March 9, 2008

Salvation…Then What? (Reverential Fear)
1 Peter 1:13-17

I. Introduction

Up to this point in our journey through 1 Peter, we have looked at how we have been chosen by God, the incredible
nature of our salvation in Christ, and how these truths should impact our lives.

Peter 1:13-25 expresses how our salvation affects our lives, and in this passage there are four exhortations that Peter
puts before his readers.

In summary, in light of all that God has done for us through Christ, we should be hopeful, holy, have a fear of God, and
love our fellow Christian.

So far we have discussed the hope we have in Christ and the call upon our lives to be holy.

Can anyone remember how I defined holiness? Is holiness a legal term or a relational term?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NRSV)

Today, we are going to talk about the fear of the Lord – a topic that seems deeply misunderstood among most Christians and is not often the topic of many sermons, but is clearly expressed in our passage today.

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as ‘foreigners in the land.’”
(1 Peter 1:17, NLT)

II. A Call to Action

Remember, these verses are a call to action. Salvation, and then what?

The call to action this week is a call to live in reverent fear.

What does it mean to live in reverent fear?

Before I answer that question, let me ask you another question. How many of you are now looking forward to a sermon
on the fear of the Lord?

Would it surprise you to hear me say that our difficulty connecting intimately with God is related to our lack of living
in a reverential fear of God?

I will come back to that statement in my conclusion, but let me point out how critical this topic is.

What do you think our society would be like if there was no fear of punishment or penalty for violating the law?

Would you drive anywhere close to the speed limit? Would you pay any taxes? Would you refrain from retaliation? Etc.

If there is no fear, our society would be totally out of control.

So, what does it mean to fear the Lord?

First, what does it say in our passage?

  “…remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites.”

You are not under some unique dispensation – God “will judge or reward you according to what you do.”

Very few people would say it out loud, but I think many of us are guilty of viewing our salvation as simply
a “get out of jail free card.”

We prayed the prayer and now we are going to heaven, so it really makes no difference what I do in this life.

The problem is that how we live our lives now makes make a huge difference.

Listen, you may be a Christian, but there are consequences for your actions.

“Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8, NLT)

Will God forgive you? Certainly. But it is naïve to think that we are exempt from the consequences of our actions.

Because of this fact, we should live in reverent fear of God as we journey through this life.

In 1 Peter a double fear is mentioned:

  (1) Elementary, causing one to become serious;
  (2) Perfective, the motive by which Peter urges them as children of God to be obedient.

I will ask the question again, “What does it mean to live in reverent fear of God?”

We are speaking of a reverential, not slavish fear. He who is your Father is also your Judge: this combination should
inspire reverential fear.

There is an interesting passage in Exodus 20:20: “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; for God has come
only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.’” (NRSV)

The Scriptures teach us that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a
good understanding.” (Psalm 111:10, NRSV)

Why is it the beginning of wisdom? Because fear properly understood is the most basic emotion that preserves our life.

Why is it you do not touch a hot stove? Why do you not jump off a five story building? Why do you not try to solve
your financial problems by robbing a bank? Fear.

It is those that have no fear of the Lord that do not think through the consequences of their actions. They are either so self-centered that they do not care about the consequences or they think that some how they will avoid the consequences.

“Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8, NLT)

So, it is the beginning of wisdom, but how else can we define what it is?

“The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.” (Proverbs 8:13, NRSV)

A number of years ago, certain prominent televangelists were making the headlines with the discovery of their blatant
sins of financially defrauding trusting supporters and engaging in immoral sexual behavior.

And a bit more recently, the president of the National Baptist Convention began a prison term for racketeering to the tune of 4 million dollars and pocketing thousands of dollars entrusted to him for rebuilding burned-out churches in the South.

The question that immediately comes to mind is, “Didn't these men fear God?”

Obviously not, and the fruit is reflected in their lack of wisdom and in the reality that they came to embrace evil.

I believe these men were men of God (at least when they began their ministries), but they lacked one major character quality – they had little if any fear of the Lord.

Will they go to heaven? Perhaps. Will their lives ever be the same? No. What did they forfeit? How many lives were impacted in a negative way? They did not fear the Lord.

Earlier in my message, I made the statement that our difficulty connecting intimately with God is related to our lack of
living in a reverential fear of God.

How can I say that? What does fear have to do with intimacy? Doesn’t perfect love cast out all fear?

First, if you did have perfect love, would you ever sin against God or against your fellow human being? [No] There
would be no need for fear.

But reverential fear is our friend when we properly understand it and cultivate it in our lives – listen again to the Scriptures: “Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” (Psalm 34:11, NRSV)

We can grow in our understanding and learn to fear the Lord. Listen then to the rest of the passage, “Which of you desires life, and covets many days to enjoy good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:12-14, NRSV)

It is the fear of the Lord that leads to life and good days. How? Because it keeps you from doing evil and leads you
to do what is right.

Again, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”

III. Application

In closing, I have listed in your bulletin a number of passages, that clearly speak of the benefits for those who fear the Lord.

I want to give you a few minutes to read through them right now and perhaps write down something the Lord would say to you today through one of these passages.

“The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever…” (Psalm 19:9, NRSV)

“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.” (Proverbs 10:27, NRSV)

“In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and one's children will have a refuge. The fear of the Lord is
a fountain of life…” (Proverbs 14:26-27, NRSV)

“By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.”
(Proverbs 16:6, NRSV)

“Fear of the Lord leads to life, bringing security and protection from harm.” (Proverbs 19:23, NLT)

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4, NRSV)

“Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear
of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” (Acts 9:31, NRSV)

“Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can
destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, NLT)

(Close the service quoting from 1 Peter)

“And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as ‘foreigners in the land.’”
(1 Peter 1:17, NLT)