Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Abingdon Publishing, Nashville, TN. – “All have sinned. Consequently all are equally helpless and guilty. God is no respecter of persons. All humans are equal. No one preferred over another. Therefore, God’s endless mercy has embraced all.”

Hebrews 9:27 “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this is judgment.”

• • Death in this world is not the end. There is an “after this”.
  • Judgment = There will be a judgment day. All sins will be confronted and judged by Jesus. But, through Jesus Christ we believers will be forgiven.
  • John 3:3 “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
  • Clarke – “Every man must have two births. One from heaven, one from earth. One for his soul, the other for his body. Just like when you are born into the world you see the light of this world, you need to be born again to see the light of heaven, or right and wrong.? Without being born again, you can never see heaven. Heaven is a place of holiness, and nothing but what is like itself can ever enter into it.”

Ecclesiastes7:20 “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” 

• • Clarke
    

    “There are no just men on the earth. So we should all continually watch and pray, and depend upon the Lord for his guidance, leadership and grace.”

  • Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way.”
    

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    YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF

    Proverbs 14: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

  • We, mortal men and women, can not know God’s mind or plan. We, can not save ourselves. If we do not have the atoning blood of Jesus Christ in our blood, we will die.
  • Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.”
  • Clarke

  • “Not by works of righteousness = Jesus died for us as sinners, not people doing righteous acts. Murderers, disobedience, foolishness, deceivers. They have no righteousness to deserve his saving grace, but through Jesus, God allows us to enter his kingdom. They are saved by mercy.”

    Ephesians 2:8-9 “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”

  • Clark
    

    “The original Greek text also stated that … faith…. is the gift of God. God by his mercy, gives you the power to believe. When man chooses to accept God, man glorifies God. God never believes for any man, no more than he repents for him. That is something he gives us power to do, but we must do it ourselves.”

    James 2:10 “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

  • Clarke
    

    “The truth is, any sin against God is punishable by death. For if God should be obeyed in any one instance, he should be obeyed in all. His authority and reason for obedience are the same in every case:

    • World is and was in a ruinous, condemned state. Man has no power to save himself.
    • Through God’s love, he provided the ultimate sacrifice.
    • Jesus was the only answer.
    • Sin must be an indescribable evil when God himself died to make atonement for our sins.
    • No man is saved by this act unless you choose to believe and thus give God the glory and credit for your salvation. When you do, you are exempted from eternal perdition and you may have everlasting life in glory.”

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    GOD HAS PROVIDED FOR YOUR SALVATION

    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

• 1 Peter 3:18 “Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.”
• 11 Corinthians 5:12″ For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
  

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  EVERYONE CAN BE SAVED

  Believe

• Acts 16:31 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

  REPENT

• Acts 17:30 “In the past God overlooks such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”

  CONFESS YOUR SINS TO GOD

• 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just forgive? us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

  RECEIVE

• Romans 10:13 “For whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
  

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  THE ROMAN ROADComments:The book of Romans is an outstanding testament on the path to salvation. The “Roman Road” has been used for generations by all denominations as a pathway to Jesus, our Savior.
  • Who has sinned?
    

    Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.”

  • Where sin came from?
    

    Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and; so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

  • God’s price on sin.
    

    Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

  • Romans 8:13 “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”

  Our way out!

  Who is good

  Romans 3:10? “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”

  • Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

• Romans 10:9,10 “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

• Romans 10:11-13 For the scriptures says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed. For there is no distinction between Jew or Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon him.? For whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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  Bibliography
  • Adam Clarke’s, “The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” Commentaries, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN
    

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God has provided a path to Him for our healing through Jesus Christ

ISA 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Understand this: our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is in full control and He is in charge!

2KI 20:5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. DT 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand PS 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

• God alone is in charge, no one else.? No false prophets, no astrology, no fortune tellers.? Man has no power over his own body; God made it, he alone can heal it.? There is NO other god but HIM.

Live according to the scriptures of God & read the Word of God

EX 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. 2CH 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. PR 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. [21] Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. [22] For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

• Read the above three scriptures carefully.? Is there any wonder why we have AIDS in today’s society?? Is their any wonder why we have “flesh eating” viruses?? We have stopped being a Christian society….our Judicial Branch of Government has “outlawed” prayer in our schools….we have stopped taking our children to churches….we have become a Godless nation.? This is why we are dying, this is why our society has more illness and disease than ever before.

Pray

GE 20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. NU 12:13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee. PS 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. PS 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

When you do sin, earnestly confess it and repent

PS 41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.

Our God’s answer to those who seek Him.

Luke 17:19? And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way:? thy faith hath made thee whole. 2CH 30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. PS 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. PS 147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. ISA 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

What does the Bible say about foods?

A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr.

Originally, only vegetables were eaten

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

After the great flood, food restrictions changed

God spoke to Noah:

Genesis 9:2-5 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.

• As far as we know, up until now no meat had been eaten by man.
• Up until now, animals were not “afraid” of man, they probably walked among us.
• Now the animals feared man and became food for man.
• God prohibits the eating of “blood.” The blood is the “life” of an animal, and of man. This also prevents “cruelty” of man to animals.
• Blood was also used as “atonement” for sins. This was another reason man wasn’t to eat it.

Examples of meat eating in the Old Testament:

• Genesis 18:7-8 (KJV)And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetch a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

• Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

However, the Law of Moses has special “meat” restrictions

Here is a brief explanation of the clean and unclean animals. See Leviticus 11:1-47 (KJV)

(KJV)

• Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud (cow, ox, goat, hart, roebuck, fallow deer, wild goat, pygarg, wild ox, chamois).
• Fish = whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers.
• Birds = see the unclean listing below. All other birds were clean.
• Insects = locust, bald locust, beetle, grasshopper.

Unclean::

• Them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof
• Coney, hare, swine.
• Can not touch the carcases of the unclean animals.
• Fish = All that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
• Birds = eagle, ossifrage, ospray, vulture, kite, raven, owl, night hawk, cuckow, hawk, little owl, cormorant, great owl, swan, pelican, stork, heron, lapwing, bat, birds that walk instead of fly,
• Insects = see note above, certain insects were clean. But all other flying creeping things (insects), which have four feet were unclean.
• weasel, mouse, tortoise, ferret, chameleon, lizard, snail, mole.
• There were also restrictions of “cooking utensils” that touched unclean things.
• And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
• Also, jews were not to eat anything that had been sacrificed to idols, anything that had died (of diseases or natural death), or died in a fight with other animals.

Laws change with the coming of Christ

When Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, he was the ultimate blood sacrifice. No longer did we need to sacrifice animals to atone for our sins. Now, all foods were to be enjoyed.

Romans 14:14-16 21 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken, good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

• You could now eat anything, but, if what you eat offends anyone, then don’t eat it.

Luke 10:8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:?

• Jesus said, eat anything that is set before you.

People will try to tell you different

1 Timothy 4:3-5 (KJV) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

• Cults and misdirected legalists might try to tell you what you can and can not eat. The above scripture clearly negates any of their arguments.

Don’t worry about your next meal

Luke 12:22-24 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
And he said unto his disciples,

To God be the Glory

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

• You should always thank God for your food.

What does the phrase “the fear of the LORD” refer to?

A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr.

A bible study for Leonardtown Baptist Church, Men’s Ministry 3.12.2016

• Over 300 times that the Fear of the Lord is used in the bible
• What do you think of when you think: “Fear of the Lord?
⁃ When we think of fear, we associate the term with terror.
• Webster’s Dictionary defines fear as “a feeling of anxiety and agitation produced by the presence or nearness of danger, evil, pain, etc.”
• For many, this would describe the feeling you get when you see a snake, go to the doctor or dentist, or when you find yourself in a time of extreme danger. It is dread of the unknown.
▪ In our modern vernacular, the word fear, has been replaced with reverence, awe, great respect.

• When looking up the STRONG definitions of the various forms of the word FEAR, my findings are that the word does not always translate well and that “fear” is actually more accurate than reverence or respect. However, I am NOT educated on properly translating Hebrew, Greek or Latin.
• Most commentaries believe what the writers of most commentaries believe about this phrase is that we are to have a deep reverence and respect for the Lord. Literally, we are to be awed and humbled by His presence.

Well then, what does that look like in our lives? What does that look like in a life that is actually fearing the Lord as we should?

How are you to recognize that you are living out scriptures correctly, or recognize that others understand these scriptures?

▪ When we truly fear the Lord, we will recognize that He is the Creator and we are the creatures.
▪ He is the Master and we are the servants. He is the Father and we are the children.
▪ This attitude will manifest itself in our having a respect for God, His word and in our having a desire to do what He tells us to in His Bible.
▪ We can relate this kind of fear to that which a child has for his parents. If the right kind of fear is present, the child knows that his parents can hurt him if there is disobedience, but overriding that fear is the knowledge that disobedience hurts the parents and the child loves and respects his parents and does not want to hurt them.
▪ It can be said that the fear of the Lord is at least a deep seated reverence for God that causes men to want to please Him at all costs.
Oswald Chambers, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.”

HERE ARE AT LEAST 8 DIVIDENDS OF HAVING THE FEAR OF THE LORD

According to numerous books of the bible, the fear of the Lord will produce certain benefits in your life and mine. When we fear the Lord, we will find certain things to be true.

#1 – It Is The Beginning Of Wisdom

Prov 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Prov 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
• The best place to begin the search for true wisdom is in the fear of the Lord.
• True fear of the Lord is born out of a knowledge of how infinitely powerful,
majestic and full of goodness God is.
• Before one can grow in the Lord, he must first learn to fear Him.

#2 – It Motivates People To Holiness

Prov 3:7 “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
Prov 16:6 “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
II Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
▪ These verse tell us that the fear of the Lord promotes holy living.
▪ The person who truly reverences and respects the Lord as he should will not do
anything that brings disgrace, dishonor or pain to the heart of the Lord.
▪ People who genuinely fear the Lord will flee from evil. The prospect of causing
the Lord pain will be too great to bear!

Job is a great example of what the fear of the Lord will produce in your life, Job 1:8

• Job 1:8 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

#3 – It Prolongs Life

Prov 10:27 “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.”
▪ This is not a blanket promise because any number of things can happen along the road of life that can take us out of here in an instant. However, generally speaking, those who live in the fear of the Lord are more likely to live to a good old age than those who live for the flesh and the world.

#4 – It Produces A Sense Of Security
Proverbs 14:26 “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”
Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
▪ When we are walking in the fear of the Lord, we can have confidence that God is on our side.
▪ The person who is walking in the fear of the Lord and is living by the Book will have fewer feelings of insecurity, abandonment and fear.
▪ There will be far fewer times when salvation is doubted. The fear of the Lord produces a strong sense of security and close fellowship with the Father. This is a blessed benefit!

#5 – It Produces Life

Prov 14:27, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.”
▪ When we walk in the fear of the Lord, we are stronger spiritually than we could be otherwise.
▪ The fear of the Lord is like a fountain that continually springs up with spiritual vitality and strength.
▪ This enables the Christian to walk cleaner and closer thus avoiding the temptations and traps of the devil.

# 6 – It Makes All Of Life Better

Prov 15:16, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”
▪ This verse teaches us that it is better to have limited resources and be in the will of God than it is to have plenty and the trouble that comes along with it.
▪ The bottom line here is this, when you are in the Lord’s will, and when you are walking in His fear, then your care is His responsibility,
▪ Matt. 6:25-33; Phil. 4:19. The life filled with “things” and riches is a trouble filled life.

#7 – It Produces Satisfaction And Safety

Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.”
Proverbs 14:26 ” In the fear [3374] of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.”
▪ The person who lives in the fear of God will be a satisfied person.
▪ They will have one goal in live, pleasing the Lord, and it will have been met.
▪ Therefore, they will have all their needs met and they will be happy.
▪ When we must have other stuff to make us happy, we never will be!
▪ When we learn to be satisfied with the Lord and with the privilege of walking in His fear, we will be permanently satisfied.
▪ Nothing will matter but the smile of God and it will be upon our lives.
▪ The person who walks in the genuine fear of the Lord need never fear going to Hell, he need never fear many of the things that beset the world around him.
▪ By his walk in the fear of the Lord, he brings the smile and the hedge of God into his life, Job 1:10.
Job 1:10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

# 8 – It Brings Great Blessings

Prov 22:4, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.”
Psalm 25:14 ” The secret of the Lord is with those who fear [3373] Him, And He will show them His covenant.”
Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear [3373] Him, and delivers them.”
▪ The person who chooses to walk in the fear of the Lord can rest assured that this decision will bring great blessings into his life.
▪ There will be spiritual riches beyond belief, (peace, joy, hope, security, the promises of God, the presence of God, etc.), there will be honor from the Lord, and there will be abundant life, John 10:10.
⁃ John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
▪ The fear of the Lord, produces the greatest possible life that any person can ever live. There is no better life upon this earth than a life lived in the will of the Lord!
Scriptures to show that the “fear” which is reverence for the LORD is not only due Him, it is to our benefit.
Psalm 112:1-3 “Blessed is the man who fears [3372] the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house,And his righteousness endures forever.”
Psalm 33:18 ” Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear [3373] Him, On those who hope in His mercy,”
Psalm 103:17 ” But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear [3373] Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,”
Proverbs 14:27 ” The fear [3374] of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.
These are some scriptures to show when we have full submission to the LORD, we do not need to fear or be afraid of anyone or anything:
Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear [3372]? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Isaiah 43:1 ” But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear [3372] not, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by your name; You are Mine.”
These are some scripture that show the consequence of not fearing/respecting the LORD:
Proverbs 1:28-30 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.”
Jeremiah 2:19 ” Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord God of hosts.”
Jeremiah 5:21-23 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away.”
Hosea 3:5 ” Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days.”
Psalms 34:9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. Matthew 10:28 (Jesus speaking) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able
to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell
▪ New Scofield Reference Edition Bible, 1967. The reference is not to Satan, as many suppose, but to God who alone has power to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
————————————————————————————— http://www.sermonnotebook.org/old%20testament/Pro%201_7.htm
What does it mean to fear God?
JoHannah Reardon
February 19, 2013
▪ The subject becomes even more mysterious when we read something like 1 John 4:18 that says that “perfect love expels all fear.” So how do we marry this dichotomy? How can we fear God while he expels all fear?
▪ Scripture is full of examples of how fearing God is a positive rather than a negative thing.
⁃ For example in Genesis 42:18, Joseph wins his brothers’ trust when he declares he is a God-fearing man.
⁃ It was because the midwives feared God that they obeyed him instead of
the authorities by sparing the Hebrew babies (Exodus 1:17).
⁃ Pharaoh brought disaster on his nation because he did not fear God
(Exodus 9:29-31).
⁃ Moses chose leaders to help him on the basis that they feared God and
wouldn’t take bribes (Exodus 18:21) and told the Hebrews that God met with them in a terrifying display of his power so that they wouldn’t sin (Exodus 20:20).
⁃ The Mosaic Law cites fear of God as a reason to treat the disabled and elderly well (Leviticus 19:14, 32).
⁃ And lest you think this is only an Old Testament idea, note that Jesus states this stronger than anyone when he says, “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” (Matthew 10:28).
⁃ And Paul says to work toward complete holiness because we fear God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
So it’s clear from these passages, that fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature. That’s why hearing someone is God-fearing actually makes us trust that person more. If they fear God, they are more likely to keep their word and treat others with kindness. In fact, Romans 3, a classic chapter on sin, says that our chief sin is that we “have no fear of God at all” (Romans 3:18).
So how does fear of God, who is perfect love, take away fear? William D. Eisenhower puts it this way in his article ‘Fearing God” in Christianity Today:
Unfortunately, many of us presume that the world is the ultimate threat and that God’s function is to offset it. How different this is from the biblical position that God is far scarier than the world …. When we assume that the world is the ultimate threat, we give it unwarranted power, for in truth, the world’s threats are temporary. When we expect God to balance the stress of the world, we reduce him to the world’s equal …. As I walk with the Lord, I discover that God poses an ominous threat to my ego, but not to me. He rescues me from my delusions, so he may reveal the truth that sets me free. He casts me down, only to lift me up again. He sits in judgment of my sin, but forgives me nevertheless. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but love from the Lord is its completion.
And, of course, the ultimate example of fear and perfect love working together is Jesus Christ. He warned us at every turn to fear God, not men—and he confirmed that in everything about his life and death. He spoke lovingly but frankly to all and didn’t mince words when people needed to face their sin and repent. But he also demonstrated love beyond human understanding when he lived out his words, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).” With love like that, what is left to fear but God?

JoHannah Reardon is a former managing editor of christianbiblestudies.com. She blogs at JoHannahReardon.com and is the author of seven fictional books and a family devotional guide.
Special thanks to:
• Missy Heard
• Rev. Mark Dooley
• Christian Utara
• http://www.sermonnotebook.org

A Bible Study by Adam Osborne, Jr. However, I did not create this from scratch. I believe this is an outline from a sermon I heard preached by pastor Greg Wrigley, DD, while he was pastor at Orange Avenue Baptist Church in Green Cove Springs, FL. The sermon was preached in the early 1990’s; exact date unknown.

Division in the Church is Sinful:

1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.[11]For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.[12]Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.[13]Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

• contentions = problems, divisions, altercations

Paul is asking them to have unity and brotherly love and reprimands them for their divisions.? People broke into different sections, different teaching, different factions. Paul is reminding them that Christ is not divided, there is only one true Christ,,, do not follow Paul, or Cephas, or Apollos. Follow only Christ.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another.

Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

II Corin 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

1 Peter 3:8?Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

John 17:20-21 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; [21] That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Christ and the Church have only one body

Ephesians 4:4? There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Ephesians 1:22-23?? And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

• God gave us Jesus to be the Head of all things.? Jesus was a gift to the Church.? The Church has an all powerful leader who can rule.? As Christ’s body, the Church must be ONE, not many.

I Corinthians 12:13?? For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

To support a false teacher is sinful

II John 1:10-11, If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: [11] For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

• If you support evil or false doctrine, then you yourself are sinning also.? Anyone or anything that doesn’t support Jesus Christ and the “One” unity concept is sinful.

Isaiah 5:20; Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Proverbs 17:15? He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Be careful who you ridicule or condemn!? If you are condemning a true Christian person you are commiting an abonination before the Lord.