Walking the Narrow Path: Rediscovering the Fear of God
Balancing Love and Discipline in Our Christian Journey
Our Christ filled life will not always run smoothly, and with God’s Word as our guide, we can still at times either run ahead of Him, have our blinkers on, ear plugs still intact, or have not spend enough time with Him to know His voice. God will certainly let us know if we are off track. He is as forthright with His discipline, as He is with His love. Coming to Jesus regularly, and keeping in close commune with Him, will give us discernment, and a greater listening ear, than if we are too far away to hear His soft small voice.
God’s desire for good listening ears is still important now as was with those who followed Him before us. Throughout the Bible He always said the same command several times over within the same written paragraph. He needed to make sure the commands were heard correctly to pass on. Bibles for clarification were not available, so repeating a command an essential. God was as adamant then as He is now that we are understanding His voice and direction clearly. He wants our full attention. Not one ear hearing Him and the other on the world. No more going our own way, and no more worldly thinking. Clear Christ filled hearts and minds, our spirit attuned with His, leaving our sins behind and focusing on heavenly things, not on the things of now. We cannot hear the Holy Spirit with all the everyday surrounding noise and distractions. Moving away and alleviating from our lives things that no longer represent Him and focusing on Jesus is what He commands. Fear and pressure of man can overshadow time and the fear of the Lord.
Moses encountered the same thing. He had just brought down the 2 stone tablets God had written and given him after spending 40 days and nights with the Lord alone on the mountain. God instructed Moses to return to camp. Moses arrives with all that God had given him, only to find them worshipping a gold calf and running amuck. Exodus 32 Moses had left instructions to Aaron, but the fear of the people weakened the Word given to Aaron and chaos came. Moses, bewildered and most probably exhausted, smashes the tablets and commands given by God. After bringing order to the people, Moses takes another journey back up the mountain so God can rewrite what Moses had broken. God spoke to Moses about the punishment He would bring at the appropriate time:
The Lord replied to Moses “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made. Ex 32:33–35
We have lost the fear of God. Amazingly so did the Israelites just 40 days after Moses left in great hope the Israelites would wait in obedience and loyalty to God by instructions Moses had entrusted to Aaron while he would be away with God. Reverential fear and love of God run parallel. You cannot have one without the other.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Prov 9:10
We know His truth; we know how Jesus has asked us to walk. It’s a narrow road and He does not show favour.
Moses spoke to the people then as God would say now:
Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff necked any longer. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. Deut 10:16–17
God is love! He disciplines because He loves. He is the God of love, compassion and mercy, always forthcoming in His generosity and giving, grace being the greatest gift of all in Christ. Through repentance can we again become right before God, through Jesus alone. Jesus is the only atoning sacrifice for sin. We have seen no other love greater than what has been given than in the giving of His Son. Jesus took upon Himself the punishment we deserve yet was without sin. With a love so great in Christ, God expects a loyal, faithful and obedient people…
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 Jn 4:9–10
We cannot be hot or cold. Lukewarm will not give us life. Historical Laodicea Rev 3:15–22 was known for its cool, mineral giving springs. Jesus uses it in Revelation as to our lukewarm commitment and dedication in our walk with Him. Like anyone on a hot day, a cool refreshing drink is more palatable than lukewarm water. All you can is spit it out. That is what Jesus will do to those who try and drink from Himself and also guzzle the water from worldly fountains. Jesus is not interested in fans…but true, loyal, and dedicated followers.
Before the Israelites were to cross over into the promised land, Moses was asked by God to address the nation and to deliver the decrees and laws.
Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so you will live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you, and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you. Deut 4:1–2.
Moses continues on with his instructions from God letting the Israelites know that it is by God’s gracious hand and His love for them that He was taking them over into the promised land; not by anything that the Israelites had done to deserve what God was about to give them, a land belonging to the Anakites;
After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness. No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Deut 9:4–6.
Again repeating several times so the message is taken in. God handpicked these people for Himself, and as they disobeyed God (and a whole generation perished during the 40-year journey), many were taken away from His promises. So, we too, who are grafted into His vine, will be also broken off, and will be removed from promises made through Jesus our Lord, if we too do not follow as Jesus instructs us. God’s words hold true, all His commands and decrees. God is still the same; He is unchanging and will be as He is to the end.
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:7–8
Our Lord continues to carry His chosen people, and now we, as Gentiles, have the privilege of being grafted into this vine, and the hope that now comes through a relationship and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, and not the laws that were once formed for this time.”
Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in. Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” Rom 11:19–22.
We know Jesus has fulfilled the law; it is God’s grace and faith in Jesus alone that we are saved; but God continues to ask we follow all that His word entails, not just the ones we choose to follow. Following these laws and decrees in these times of the Israelites assured them of a righteous standing before God; but that righteous standing only overshadowed them before God as long as they obeyed Him.
And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. Deut 6:25
So do we now omit the law? No, it is only through the law we can see how far we fall short of the righteousness needed to stand before God. Jesus now fulfils that requirement: He is still the Word…
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have known what sin was except through the law. Rom 7:7
In the new testament Paul then goes on to tell us that the law is still good and lets us see our real standing with God without Jesus, and His amazing gift of eternal life.
Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his Son in the likeness of sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Rom 8:1–5
Jesus is our Shepherd and loves us. He loves His sheep and lays down His life for them. He also speaks of two things in this passage: a rod and a staff. There are many interpretations of this passage, so I’ll just give you my thoughts:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. Psm 23:4
Is not discipline love? A shepherds rod is used for discipline and also separating and rescuing sheep, for care and firm guidance. We acknowledge God as our heavenly Father; what father does not love and discipline so he can give the best for his children and keep them on the path He has chosen us to walk?
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the lord your God disciplines you. Deut 8:5
He disciplines because He loves, and like any parent that loves their child, without discipline and correction, many a parent is left with children who will not yield to understand respect and responsibility. Our Lord has the authority to ask it and receive it, in His loyalty to us, can we not give Jesus the same?
Jesus obeyed: so should we and He asked we should fear the Lord also:
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after killing the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you fear him. Lk 12:4–5
In our obedience, love, and respect for Him, we receive the abundance of blessings only God can give. He will provide all we need to fulfil our journeys. For as the sun rises and sets at its specified time, so too will Jesus’ return be imminent, and He hopes during our time here, we have been faithful and true to all His asking.
Has what God prepared for each and every one of us to do, being fulfilled?
Have we given God the obedience, love, and respect He deserves?
Have we lost the fear of God in our walk?
Time is not on our side, and Jesus will return at a time we are not expecting; stay alert!
What is Jesus asking each and every one of us?
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Lk 9:23
For us to truly follow Jesus, it will mean laying down the world and things not of God from our lives and living totally for Him. He will help us…
Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Psm 73:2–24
Have we become accustomed to this world and all its temptations and trappings that they are distracting us from the will and work of God in each of our lives?
Have we become too comfortable and complacent in our walk?
The loss of fear for God plays havoc with our commission…
What are we willing to give of ourselves that will set us apart from this world?
Do we at this time look different from those who still do not know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour around us?
If not…something is wrong. We have lost our fear and focus of God.
Important questions to ask ourselves before Jesus arrives. It can be any day.
Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.’ Isa 45:22–24
