(2nd article in God's End Time Army Series)
God’s end time army is moving through the Great Tribulation. Some are being killed, some are going to prison, still others are continuing in the exploits of God. Regardless of their situation, to a man their message is, “Repent. The Kingdom of God is at hand. FEAR GOD, GLORIFY HIM, WORSHIP HIM” (Revelation 14:7).
Let’s take a closer look at what this message means.
In this article I’ll discuss what it means to FEAR GOD.
To some, fearing God means this:
But to the warriors of God, fearing God means this:
That’s because they have learned that fearing God means OBEYING God. In doing so they have come under the law of LOVE.
In 1 John we read:
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because FEAR HAS TO DO WITH PUNISHMENT. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.1 John 4:18
How Are We Made Perfect in Love?
The question is, how are we made perfect in love so that we don’t have to fear the punishment of God?
It starts with a birth. Man’s main problem is his selfishness. Due to the first man Adam, all men have been born into sin (Romans 5:12). They are born with an EGOCENTRIC nature— it’s all about them. But through Christ, a God centered nature is made available— a THEOCENTRIC NATURE. It’s called the GIFT of God (Romans 5:15).
But how does man GET the gift of God? What WORKS does he have to do to get it?
In John 6, Jesus tells us the WORK needed to receive the gift of God:
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the WORK of God, that ye BELIEVE on him whom he hath sent.John 6:29
This scripture shows us that man’s ONE work it to BELIEVE in the WORK of Christ. When he does, man receives the gift of God and God’s wrath is removed from him (Romans 5:9). He doesn’t have to fear God anymore.
The Love of God Continues
But the Christian life is a progression. Where it starts in FAITH, it continues in faith. The mystery of the Christian life is, “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). We receive the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We live the life of Christ (Galatians 2:20).
In doing so we move from faith to faith (Romans 1:17), following the lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).
In this we are made perfect in love (1 John 15:4-9).
God’s end time army pleads with the world to OBEY God so that they can receive His love and not have to experience His WRATH.
Do You Fear God?
Now maybe you’d like to fear God more (obey Him), but you don’t know how or you feel like a failure in the process. How can you fear God more and be successful at it?
There is really only one answer.
You Have to Read and Study the Bible— Daily!
End time warriors dig into the Word of God DAILY. Why? Because they know that if they don’t they can’t grow— they will become worldly.
Christians who don't read and study the Bible FORGET WHO THEY ARE— they aren't doers of the Word.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately FORGETS WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.James 1:22-25
How To Be a Doer of the Word
2 Corinthians reveals HOW to become a doer of the Word without SELF EFFORT:
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass (mirror) the glory of the Lord, are CHANGED into the same IMAGE from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.2 Corinthians 3:18
This dear reader is the most significant revelation of my Christian experience short of receiving the Gift of God discussed earlier.
Becoming like Christ ONLY occurs when we GAZE into the Word of God. As we look into the MIRROR of the Bible, we see Christ. His IMAGE is reflected back to us and we are changed. We become DOERS of the word and not hearers only.
That means that unless we gaze into God's Word we CAN’T become DOERS of His Word. If we aren’t doers of His Word we become FEARFUL. We lose confidence. The idea of being ASHAMED at His coming fills our consciousness.
And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and NOT BE ASHAMED before him at his coming.1 John 2:28
But that doesn’t have to be, dear readers. By reading, studying, meditating and memorizing the Bible, we can become doers of the Word. Read my article, How To Get the Most Out of the Bible and learn how.
But it isn’t just about studying the Bible and then walking around with HEAD knowledge. It’s about establishing relationship. It’s about listening to the voice “Christ in you”, aligning it with scripture and then responding to it in faith. This is what will change you and make you a doer of the Word.
Conclusion
Fearing God means obeying God. It means having enough respect for His words that you’ll GAZE (2 Corinthians 3:18) into the Bible and be changed.
Sometimes sin overwhelms us. If you are having trouble with a particular sin, read my article, How To Deal With Sin. Dealing with sin isn’t STRIVING to overcome it. It’s about RESTING in God. This article will show you how.
To the recipients of Revelation's message it's clear. Learn to FEAR God by obeying His word or suffer His wrath. God is giving those who have been worshiping the “beast” one last warning (Revelation 14:7).
In my next article, Do You Give God Glory?, I will discuss how to GLORIFY God. Interestingly enough, while fearing God is about what we do for Him, glorifying God is about what He does for US.