The other day I was listening to a sermon and the Preacher said, “We should fear sin. We should be afraid of the consequences of sin.” And I asked the question myself, “Do I steer away from sin from fear or is it for love? Love for who or what you may ask? Well it’s for the love of God.
Proverbs says the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord. (Prov.1:7) This fear is not “oh I’m afraid someone save me” it a reverential fear, it’s "a feeling or attitude of deep respect tinged with awe; veneration".
It just seems to me to walk around in a “scared” state is not healthy. But to walk around in state of and mindset of, “I love Him too much to hurt Him,” that my consciousness is wrapped in love, awe, and wonder, and all I desire to do is to please Him as He so pleases me.
This reverential fear is a mutually reciprocated experience and journey. It’s about loving someone and not wanting to hurt them and in return having those who love us and no wanting to hurt us.
The scriptures says the second commandment is like unto the first – love thy neighbor as thyself. Notice that the commandments, I know we are under grace and not the law, just bear with me on this, there is a point. The first four of the Ten Commandments were about how we were to treat and acknowledge God and the last six had everything to do with how we treat others.
Jesus said after He was asked Lord which commandments are the most important/the greatest He stated:
To love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, and soul and the second is like the first, love thy neighbor as you would love yourself. Of course the principle here is that you would not do anything to harm yourself so give your neighbors the same consideration.
We have a tendency to look at the law as a bad thing, yes the requirements of the law, death, was nailed to the cross (Col 2:14), it didn’t take away our consciousness not to mistreat people or disrespect God as a matter of fact because of Christ’s sacrificial death for us, we should desire, as children of God, to do right by all people, yes, even those who mistreat us! No tit for tat.
So I submit that as a child of God you do not have to fear sin, you just have to love God too much to go against anything that would cause Him pain. Remember this, true sincere love for God decreases the desire to find any enjoyment, pleasure in the things that He frowns on.
I needed this!
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