“Now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” – 2 Chronicles 19:7 NIV
INTRODUCTION
This piece is for everyone in position of authority, whether as elective representatives of the people or those who hold highly placed positions in the public and private sectors of the economy. It is also addressed to pastors or church leaders who are God’s Oracle here on earth; men and women who declare the mind of God to the congregation.
Leadership is a position of trust and that trust should not be betrayed. To do justice is to do things that are right in the sight of God. According to the above passage, the fear of God means to avoid partiality. Give people their due and avoid preferential treatment, not based on merit or objective criteria.
HOW DO WE FEAR GOD
1. Obedience to the Great Commission
Christ invited all Christians to a sacred responsibility when he said in Mark 16:15 “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” We are to be involved in the spread of the Gospel in line with Psalm 68:11 which says: “The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.” Obedience to God in matters of preaching the Gospel is a sign that we fear God. It’s carefree Christian that will ignore the solemn call to preach the sinner to give their lives to Christ in order to be saved and avoid the consequences of eternal damnation.
2. Tithing and Offering
God asked the rhetoric question in Malachi 3:8 “will a man rob God…?” The same passage went ahead to make a shocking statement that those who fail to pay their tithes are robbing God. Each time that we remember this damning allegation, the fear of God should prompt us to do the needful if indeed we fail to pay out tithe regularly and accurately. When God calls someone a robber, it should be a cause for concern. Those who treat God’s words with levity will usually not see anything bad in disobeying God with regards to the payment of tithe. A curse is placed on defaulters in Malachi 3:9. May we not be cursed in Jesus Name.
3. Rendering True Christian Service, Proverb 22:4
Our service to God should be with a pure heart. We should not serve God because of material gains as some do. When serving God, we should not expect to be applauded by our superiors or a crowd of people. We are saved to serve in God’s vineyard. When we render a Christian serve and claim the glory, we have inadvertently taken our reward. The love of God which provokes His fear should command us to make ourselves available for Christian service in accordance with God’s spiritual gifts available to us.
4. Bearing True Witness
One of the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20 specifically verse 16 instructed that we should not bear false witness against others. The Jews out of petty jealousy bore false witness against Jesus Christ and His disciples. For our Saviour, they accused Him of claiming to be King of the Jews and preaching of strange doctrine. The disciples were accused of preaching in the name of Christ. The mere mention of the name Jesus Christ gave the so-called Elders of that season severe concern. They ganged against Jesus Christ and He had to be crucified on the Cross of Calvary so that the scripture could be fulfilled. Isaiah 53:1-9. The Disciples of Christ in Jerusalem were accused of turning the world upside down. Acts 17:6.
5. Transparency in Monetary Transactions
Many people cannot be trusted with money. That has been that way since the time of our Lord Jesus Christ. One of Jesus’ disciples named Judas Iscariot sold Jesus for pieces of silver coins because of greed. Jesus knew at the table of the Lord’s Supper that Judas would betray Him. But the greedy Judas kept quiet when Jesus said someone among them would betray Him. If Judas had an iota of the “Fear of God”, he would not have contemplated selling the Saviour of mankind to the Jews.
6. Serving Your Employers Diligently
Joseph was an employee, nay, a slave in Egypt. He served His master, Potiphar wholeheartedly, so much so that he reasoned that he would not sin against God when he (Joseph) was tempted by his master’s wife. No doubt, Joseph had the fear of God.
7. Showing Mercy to the Enemy and servants
On the face of it, the enemy should not be spared. I reckon that some of my readers might have been dealt with severely by satanic agents. They might have been robbed or deprived you of good things of life in the past. You should show mercy to agents of the devil in human form. Remember Jesus’ admonition that we should love our enemies, even when they are not lovable. The love and fear of God should commend us to forgive the enemy, whether he repents on not. It should be our prayer point that our enemies should have a repentant heart. Do well to your enemies.
CONCLUSION
God enjoys the company of those who have reverential fear for Him. He does not have regard for hypocrites who claim to love God but are not obedient to His commandments. The fear of God is indeed the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God keeps us away from sin and consequences of sin.
A Call to take a Decision
Beloved, have you entered into personal relationship with Jesus Christ by accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour? If you have not, you need to do so without delay. Inviting and accepting Jesus Christ into your life is the beginning of a glorious and eternally rewarding relationship with God, your Creator. It is a decision you can never regret as you walk with Him faithfully and consistently for the rest of your life. Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today by acknowledging that you are a sinner. God sent Jesus Christ to die for you and as you confess your sins to Him, He will forgive you so that you will not have to be punished for the same. Ask Jesus Christ to cleanse our with His precious blood, deliver you from sin and Satan and empower you by the Holy Spirit to henceforth live above sin and live totally for God from now on. You can write and share your testimony via [email protected]