FEAR OF GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

FEAR OF GOD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM

     Why should we fear God?  We should fear God so that we will avoid sins and iniquities and because fear teaches us respect; this will also cause us to  realize that He is very concerned with us and loves us, and realizing His goodness we will return that love to Him. God the Creator made all that exists out of matter which he formed from nothing. Examining the structure and perfection of the created universe is a marvelous wonder, that should fill us with awe. The arrangement and good order of everything that exists, the life sustaining temperatures and ample supplies of food and drink, are beyond our comprehension because everything is provided and perfectly arranged for its particular purpose.

     God has communicated with man from the very beginning, then He established a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, which later became the covenant with the nation of Israel, who became the people of God.  God established this covenant with Israel through Moses in 1483 BC. Moses ascended Mt. Sinai and God called him out of the mountain giving him the words and commandments which he would speak to Israel. Moses presented this to the elders of the people, and they all agreed with the terms They said: “All that the Lord has spoken we will obey and do.” The Lord uttered the ten commandments governing His people who feared Him greatly. The ten commandments are always in force over all men

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

First Commandment:

“I am the Lord your God who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other God except me.

Second Commandment:

“You shall not make unto yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in the heaven above or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down yourself to them, nor adore them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.”

Third Commandment:

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not clear him that takes his name in vain.”

Fourth Commandment:

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days shall you labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your proselyte that is within your gates.  For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.,”

Fifth Commandment:

“Honor your father and mother; that it may be well with you and that your days may be long upon the good land of which the Lord your God gives you.”

Sixth Commandment:

“You shall not commit adultery.”

Seventh Commandment:

“You shall not steal,”

Eighth Commandment:

“You shall not kill”

Ninth Commandment:

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”

Tenth Commandment:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; you shall not covet your neighbor’s house, nor his field, nor his cattle, nor anything that is your neighbor’s”

     The ten commandments do not change in their prohibitions and legislation regarding the worship of one and only true God, of the honor due to father and mother and the honor due the Sabbath Day. Breaking any of these commandments will subject us to their penalties in the judgment that is certain to come. The punitive elements of the law is postponed instead of being immediately enforced, affording time for repentance with a change of heart. 

     Repentance is a difference in the old law and the Christian law which makes forgiveness possible when one sincerely decides not to break the law again. The sweetness of Christ and His legislation is the repentance and forgiveness in place of an immediate and harsher penalty like death which they threatened against the adulterous woman.. But what does not change is justice and mercy. The difference is that justice gives us what we deserve, while mercy gives us what we do not deserve. When we break the law we become subject to the penalty due to demands of justice. But the mercy of Christ, who suffered for our sins, forgives our sins and offenses upon repentance.

     Repentance is only available in this life, for in the next life we will receive either crowns or punishment according to choices we have made. Repentance includes confession and is available in the church being administered by a priest, and was authorized by Christ when He sent His Apostles to preach the Gospel.

     The fear of God should always guide us, but especially when we are tempted, for how can I do this before God who sees everything, for I will certainly be severely punished. If we do not have fear of God we will be in danger of the assaults of temptation. Knowing and keeping the law, will result in  the fear of God to be gradually changed to the love of God, for He is good and alone is worthy of our love. Christ tells us not to fear those who can kill the body but unable to kill  the soul. He says, I will tell you who to fear. Fear Him who can cast both body and soul into Gehenna.  We should love God and fear Him and His judgment when we are tempted which will help us to gain victory over temptation and sins.