— 1 Chronicles 16:30
 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord. — Ps. 96:9
 You don’t tremble before Me, do you?
— Jeremiah 5:22
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Ah-ratz: Be in Dread of Him
 A God
greatly feared in the council of the holy
ones. — Psalm 89:7
 And He shall be your fear, and He shall be
your dread. — Isaiah 8:13
 Indeed, they will sanctify the Holy One of
Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of
Israel. — Isaiah 29:23
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Pa-chad: Living in Dread
 And
you shall be in dread night and day, and
shall have no assurance of your life.
— Deuteronomy 28:66
 And the dread of God was on all the kingdoms
of the lands when they heard that the Lord had
fought against the enemies of Israel.
— 2 Chronicles 20:29
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Pa-chad: Living in Dread
 If
the God of my father, the God of Abraham,
and the Fear of Isaac, had not been for me,
surely now you would have sent me away
empty-handed.
— Genesis 31:42
 “The God of Abraham, the God of Nahor, the
God of their father, judge between us.” So
Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
— Genesis 31:53
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

A-mah: To be Frightened of God
 Terror
and dread fall upon them; By the
greatness of your arm, they are motionless as
stone.
— Exodus 15:16
 I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw
into confusion all the people among whom you
come…
— Exodus 23:27
 Let Him remove His rod from me, and let not
dread of Him terrify me. — Job 9:34
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Do-chal: The Terror of God
 …all
the peoples and nations and men of every
language dreaded and feared him. — Daniel
5:19
 I will make a decree that in all the dominion of
my kingdom, men are to fear and tremble
before the God of Daniel. — Daniel 6:26
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary


Yah-re: The Fear of God
 Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to
look at God.
— Exodus 3:6
 …for God has so worked that men should fear
Him.
— Ecclesiastes 3:14
Yah-re: Political Respect
 ...and they revered [Joshua] all the days of his
life, just as they had revered Moses.
— Joshua 4:14
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Old Testament Vocabulary

Yah-goor: Terror and Fear
I
was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure
with which the Lord was wrathful against you in
order to destroy you. — Deuteronomy 9:19

Re-ah-dah: Worship with Trembling
 Worship
the Lord with trembling. — Psalm 2:11
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God
New Testament Vocabulary


In the New Testament, all the different Hebrew
words for “fear” are translated by the Greek word
phobos and the verbs, adverbs and adjectives
which modify phobos.
The fear of God in the New Testament embraces
all the emotions of the human heart.
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

The Christian and the Terror of God
 Fall on us and hide us from the presence
of Him who sits on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of
their wrath has come; and who is able to
stand? — Revelation 6:15-17
 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men. — 2 Corinthians 5:11
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

Solemn Warnings
 If you are His child, then He will punish
you when you wander from the path of
righteousness.
 Therefore, as long as the promise of
entering his rest remains valid, let us be
afraid lest someone among you fails to
reach it. — Hebrews 4:1 (ISV)
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

Solemn Warnings
 For if we choose to go on sinning after we have
received the full knowledge of the truth, there is
no more sacrifice for our sins.
— Hebrews 10:26 (ISV)
 …We must be thankful and worship God in
reverence and fear in a way that pleases him.
For our God is an all-consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28-29 (ISV)
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

Jesus and The Fear of God
 But I tell you, my friends, never be afraid
of those who kill the body and after that
can’t do anything more. I’ll show you the
one you should be afraid of. Be afraid of
the one who has the authority to throw
you into hell after killing you. Yes, I tell
you, be afraid of him! — Luke 12:4-5 (ISV)
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The Vocabulary of Fearing God

Wonder, Awe, and Reverence
 Lord, who won’t fear and praise your
name? For you alone are holy, and all the
nations will come and worship you
because your judgments have been
revealed.
— Revelation 15:4 (ISV)
 The fear of God is an essential part of
living a holy life.
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132
The Vocabulary of Fearing God
Why So Much Shallowness Today?
 The reason Christians are weak is rooted
in the fact they do not fear God!
 Conclusion
 Presence of the fear of God is His
blessing.
 Absence of the fear of God is His curse.

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133
The Meanings of Fearing God
The “fear” of God can mean different things
to different people at different times.
 Most commentators have correctly
distinguished reverential fear from slavish
fear.
 Are these the only two distinctions?

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The Meanings of Fearing God

More Than Two Distinctions
 Nature: What is the nature of the fear?
 Origin: What motivates this fear?
 Subjects: Who is fearing God?
 Attributes: What is this fear like?
 Means: How is this fear manifested?
 Consequences: What happens to those
who fear God?
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The Meanings of Fearing God

Objective/Subjective
 The fear of the Lord may refer to
something objective.
 The fear of God may refer to something
subjective.
n The Objective Fear of God
n Objective fear is external to man.
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The Meanings of Fearing God

God’s Name
 “Fear” was one name for God.
 If the God of my father, the God of
Abraham, the Fear of Isaac, had not been
for me, surely now you would have sent
me away empty-handed.—Genesis 31:42
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The Meanings of Fearing God
God’s Word
 No one can say that he is ignorant of God
because He has not revealed himself.
 The heavens declare the glory of God and
the skies proclaim the work of His
hands.—Psalms 19:1
 General Revelation
 Humanity is “without excuse.”

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The Meanings of Fearing God

Special Revelation
 Scripture is referred to as:
n The law of the Lord.
n The statutes of the Lord.
n The precepts of the Lord.
n The commands of the Lord.
n The fear of the Lord.
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The Meanings of Fearing God

God’s Attributes
 You shall not dread them, for the LORD
your God is in your midst, a great and
awesome God. —Deuteronomy 7:21
 God is in His Nature “awesome.”
 God’s works are “awesome” and “fearful.”
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The Meanings of Fearing God

Revealed Religion
 Come you children, listen to me and I will
teach you the fear of the Lord. —Psalms
34:11
 The fear of the Lord is to believe all that
God has revealed in His Word.
 No one can truly believe in God without
fearing him.
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The Meanings of Fearing God

God-Fearers
 My brothers, descendants of Abraham’s
family, and those among you who fear
God, it is to us that the message of this
salvation has been sent.”
—Acts 13:26 (ISV)
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142
The Meanings of Fearing God

The Worship of God
 For you alone are holy, and all the nations
will come and worship you because your
judgments have been revealed. —
Revelation 15:4 (ISV)
 Our worship of God should involve fearing
him, in the sense of awe, reverence,
wonder, and praise.
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143
The Meanings of Fearing God

Irreverent Behavior in Church
 The lack of godly fear is the reason for
little reverence in many church services.
 We should be preparing our hearts for
worship.
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The Meanings of Fearing God

Temporary/Permanent
 People temporarily “get religion” during a
crisis.
 The permanent fear of God is a provision
of the New Covenant.
 I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so
they will turn away from me.—Jeremiah
32:40
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145
The Meanings of Fearing God

Positive/Negative
 The fear of God can focus on the positive
aspects of fear such as love, reverence,
and awe.
 The fear of God can focus on the negative
aspects of fear such as terror, horror, and
anxiety.
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146
The Meanings of Fearing God

Saving/Non-Saving
 The fear of God can motivate people to
seek salvation.
 It is possible to fear God in a non-saving
sense.
n People think they can earn their way to
heaven by their own good works.
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147
The Meanings of Fearing God

Particular/General
 The Ninevites’ fear was particular and
focused on the specific judgment of God.
 A true Christian seeks to apply the fear of
the Lord to all of life.
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148
The Meanings of Fearing God

Individual/Group
 True revival comes when people are
“walking in the fear of the Lord.”
 Reverence for the name of Jesus comes
from a general fear of God.
 When there is no fear of God,
lawlessness, blasphemy and wickedness
will abound.
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149
The Meanings of Fearing God

Attitude/Action
 In the Bible, there are places where the
fear of God is used in the sense of
obedience.
 The fear of God can refer to an attitude
toward God.
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150
The Meanings of Fearing God

Spiritual/Carnal
 Spiritual fear of God contains both
positive and negative elements.
n We rejoice with trembling.
n We worship in an attitude of awe.
 Carnal fear of God contains only negative
aspects.
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151
The Meanings of Fearing God

Sincere/Hypocritical
 Do you fear God enough to depart from
evil and to keep His commandments?
 Obedience to God is where “the rubber
meets the road.”
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152
The Meanings of Fearing God
Character Trait/Episode
 Do you fear God?
 Are you a “reverent” person?
 Attractive/Repulsive
 Fear can draw people to or from God.
 Mobilize/Paralyze
 Joseph remained pure because of fear.
 Moses was paralyzed by fear.

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153
The Meanings of Fearing God
Joy/Sadness
 Psalm 97:1
 Psalm 99:1
 Greater/Lesser
 Psalm 89:7
 Caught and Taught
 Psalm 34:11
 Psalm 46:10

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154
The Meanings of Fearing God

The Work of the Holy Spirit
 I will make an everlasting covenant with
them that I will not turn away from doing
good for them. I will put the fear of me in
their hearts so they will not turn away from
me. —Jeremiah 32:40
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155
The Meanings of Fearing God

Conclusion
 The traditional two-fold division of the fear
of God is not adequate.
 The deeper our understanding of what it
means to fear God, the better able we are
to fear Him as He ought to be feared.
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156
Part Four
The Origins
of Fearing
God
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157
Why We Should Fear God

The Sovereignty of God
 Rejoice
 Be Glad
 See His Glory
 Exalt The Lord
 Give Thanks
 Praise
 Worship
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158
Why We Should Fear God
 The
contrast in response of the wicked
n God is enthroned in the heavens.
n God is the Sovereign Ruler and Judge
of all things.
 The Psalmist tells us how unbelievers
respond.
n They are put to shame.
n They tremble in fear.
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159
Why We Should Fear God

Children and the Fear of God
 The
Lord was pleased to save David.
 WHY was the Lord was pleased to deliver him?
n The angel of the LORD encamps around those
who fear Him, and rescues them.
— Psalms 34:7
 David gives exhortation to fear the Lord.
n O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those
who fear Him, there is no want.
— Psalms 34:9
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160
Why We Should Fear God

A Long and Prosperous Life
 Who is the man who desires life, and
loves length of days that he may see
good?
— Psalms 34:12
 A long, happy life filled with goodness
begins with the fear of God.
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161
Why We Should Fear God

Motives to Fear God
 The Nature of God
 The Names of God
 The Word of God
 The Works of God
 The Mighty Works of God
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162
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
n
n
n
n
n
Nature of God
The Greatness of God
The Sovereignty of God
The Holiness of God
The Jealousy of God
The Justice and Righteousness of God
The Judgment of God against His
enemies
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163
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
n
n
n
n
n
n
Names of God
We should fear God for His glorious names.
We should delight to fear his name.
We should glorify the name of God.
We should praise the great name of God.
Nations will fear the name of the Lord.
God’s name is holy and awesome.
Blasphemy will result in swift judgment.
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164
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
Word of God
The scriptures are called “the fear of
the Lord.”
n The Bible is the written Word of God.
n The Bible is the source of our fear of
God.
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165
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
Works of God
We should be in awe of God’s almighty
acts.
n Many
n Great
n Wonderful
n Righteous
n Marvelous, Righteous and True
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166
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
n
Mighty Works of God
Creation
n We belong to Him and owe Him our
worship and obedience.
Sovereignty
n He is working all things of His own
Will and we should be in awe.
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167
Why We Should Fear God
 The
n
n
n
Mighty Works of God
Judgment
n We should fear the judgment of God
more than the judgment of men.
Forgiveness
n God forgives our sins that we might
fear Him.
The fear of God is the GOAL of God’s
plan for salvation!
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168
Why We Should Fear God

Conclusion
 God’s wondrous nature, name, Word and
works should motivate us to fear Him.
 Our God is an awesome God, a great and
glorious God, mighty in judgment,
compassionate in mercy.
 He is working all things according to His
sovereign will.
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169
The Terror of the Lord

Fear
 Over 20 different meanings in Scripture.
 Fear is a broad subject.
n We have to deal with human emotions
and how human beings respond to
God.
 People respond to God depending on the
situation.
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170
The Terror of the Lord

Terror
 I heard your voice, I was afraid, so I hid
myself. — Genesis 3:10
 This terror caused Adam and Eve to run
from God.
 It caused them to hide from His presence.
 They experienced terror at the thought of
being exposed to the all-seeing eye of
God.
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171
The Terror of the Lord

Running from the Light
 For everyone who practices wickedness
hates the light and does not come to the
light, so that his actions may not be
exposed. — John 3:20 (ISV)
 No creature can hide from him. Everything
is naked and helpless before the eyes of
the one to whom we must give an
account. — Hebrews 4:13 (ISV)
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172
The Terror of the Lord

Man’s Fall into Sin and Guilt
 The eyes of Adam and Eve were
“opened.”
 Once man sinned, they became
embarrassed and felt shame.
 This shame was rooted not in their naked
bodies but in their sinful souls.
 They tried to use fig leaves to hide from
God.
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173
The Terror of the Lord
Before the Fall
 There was no terror, negative fear, anxiety
or dread of judgment.
 There was a positive awe, respect, and
love of God.
 After the Fall
 There was terror at the thought of being in
the presence of God.

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174
The Terror of the Lord

We are all Hiding from God
 Fear gripped Adam because he knew
that:
n God is a Holy God.
n He was accountable to God.
n God would punish sin.
n There was no way to escape His
judgment.
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175
The Terror of the Lord

We are all Hiding from God
 The hiding failed!
 The cover-up failed.
 Their sin was exposed.
 The guilt was rightly placed.
 The punishment given was death.
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176
The Terror of the Lord

The Day of Doom
 There IS a Judgment Day and God is
going to judge them.
 Anyone whose name was not found
written in the Book of Life was thrown into
the lake of fire— Revelation 20:15 (ISV)
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177
The Terror of the Lord

Conclusion
 Get away from me, you who are
accursed, into the eternal fire that has
been prepared for the devil and his
angels!’ These people will go away into
eternal punishment, but the righteous will
go into eternal life.
— Matthew 25:41,46 (ISV)
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178
Part Five
The Results
of Fearing
God
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179
The Blessings of Fearing God
As Individuals
 Fear the LORD our God for our good
always and for our survival.
—Deuteronomy 6:4
 For Our Own Good
 It is in our own best interest to fear God
and keep His commandments.

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180
The Blessings of Fearing God

Divine Guidance
 Who is the man who fear the LORD? He
will instruct him in the way that he should
choose. The secret of the LORD is for
those who fear HIM, and He will make
them know his covenant.
—Psalm 25:12, 14
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181
The Blessings of Fearing God

Divine Protection
 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those
who fear Him, on those who hope for His
loving kindness, to deliver their soul from
death, and to keep them alive in famine.
—Psalm 33:18-19
 God is paying special attention to those
who fear Him.
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182
The Blessings of Fearing God
Our Guardian Angel
 The angel of the LORD encamps around
those who fear Him and rescues them.
 Divine Wisdom
 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom. —Proverbs 1:7

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183
The Blessings of Fearing God
As Families
 God’s Word instructs us about the origin,
nature, structure, and inner workings of
the family.
 The Brave Midwives
 And it came about that because the
midwives feared God, that He established
households for them. —Exodus 1:21

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184
The Blessings of Fearing God
Honor for the Elderly
 The respect we owe to our parents and
the elderly is tied to the respect we have
for God.
 As Churches
 When the Holy Spirit was poured out at
Pentecost, great fear came upon
everyone.

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185
The Blessings of Fearing God
As Nations
 When a nation fears the Lord, justice is
established throughout the land.
 Justice Hangs on It
 When judges no longer fear God, they will
abuse their position and power to oppress
the people of God.

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186
The Blessings of Fearing God
Good Business Sense
 Honesty and hard work abound when God
is feared.
 Sound Economic Policies
 The thing which you are doing is not
good; should you not walk in the fear of
our God because of the reproach of the
nations, our enemies? —Nehemiah 5:9

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187
The Blessings of Fearing God

Conclusion
 The fear of God produces justice and
righteousness in individuals, families,
churches, and nations.
 Blessed is that nation whose God is the
Lord, the people whom He has chosen for
His own inheritance. —Psalm 33:12
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188
Conclusion
There are hundreds of references to fearing
God in the Scriptures.
 It is the fundamental and essential attitude
toward God that we must develop and
maintain in the Christian life.
 The fear of the Lord will bring great
blessings upon individuals, families,
churches, and nations.

Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
189
Conclusion

When people do not fear God, there is
crime, immorality, divorce, destruction of our
churches, oppression by judges, bribery and
unjust laws.
 What is the biblical remedy to the
problems we face?
n We need to return to the fear of God.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom and the fountain of all blessing.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
190
How to Order
Available from
Faith Defenders
http://faithdefenders.com
ISBN #1891833529
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
191
Do
to Be
Saved?
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
192
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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193
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
194
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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195
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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196
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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197
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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198
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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199
You Have Broken God’s Law
 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20)





Worship only God.
Don’t make an idol.
Don’t take God’s name
in vain.
Honor the Sabbath.
Honor your father and
mother.





Do not murder.
Do not commit
adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not lie.
Do not covet.
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200
You Were Born a Sinner

All people are born sinners. We are all
unrighteous people.
 Romans 3:10-12
n As it is written, “Not even one
person is righteous. No one
understands. No one searches for
God. All have turned away.
Together they have become
worthless.”
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201
Your Best Efforts Fail

All people sin. Our best efforts will never
measure up.
 Romans 3:23
n … since all have sinned and
continue to fall short of God’s
glory.
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202
The Price of Sin is Death

The price of sin is death.
 Romans 5:12
n Therefore, just as sin entered the
world through one man, and death
through sin, so death spread to
everyone, because all have
sinned.
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203
Jesus Paid Your Debt

Jesus paid your debt by dying in your
place.
 Romans 6:23
n For the wages of sin is death, but
the free gift of God is eternal life in
union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
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204
Christ Died for You

Christ died in your place, paying your
price, and suffering so that you would
not have to suffer eternally.
 Romans 5:8
n But God demonstrates his love for
us by the fact that Christ died for
us while we were still sinners.
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205
His Invitation Is to You… Now

His invitation is open to anyone… even
you.
 Romans 10:13
n For “everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.”
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206
Confess, Declare, Believe

You must confess your sin, declare His
Lordship, and believe in your heart that God
raised Christ from the dead.
 Romans 10:9-10
n … if you declare with your mouth that
Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised him from the dead, you
will be saved. For a person believes
with his heart and is justified, and a
person declares with his mouth and is
saved.
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207
Your Prayer for Salvation

“Lord, Jesus, I know that I am a sinner
and I need you. I know that you paid the
price for my sins by dying on the cross. I
ask that you forgive my sins; and I
receive you as my Savior and Lord. I
thank you for forgiving my sins and
giving me eternal life. Take control of
the throne of my life. Make me the kind
of person you want me to be. Amen.”
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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Some Truths to Remember

Remember these simple truths from God’s
Word:
 1 John 1:9
n If we make it our habit to confess our
sins, he is faithful and righteous to
forgive us those sins and cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
 Romans 8:16
n The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit
that we are God’s children.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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Some Truths to Remember
 Ephesians

2:8
n For by such grace you have been
saved through faith. This does not come
from you; it is the gift of God and not the
result of works, lest anyone boast.
Romans 8:18
n For I consider that the sufferings of this
present time are not worth comparing to
the glory that will be revealed to us.
Copyright © 1999 Robert A. Morey. Distributed by Davidson Press, Inc.
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Some Truths to Remember
1
John 5:13
n I have written these things to you who
believe in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have
eternal life.
 2 Corinthians 5:17-18a
n Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation. Old things have
disappeared, and—look!—all things
have become new! All of this comes
from God, who has reconciled us to
himself through Christ…
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