How Did God Create Us: Spirit, Soul and Body?

The Bible tells us that we are created in God’s image!

Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

But what does this mean? Do we physically look like God? I don’t think so, nobody has ever seen God and God is Spirit and therefore cannot be seen by the human eye. So, what does ‘being made in God’s image’ mean?

Let’s have a look at this extract that I have taken from the ‘Ancient Hebrew Research Center’ website and we will get a clearer picture of what is meant by being made in God’s image.

“Image (Strong's #6754)
The word image in Hebrew is צלם (tselem) and literally means, a shadow which is the outline or representation of the original.

Gen 1:27 And Elohiym, the Great Powerful One, filled the man with a representation of himself.

When we read "And God created man in his own image" our minds form a mental picture of what we look like and then attribute this picture to God himself. In the Hebrew’s mind it is not the appearance of something that they concentrate on but its function. This passage is not implying a picture of man or God but their function. Through the Hebrew words of this text, we see that God had placed within man a shadow or representation of his own function, - goal, purpose, thought, etc. It is our responsibility as born again Christians to live our lives as representatives of God, acting in the same manner as he would.”

So, from this we see that man was created to be a representation of God’s character here on earth. Which we were of course until our fall in the Garden of Eden at the instigation of Satan the destroyer! Then corruption and decay, because of sin, took its grisly hold of us and still clings to us to this very day.

Right, now that is cleared up let’s go back to looking at how we are created in our human form. Just as God, our creator, is three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit so man is created as three in one, spirit, soul and body.

Let’s now first take a look at the ‘Body’ – that part of us that encases or houses the soul and spirit - separately and then take the ‘Soul and Spirit’ together because they are so closely knit together.

Body

How did God create man’s body?

The body is the casing in which God houses our spirit and soul. It consists of our skin, skeleton, organs, blood, veins, arteries, and other such perishable things.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV)

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

So here we have it, God formed man (Adam) from the earth of the ground, but he made woman (Eve) in a different way. He made woman (Eve) from Adam’s rib.

Genesis 2:21-22 (NIV)

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Now, in the above verse we are told that God made woman (Eve) from the rib of Adam. So as man was made from the earth and the woman was made from the man, she thus is made of the same stuff as man!

How God performed these two miracles of creation we aren’t told, but because God does not lie, we believe in faith that God’s Word is the truth! Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Now, what about the rest of mankind?

That is pretty easy, the rest of us, since Adam and Eve, are created from the sexual union between man and woman. Our bodies are therefor, all made from the same’ perishable stuff!

It is our bodies that are perishable and decay when we die – they return to the earth! But when Jesus returns our bodies will be renewed in the twinkling of an eye and our bodies will become a spiritual bodies - imperishable.

1 Corinthians 15:52-55 (NLT)

52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.

54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

If a person is not born-again both body and soul will face hell:

Matthew 10:28 (NIV)

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Soul and Spirit

Now, how did our human soul and human spirit become encased in our body? Let’s have a look at Genesis 2:7 again.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV)

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Looking at the above verse, God formed the human body from the earth or the dust of the ground as some Bible versions translate it. But the body didn’t have any life in it until God breathed into it the breath of life.

In verse above the Hebrew word for Spirit is “ruach or ruwach” (pronounced roo-akh) and it speaks of wind or breath and even a violent exhalation or a blast, a picture of power and by resemblance, spirit. (ref. Strong’s H7307).

From this we can see that the breath God breathed into the body was of His Spirit. This is the Spirit that is in each and every human being and is known as the human spirit. It is our spirit that is reborn when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour – we become born-again Christians. It is from this action too, the spirit of God in us, that we become a living soul – our soul is formed. It is the Spirit that gives us life.

John 6:63 (NIV)

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

So, our soul comes into being at the same time God places the human spirit within us. As I mentioned earlier, after Adam and Eve every person is born from a woman and, by a miracle of God, He places His spirit within us at the time of our conception in the womb, and at the same time our souls come into existence and we become living souls or beings.

The human soul is imperishable and like the human spirit it lives forever – it is eternal. It is the soul that will end up in heaven or in hell according to whether or not a person is born-again and our new bodies will be spiritual bodies. The human soul is that part of a person that is eternal—the part that lives on after the body dies and decays. It is the human soul that will face God’s judgement!

The soul is the area where man chooses to sin or not to sin – the area where man decides to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour or not to believe. It is where man’s freewill (the freedom to choose between good or evil) and decision making process resides.

When we die, the human spirit returns to God who gave it to us – the spirit is incorruptible it will always belong to God.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 (AMP)

then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Some schools of Christian thought say that the human spirit and the human soul are one and the same thing, but it is my opinion that they are not – it is my opinion that they are separate entities. The below scriptures would confirm this.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NLT)

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

Hebrews 4:12 (AMP)

For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Matthew 10: 28 (NLT)

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus himself because he was fully man also had a human soul. We know this from the anguish he experienced in Gethsemane before going to the cross. The difference between our Lord’s soul and ours is that he was born without sin because he was conceived through the Holy Spirit and His soul was completely submitted to the Spirit and so no sin was found in Him as he walked among us in human form. His will was completely submitted to the Father’s in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Matthew 26:37-38 (NIV)

37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

1 John 3:5 (NIV)

But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.

1 Peter 2:22 (NIV)

“He committed no sin,

and no deceit was found in his mouth.”(Isiah 53:9]

The human spirit is wholly God’s and because of this it returns to him when we die. Sin is not found in the human spirit but is found in the human soul which is where man’s freewill is found. The soulish desires of man are often referred to in the Bible as the ’flesh.’

When we die it is the human soul that awaits God’s judgement!

The born-again Christian is justified by his heart felt belief in Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. It is Jesus who intercedes for the believer when he sins. The non-believer does not have this privilege and stands condemned.

1 John 2:1-2

My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action]. 2 And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature—our worldliness, our lifestyle]; and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.

Judgement for the born-again believer – those who have repented of their sin and have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour – will receive eternal life in the presence of God:

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Judgement for the unbeliever – those who refuse to repent of their sin and have rejected Jesus as their Lord and Saviour – will receive eternal damnation, eternal separation from God which is spiritual death. They will spend eternity in Hell!

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 (NIV)

8 He (Jesus) will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might

When a person is born-again, he/she acknowledges his/her sin and repents of it - says sorry to God and asks His forgiveness and turns away from their sinful life and follows the path of righteousness in Christ Jesus.

At this point it is the human spirit that is renewed or born-again by the Holy Spirit, it is a spiritual awakening and we become new creations. The human spirit is then able to be energised and empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome their sinful nature and walk a path of righteousness in Christ Jesus!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP)

Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

This is the start of a born-again Christians walk as a true believer in Christ Jesus and a follower of the Word (the Bible) and all its teachings.

But! And here’s the rub!

Although our human spirit is now renewed or born-again, we now have to submit our human soul (our ‘flesh’) to the leading of our renewed human spirit in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not an overnight conversion and is a life-time process. It requires fully submitting our human will to the Father’s will day by day. This is called dying to self.

From here on the more and quicker we are in submission to the Father’s will and are obedient to the Word (Bible) the more quickly we will mature as Christians – this process and the speed of our transition is entirely up to us, nobody else can do it for us!

We can only successfully do this if we are living life in the spirit – we cannot do it in our own strength. We can only do this when our human spirit is fully partnered with the Holy Spirit, when we are continually being filled with the Holy Spirit and living live in the Spirit as Paul tell us in Romans 8 and in many other parts of his letters to the Church!

It is so important for each and every born-again believer to be baptised with the Holy Spirit and to keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is only in this way that we can bring our human soul into full submission to the spirit that God has placed within us and which is energised and renewed by the Holy Spirit when we are born-again!

Romans 8:1-2 (AMP)

Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

The human soul is where the Christian has a spiritual battle in bringing it under submission to the Spirit. It can be strong or weak depending on how well we respond to the teachings of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will lead us in all truth and bring conviction to our souls when we step out of line. The Holy Spirit conviction is there so that we can be quick to repent and put things right in whatever we have done wrong! This is why Jesus sent him to us so that we can put to death the desires of the ‘flesh’.

John 14:15-17 (AMP)

15 “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.

Our human spirit enables us to be conscious of our actions, our thoughts and our inner workings. This why it is so important for human beings to be born-again in Christ Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:11 (NIV)

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

It is our spirit that enables God to search our hearts. Because the human spirit always belongs to God, He always knows the condition of our hearts. He always knows who is for Him and who is against Him no matter what words our mouths speak.

Proverbs 20:27 (NLT)

The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit,

exposing every hidden motive.

Matthew 7:21 (NIV)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, the human spirit became fatally flawed. While mankind did not physically die, they did die spiritually. Human spirits have been born under the shadow of the fall ever since, which is why salvation and renewal of the human spirit is necessary.

We all need a Saviour – Jesus!

We are all spiritually dead before accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God!

Romans 3:23 (NIV)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isaiah 53:6 (NLT)

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.

We have left God’s paths to follow our own.

Yet the Lord laid on him

the sins of us all.

2 Corinthians 4:16 (NLT)

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

Romans 6:4 (AMP)

We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways].

The Spirit continually leads us on the path to eternal life; our job a born-again Christians is to "keep our souls in step with the Spirit.”

Galatians 5:25 (AMP)

25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. 26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.

John 3:3 (AMP)

Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

If you have never given your life to Jesus and you know you are not a born-again Christian, and after reading this blog you feel like you need give your life to Jesus and ask him into your life to be your Lord and Saviour, please pray the following prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus

I confess before you now that I am a sinner and ask that you come into my heart right now to be my Lord and Saviour. I repent of my sins and ask for your forgiveness for all the sinful things I have done. I thank you that you died on the cross for my sins. I pray too that from now on you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and help me to lead a righteous life. Help me Lord to become the person that you created me to be and help me each day to be more and more conformed to your image. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer then let me offer you my congratulations, you are now a born-again Christian. I would encourage you to start reading the Bible, the Book of John is a good place to start, every day. Join a local fellowship that preaches the Bible and faith in Christ Jesus alone and nothing else, and begin a life of service to Christ Jesus. Share your new faith with others as soon and as often as you can!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for you reading and studying the Bible for yourself. My words are fallible, the Word of God (The Bible) is not!

The Five-Fold Ministry in a Nutshell!

 

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers

These are the gifts that Jesus himself gave to the Church and are often referred to as ‘the five-fold ministry’.

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NLT)

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 8 That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people.”[Psalm 68:18]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

The function of the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ is to equip the body of Christ to do his work and to build it up and lead it into maturity in Christ Jesus. This is done in an attitude of servanthood – serving the body in God’s love, grace and mercy, in the power of the Holy Spirit - just as the ministry of Jesus is.

When we look at verse 13 above, we see that the function of the five-fold ministry is not to stop until we reach full maturity and unity as a body which, in all likelihood, will only be when our Lord returns, and we are clothed in our imperishable bodies!

The gifts of Christ in the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ are not just gifts alone but are also positions or offices within the local church – these five gifts are people! We find that these gifts also come, sort of naturally, with the gift of Leadership!

When expressed correctly, spiritual gifts will always point to Jesus and give him glory. There are four passages in the Bible which touch on spiritual gifts: Romans 12:4–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–31, 1 Peter 4:10–11 (in these verses Peter is just exhorting the Church to use the gifts), and Ephesians 4:11.

One of the most common questions regarding this topic is, “What is the difference between the gifts described in Ephesians 4 and those found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12?”

In Ephesians 4 there are two key factors that are unique to them that the Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 gifts do not have.

1. The source is Jesus (Eph 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,), whereas the gifts in Romans 12 come from the Father (Rom 12: 3-8 by God’s grace and the faith He has given us), and the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 come from the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them).

It is fascinating how this highlights the Father, Son and Spirit (the Holy Trinity) working together in perfect harmony and unity to generate and distribute all these gifts! And it is these gifts operating and functioning in the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit that will ensure that the body of Christ work together in perfect harmony and unity of the Spirit to reach full maturity and be conformed more and more to Christ’s image!

2. The second factor is that the Ephesians gifts are nouns and are thus actual people who hold this office in the local Church congregation because they carry that particular anointing from Jesus, rather than showing an activity or manifestation through any member of the congregation as are the other gifts.

For example, an evangelist or a pastor is a person who holds that office in the local body; in contrast, a person showing the gift of mercy as an activity or someone sharing a word of wisdom are manifestations of the gift through a person speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit or a person prophesying under the power of the Holy Spirit for a certain time or event for encouraging an individual or a group of people.

Moreover, the Ephesians gifts result in a singular and unified effect with the other gifts of the five-fold ministry (rather than showing diverse effects as the other gifts do): specifically, equipping and building the saints to perform the works of service in the ministry, which builds up the body of Christ towards the goal of unity, and displaying the full measure of Christ Jesus in the Church both as individual believers and as a corporate body.

The gifts Paul describes in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 are all transitive verbs and are thus doing words – they require an action to be done to or for someone, for example giving a word of knowledge to someone; showing mercy to someone or giving an act of service to someone. They are the gifts that the children of God use under the power of the Holy Spirit for a specific event and/or time. These gifts can also be used by the person holding an office in the five-fold ministry.

The importance of the fivefold ministry in the local congregation
The Church, including every local body, needs every part of the five-fold ministry that Jesus has given to us. One or two are not enough; we need all of the five-fold ministries working together in unity to build up a vibrant and Spirit-filled body!

Sadly, in recent times, the five-fold ministry has not been operating to its fullness in many local Churches, one or more of them are missing. But as God restores these ministries to the Church, as He is about to do, we must correctly respond to them.

God’s purposes will not be fulfilled outside of His divinely appointed leadership. When the Church embraces the fullness of the ‘Five-fold’ ministry, then the more the Church in every local congregation will flow in God’s gifts under the power of the Holy Spirit and the more we live life in the Spirit, so the more we will become like rivers of living water – more like Jesus, glorifying His name and bringing life to the local community in general!

A local congregation that is not built on and governed by the five-fold ministry will be unable to function to its true potential in the power of the Holy Spirit. It will be like a bicycle wheel that is missing a number of spokes – it will wobble and misfire and will only be able to progress so far and then buckle or just stagnate, injuring many people in its wobbly path!

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father

I pray in Jesus name that you would restore the five-fold ministry to your Church, to each and every local congregation across the world so that the Church can be empowered by your Holy Spirit to be the Church that you intended it to be. Amen.

From Milk to Meat: The Christian Path to Spiritual Maturity

The Christian Path to Spiritual Maturity

The Way of Holiness

When we become born-again there is a path or road that we need to follow in our walk with Jesus that leads us to spiritual maturity in growth stages. The prophet Isaiah calls this road or highway ‘the Way of Holiness.’

Isaiah 35:8-10 (NIV)

8 And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness;

it will be for those who walk on that Way.

The unclean will not journey on it;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

9 No lion will be there,

nor any ravenous beast;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

10 and those the Lord has rescued will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

The path to Christian maturity (the Way of Holiness) is similar to what happens to us when we are born physically from the womb of our mothers. In our physical growth we start off as babies and then we grow into infancy, to teens, to young adults and to mature adults. All these stages are done over a period of time.

In our spiritual growth we start off as babies (immature Christians) and progress to maturity through infancy to young adults and then to fathers in a similar fashion to our physical growth.

The main difference between our physical growth as humans and our spiritual growth as born-again Christians is that we can, in our spiritual growth, control how fast we grow to maturity in accordance with our willingness to submit our will to God and to follow His will upon the path that He has set for us! That is, our willingness to live life in the Spirit and to be obedient to His Word in becoming more and more Christlike.

The Apostle John shows us that there are two spiritual growth stages we go through on our walk with Jesus when we become born-again Christians.

Let’s examine these growth stages that John talks about together:

1. Spiritual Children –those that are spiritually immature
This is the beginning stage of our Christian walk and includes those that are newly born again and are thus spiritually immature and those that have walked with the Lord for any number of years but have not grown spiritually and thus remain spiritually immature (like the Church in Corinth that Paul writes about).

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

1 John 2:12 (AMP)

I am writing to you, little children (believers, dear ones), because your sins have been forgiven for His name’s sake [you have been pardoned and released from spiritual debt through His name because you have confessed His name, believing in Him as Savior].

1 John 2:13c (AMP)

I have written to you, children [those who are new believers, those spiritually immature], because you have come to know the Father.

In this stage we have just become born-again; the spirit that God miraculously places within each one of us when we are conceived in the womb of our mothers, has been renewed or energised. This only happens when we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

Although our spirits have been renewed or energised by the Holy Spirit, we are immature in our Christian walk and need to be fed ‘milk’ in order to grow towards maturity just as our physical bodies do when we are babies. Growing to maturity is to become more and more conformed to Christ’s image, being imitators of Jesus!

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV)

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

When we are newly born-again it is important for us to realise that although our spirit has been renewed, we still have to submit our souls to the will of God, our souls should come under submission to our renewed spirit, and this is the area where we all struggle.

Here I will briefly touch on how God created us as this is a topic for another time.

We are created as triune beings with a body, a soul and a spirit. Our bodies are perishable, our skin, skeletons and internal organs etc but our spirits and souls are not.

When we become born-again it is time for our souls to be submitted to our renewed spirits. This process is not an instant change but is our Christian walk and will happen only as fast as we allow it to as we submit ourselves under the mighty hand of God and are obedient to His word and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is only in through faith in Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit that we are enabled to walk to spiritual maturity!

Our souls consist of the things shown in the below diagram and all these things need to come under submission to the Spirit as we grow to maturity:

The soul is the area that needs to come under submission to the spirit and this is done by our being fed and nourished by the Word of God and our living in compliance with it (The Bible), that is, our willingness to be doers of the Word and not just readers of the Word and in all this, being led by the Holy Spirit – living life in the Spirit (Rom 8) and being full of the Father’s agape love, grace and mercy for others. 

Only in this way will we be able to walk the road to maturity and be conformed to Christ’s image and bring glory to Him. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us for the sole purpose of bringing glory, honour and praise to Jesus!

So, what sort of food does the new believer need to be fed? 

In verse two below the Apostle Peter tells us as new believers in Christ to ‘crave pure spiritual milk’. In verse one he also tells us the best way to start off our Christian walk is by ridding ourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Let’s have a look at the Greek word for ‘crave’ in verse two. The Greek word is ‘epipotheó’ and its full meaning is: long for, strain after, desire greatly, have affectionate longing for. In other words, we really need to be fiercely passionate in learning and devouring pure spiritual milk as new believers.

Now, what is ‘pure spiritual milk’? What does it look like and consist of? The Bible, of course, has the answer!

Based on what Peter said, the "pure milk of the Word" is what is best for new Christians (and foundational for all) to be fed and nourished on - the perfect food for our souls! The pure milk is meant to make one grow in the faith as a new believer. These are "the first principles of the oracles of God"

Hebrews 5:12-13 (NIV)

12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths (KJV translates as ‘oracles’) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

So, what are the elementary truths or oracles of God – the milk that we need to know and have embedded within us before we can progress towards spiritual maturity?

Hebrews 6:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Our Spiritual Milk According to Hebrews 5:12-13 & 6:1-2:

• Righteousness by Faith Through Jesus Christ
• Repentance from Dead Works
• Faith in God
• Baptisms (cleansing) and their meanings
• Laying on Of Hands
• The Resurrection of The Dead
• Eternal Judgment

These are the biblical teaching that we, as new, born-gain Christians, need to absorb, fully understand and be obedient to before we can move on along the path to Christian maturity. Let’s have a look at what the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthian Church below.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

Here Paul is telling us that as new, born-again Christians, spiritually immature, infants, we are still ‘wordly’ and we have a road to walk on that will lead us to maturity. 

The pure milk of the Word is the foundation that we need as infants and this is what needs to be embedded in us so that we will be well prepared for the next step on our walk to maturity. 

In verse three Paul tells us why we are still infants and names a number of areas that we need to deal with in our lives before we will be able to move on successfully - "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?"

The time it takes us to move on is in our own hands – how willing are we to submit to the Word and its teachings and put them into practice and be led by the Holy Spirit? 

Are we willing to be baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to actively allow ourselves to be changed and our minds renewed by the Word, etc, etc?

God does not want his children to stay immature he wants us to grow to maturity by constantly devouring His Word and by constantly being obedient doers of the Word and by constantly being led and filled with the Holy Spiti.

James 1:22-25 (NIV)

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 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.

2. Spiritual Adulthood – those who are mature in Christ:
When we are ready to move on from our spiritual infancy we move into the ‘adult’ stage of our spiritual walk.

The ‘adult’ stage of our spiritual walk has two compartments or substages according to the Apostle John. These are ‘Young Men’ and ‘Fathers.’ We will examine these two substages separately.

Young Men:

The Apostle John describes Christians in this stage as:

• Believers who are growing in maturity – they are having victory over their sinful nature, over the flesh and their lifestyle proves this.

• Because they have victory over the evil one because they have accepted Jesus as Saviour.

• Because they are actively living according to the Bible.

• They are the ones that are physically strong and vigorous.

1 John 2:13b (AMP)

I am writing to you, young men [those believers who are growing in spiritual maturity], because you have been victorious and have overcome the evil one.

1 John 2: 14b (AMP)

I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and vigorous, and the word of God remains [always] in you, and you have been victorious over the evil one [by accepting Jesus as Savior].

Psalm 119:9 (NIV)

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

By living according to your word.

The Christian in this stage has the revelation that they have a spiritual path to follow, are growing in spiritual maturity and are actively engaged in walking this path and are serving the body of Christ. In other words, they have started bearing fruit!

John 15:8 (NIV)

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Just as a natural baby, as it begins to grow, is weaned off mother’s milk and moves on to solid food, so it is the same in our spiritual lives. When we move out of the milk of the Word and on to the ‘meat’ of the Word or ‘solid food’ as Paul calls it in 1 Corinthians 3:2 we are walking the path to full maturity.

Solid food is for those that have grasped the essence of elementary teachings of Christ – the ‘milk’ of the Word and are successfully dealing with the lusts of the flesh and their carnality. They are actively engaged in walking a closer walk with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Fathers:
Fathers in the Church are spiritually mature Christians who have fully embraced the purpose and plan that God has for their lives in Christ Jesus and are walking the road in the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:13a (AMP)

13 I am writing to you, fathers [those believers who are spiritually mature], because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.

1 John 2:14a (AMP)

I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.

In the above two verses the Apostle John seems to repeat himself when he says, “Fathers, because you know Him who has existed from the beginning.” 

I think this is done deliberately for emphasis and to stress a point – “You know Him.” Spiritual Fathers in the Church really ‘know’ Jesus and have walked faithfully with Him for a number of years and have a really solid, life experiential relationship with Him, constantly being filled with and moving in the power of the Holy Spirit!

Now, let’s have a look at what is meant by ‘know Him’ in the two verses above.

In these two verses the Greek word for ‘know’ is ‘ginosko’ (pron: ghin-oce-ko, Strong’s 1097) and its expanded meaning is: to get to know properly through, deep personal experience; to know someone in a personal and intimate way; to get to know the knowledge of (Jesus).

So, in this context when the Apostle John is addressing the ‘fathers’ in the Church, he means those believers that have walked faithfully with God through many trials and tribulations and are experienced ‘overcomers of evil’ in Christ Jesus. They know the value of a deep relationship with God in the power of the Holy Spirit. They have made mistakes and learnt from them, they are quick to repent of all wrongdoing - and we are all prone to this!

These are the people that have fought and won many spiritual battles in life and have born much good fruit to the glory of Jesus. These are the ones that have been battered and bruised by life but have overcome because of their unbreakable relationship with Jesus Christ and have actively lived life in the Spirit and have not lost their faith in Christ Jesus.

The ‘fathers’ in the body of Christ are the people that Paul describes in the verses below as looking after those that are immature and have assumed responsibility to mentor and teach others about Jesus and living life in the Spirit. 

Paul is the perfect example of a ‘spiritual father’ in the body of Christ and he urges us strongly to imitate him in this way as he imitates Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (AMP)

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16 So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father].

1 Corinthians 11:1 (AMP)

Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Now, as mature Christians, what sort of spiritual food should we be eating. We have already learnt that in our immature stage we need to be fed to the pure spiritual ‘milk’ of the Word which gives us the sound, basic foundations of our Christian walk. 

But what do we eat as mature Christians? What should we be fed?

Let’s take our cue from the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews 5:11 (AM)

11 Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen.

Hebrews 5:14 (NIV)

14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

In the  verse 11 above we are told that we need to have teachable spirits and a willingness to listen in order be considered as being spiritually mature. To listen and obey and to have a teachable spirit are the keys that open the door to spiritual maturity and will keep us on the ‘Way of Holiness.’

Based on these exhortations, we can assume that the "solid food" mentioned pertains to the far deeper teachings of Christ. These go beyond the "elementary principles of Christ," going towards "perfection" in Him.

Hebrews 6:1-3 (AMP)

Therefore let us get past the elementary stage in the teachings about the Christ, advancing on to maturity and perfection and spiritual completeness, [doing this] without laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.] 3 And we will do this [that is, proceed to maturity], if God permits.

In Hebrews 5:14 above, let’s have a look at the phrase ‘solid food’ from its Greek origin.

The Greek word for ‘solid’ is stereós (ster-eh-os') – and its expanded meaning is, solid (firm); referring to what is immoveable (will not budge); stable (not changeable), standing fast without buckling or giving way (steadfast) – Strong’s 4731.

The Greek word for ‘food’ is trophe (tro-fay) and means nourishment, food that nourishes spirit and soul - the 'Bread of Life' - The Bible - Jesus! – Strong’s 5160

So then from this we can see that ‘solid food’ is the Word of God that has been taken by the believer, and by constant studying and reading and putting it into practice in their lives, coupled with constantly seeking fellowship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, have become solid in their faith from continuously being nourished by the Word of God in its entirety. 

In other words, they are immovable, stable and steadfast in their Christian walk and are bearing much fruit – they are living life in the Spirit constantly.

They are being conformed into Christ’s image and are not just readers of the Word but are doers as well. They know who they are in Christ Jesus and have established active and constructive prayer lives. They have, through constant use of the Word, trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. They are actively involved in spiritual warfare!

Jesus is the bread of life, the Word of God! Jesus is the solid food of the mature believer who devours it daily and puts it into practice – every morsel!

John 6:32-35 (NIV)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

The mature Christian is full of the agape love of God and his every motivation in His Christian walk is in the fullness of God’s love to bring glory to the name of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. They actively desire to mentor others in their Christian walk to maturity!

Now is the time for the Church to stand up and be counted, to grasp and eat of the bread of life, the ‘solid food’, and leave immaturity behind in the name of Jesus! To walk the ‘Way of Holiness!’

God says, “Be holy because I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)

13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2]

Prayer:
O my Lord help me, I pray, to walk in the Way of Holiness. To walk in maturity in Christ Jesus ever craving the solid food of relationship with you and feeding on your Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. Lord, fill me with your agape love that I may be a blessing to others and bring glory to your name, the name of Jesus! Keep my feet constantly on the path that is your will for my life – not my will but yours be done! Amen.

To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!

Jesus the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last Updated: 24 October 2022

Embracing the Fear of God

The fear of the Lord is His treasure!

This week we will be looking at the Fear of God and how different it is from the spirit of fear that is sewn in our minds by Satan.

Let’s start our study with a scripture from the Old Testament. This is a verse that you don’t often, if ever, hear quoted or preached on in sermons and teachings from the pulpit, at least in my experience, but one that is an absolute treasure for us as born-again Christians. You will see why I say this when you read the verse!

Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure*.
(*NIV footnote: Or ‘is a treasure from him’)

In this short verse God is revealing to us the spiritual treasures we have in Him when we embrace the reverent ‘fear’ of Him.

• He will be a sure foundation for all times (Heb 13:8 He is the same yesterday, today and always). God’s Word is a living Word and is always relevant.

• He will be a rich store of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.

And the key to this treasure trove that God has for us today and always, is ‘the fear of the Lord’ and when we have this kind of reverent fear for God, we have free access to all the treasures that He has for us! The fear of the Lord is our freedom in Christ Jesus!

• Salvation in Christ Jesus.

• Wisdom and knowledge through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• The sure foundation upon which we build our lives when we live in Him, He is our stability and security – live life in the Spirit (Rom 8).

1 Corinthians 3:11 (NIV)

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

What is the fear of the Lord?

If it is not the spirit of fear that Paul talks about in 2 Tim 1:7! What kind of fear is it?

To start off let’s take a look at the Hebrew word for fear in the above scripture from Isaiah 33:6.

The Hebrew word is ‘yirah’ (pron: yir-aw – Strong’s 3373) and its expanded meaning is: a morally reverent fear. It is a fear that inspires awe and aspiration and is not a destructive, cowardly and controlling fear. It is a fear that all Christians should have for their creator and the author of their salvation.

It is a reverent fear that we need to hold on to tooth and nail. It is a fear that will prevent us from doing evil and ensure us being obedient to His Word in all things because we don’t want to disobey our Father in Heaven. He is an awesome God, and His love endures forever!

Now in stark contrast if we look at the Greek word for fear used in 2 Tim 1:7 which is ‘deilia’ (pron: di-lee-ah – Strong’s 1167) we see that its expanded meaning is: timidity, cowardice, reticence, inhibited and fear – all of which have a negative and destructive connotation and is from the Devil and has nothing to do with the reverent fear of God!

2 Timothy 1:7 (AMP)

 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

Now, dear Readers, when the writers of the New Testament were addressing the Church of the day and of course today, when they were talking about the fear of God they used the Greek word 'phobeo' (pronounced 'fob-eh-o' Strong's 5399) and has the expanded meaning of: to reverence, venerate, to treat with deference and reverential obedience. 

For example in Luke 1:50 which is a verse from Mary's (the mother of Jesus) song of praise to God! Mary is talking (or singing) about the awesome and reverent fear of God that brings the blessings of God on His people and in the case of Mary, on her as being chosen to be the mother of Jesus the man!

Luke 1:50 (NIV)

His mercy extends to those who fear him,

    from generation to generation.

'Phobeo' is the same word that Mark uses in Mark 6:20 when he is talking about the 'fear' that Herod had for John the Baptist because he knew that John was a righteous and Holy man!

Mark 6:20 (NIV)

because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

It is also used in Luke 18:2 where the Lord is telling the parable of the persistent widow and about the judge that had neither regard or reverence for God nor man!

Luke 18:2 (NIV)

 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.

Unfortunately, in this day and age this reverent fear of the Lord is sadly lacking in the Church. I am not pointing fingers or being judgmental as I am talking to myself as well! The Church often forgets that we have a standard to live by and that standard is His Word. Our creator’s manual for a Christian’s daily living.

Instead, the Church chases after money - prosperity preachers. Church leadership have become people pleasers rather than God pleasers! The Pastors the rarely preach about the wages of sin leads to death. 

They are more interested in the numbers growth of their congregations rather that the individual spiritual growth of their flock. They are the false teachers and prophets that we are warned against. Those that manipulate the teachings of the Bible to tickle the ears of people! Those that ignore and neglect Biblical discipline in their congregation in fear of man instead of bringing Biblical correction in the awesome and reverent fear of God!

But just examine yourself closely and look around you at the things that happen in today’s Church and you will see that not many people in the modern Church today really understand what the fear of God is because of the things they should do but don’t and the things they do but shouldn’t! Even though our sin as Christians is covered by the blood of Jesus, we still have an obligation to be obedient to His Word in every way. If we don’t, how can we be an effective witness to the world!

Tragically today the things of God within the Church, for many ‘Church goers, take a poor second place to the things of the world. There is no real evidence today, generally speaking, that the Church as a whole puts the things of God in first place as they should do according to scripture, both individually and corporately. Some get it right, but most don’t! 

Where is that reverent fear of God in today's Church and today's believer?

Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Right now, some of you who are reading this article will be saying to yourselves that’s all very well, but the fear of God is an Old Testament thing and for those living under the Law. Well, if that’s you, then I am pleased to tell that you are wrong and I’m going to let scripture prove it.

The reverent, loving fear of the Lord is forever!

Psalm 19:9 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.

And if you read verse 10 in Psalm 19, you will see that the decrees (instructions of His Word) of the Lord are more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. Yummy for our spiritual tummy!

Psalm 19:10 (NIV)

They are more precious than gold,

    than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

    than honey from the honeycomb.

The fear of the Lord should be with us every day!

Proverbs 23:17 (AMP)
Do not let your heart envy sinners [who live godless lives and have no hope of salvation],
But [continue to] live in the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord day by day.

The fear of the Lord should make us tremble at His awesome glory, power and majesty!

Psalm 114:7 (NIV)

Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,

    at the presence of the God of Jacob

The fear of the Lord forms part of our worship of Him as his children!

As Christians, how do we cultivate the reverent fear of God in our lives?

1. By going to him and listening to Him and being obedient to His Word – the Bible. Keep your lips and tongue from speaking evil and from lying:

Psalm 34:11-13 (NIV)
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience].
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.

2. By choosing to fear God we gain wisdom and knowledge. Fools (those that are morally deficient) choose not to fear God and their path leads to spiritual death:

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

3. By being humble and not associating with evil in any way. This brings good health and nourishment to our bodies.

Proverbs 3:7-8 (NIV)
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

Do not be tied in or affiliated to what unbelievers do for bad company corrupts good character.

2 Corinthians 1:14 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”[

How do we benefit by fearing God?

God always gives us so much more than we can ever imagine. By His marvelous love, grace and mercy we always receive what we don’t deserve!

1. We gain wisdom and understanding.

Job 28:28 (NIV)
And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.”

2. God will teach us the way we should go – he will show us the path He has set for us, the path of His will.

Psalm 25:12 (AMP)
Who is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with submissive wonder]?
He will teach him [through His word] in the way he should choose.

Let us imitate Jesus, let us be conformed to His image and let the Father's will be done in our lives always, being led by the Holy Spirit to bring glory to Jesus!

Luke 22:42 (NIV)

 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

3. God will teach us the secret of having a deep, personal relationship with Him and with others. The fear of the Lord gives us a longer life, a more meaningful life.

Psalm 25:14 (AMP)
The secret [of the wise counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
And He will let them know His covenant and reveal to them [through His word] its [deep, inner] meaning.

4. The fear of God cements all our relationships with each other.

Ephesians 5:21 (KJV)
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

5. The fear of God gives us a longer life.

Proverbs 10:27 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.

6. The fear of God brings security to the family and helps us to avoid sin and leads into eternal life in Christ Jesus who is the Word!

Proverbs 14:26-27 (NIV)
26 Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,
and for their children it will be a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.

7. The fear of the Lord enables us to live a contented life and empowers us to face and overcome the troubles the world throws at us.

Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

How do we prepare ourselves to live in the fear of God? Yes, we have to be active participators as His children!

Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Where do we gain wisdom and knowledge of God? By reading and studying His Word.

Proverbs 2:1-5 (AMP)
And treasure my commandments within you,
2 So that your ear is attentive to [skillful and godly] wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding [seeking it conscientiously and striving for it eagerly];
3 Yes, if you cry out for insight,
And lift up your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek skillful and godly wisdom as you would silver
And search for her as you would hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome]
And discover the knowledge of God.

Now, dear readers, what practical steps do we need to be taking as God’s children to cultivate a Christian lifestyle of fear and reverence for God?

Let’s examine what we are told from the verses in Proverbs 2 above. We need to:

1. Receive the Word and Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. How? By reading, studying, and applying the Bible to our lives. Not some of the Word but all of it. Receive and believe! Be doers of the Word and not just readers!

2. Treasure the Word within us, store it in our hearts. Hold the teachings of the Bible in highest esteem!

3. Conscientiously apply yourself to gaining wisdom and understanding from the Word and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit who will give you revelation from the Word.

4. Don’t be spiritually lazy, be fully attentive to reading and studying the Bible. Be ever passionately prayerful and lift up your voice to God and ask for wisdom and understanding.

5. If you seek these things (skillful and godly wisdom) as for silver and gold and make them your treasure, then you will come to understand the fear of the Lord and come to fully understand the knowledge of God!

The fear of God is the key to Church growth, the increase in those who are being saved!

Acts 9:31 (AMP)
So the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers].

My dear readers, prepare yourselves diligently in the fear of the Lord. Nobody can do this for you, not your pastor, your spouse or any other Church leader! This is something you have to do for yourself. It is your duty to walk your Christian walk if you are serious about the things of God. God is serious about you – He sacrificed His son for you! You don’t get any more serious than that!

If you want to serve God, then you have to serve him in reverent fear – no half-hearted fence sitting or laziness in seeking His fellowship!

1 Peter 1:13-19 (AMP)
13 So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 [Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. 15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”
17 If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth. 18 For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, 19 but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.

The fear of the Lord is His treasure!

Dear reader, where is your heart and where is your treasure? When you have reverent fear for God, you are His treasure!

Matthew 6:21
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father

I pray that you would teach me your ways. Show me, Lord, how to cultivate and live my life in reverent fear of you. By you Spirit, Lord, help me to set aside the things of my flesh, the things that prevent me from walking a deeper walk with you. Help me, Lord, to glorify your name, the name of Jesus by living my life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Humble me, Lord, under your mighty hand! Father in Heaven. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

All glory, honour and praise belongs to Jesus! 

Jesus, the Name above all names!

Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!

Last update: 4 February 2023