Provoking Selfexamination

Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

His soul will abide in prosperity,

And his descendants will inherit the land.

The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him.

And He will make them know His covenant.

(Ps. 25:12-14)

Upon reading through the Psalms this morning, this passage stood out enough that I set it aside to be pondered upon. Upon doing so my attention was deflected away somewhat from the fruit that this fortunate individual was producing unto that mind-set that was causing such blessed fruit to be produced.  Why was this person "being instructed", "abiding in prosperity" "having secrets revealed" and having His "covenants made known"? 

Why obviously he, or she, feared God; a subject not often dealt with within our community since the default mind-set of our community is almost always to interpret that to mean reverential respect.   One can superficially believe that he or she respects God.  One can continue to live a superficial life doing so without the demand for self introspection or repentance being required. To fear God, however, implies more than a superficial life that allows one to default to a mind set that does not deal with eternal matters. Accountability is implied when one fears God.  Spurgeon commented on this passage with this powerful admonition;  one that I will keep forever,  teach on forever, and preach on forever. "Let the question provoke self examination" he shouts  with his pen.  Spurgeon then concludes with these sobering words:  "Gospel privileges are not for every pretender.  Art thou of the seed royal or no"? (The Treasury of David, seven-volumes, I, p. 445) Can one fear this great God and love Him with reverential respect at the same time? The thought comes to mind of the child who hears the dreaded words from mom: "just wait until your father comes home"  Does the child love dad and fear his soon return at the same time?  Most assuredly he or she does.

It seems as though we have far too often used that Hebrew verb (yare) to substitute a slumber-like euphemism of reverence in the place of a sobering and thought-provoking admonition to actually fear God.  It is not suggested here that one should fear God as one would fear a tyrant.  Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.  He took it all upon Himself; we have been redeemed by the most powerful act of love to ever have been exercised in human history!  Yet - it seems to me that a staggering sense of sobriety is required of those of us who proclaim His great name. 

Let us consider that every man, woman, or child who has ever lived upon this planet will spend eternity somewhere.  One should ponder the implications of that word "eternity".  We live in perilous times beloved; times that may be Biblical.  If Biblical, then a great apostasy awaits the planet (Mt.24:9-10). Those who call themselves Christians will be sifted during times of testing.  One remains faithful and is called-out unto His presence and the other becomes apostate,  is placed under the ban and is cast into outer darkness.  If the end of the age is not near, and His coming is far away, then one lives-out his or her life in the sobering belief that this is a great God Who will demand an accounting of his or her life.  Such a person will also be called-out unto His presence. For those who live out their lives by default and do not self-examine and who lightly esteem the One Who redeemed His beloved ones, there awaits the same fate as those who became apostate when under trial and the casting-out into that outer darkness awaits them - or so it seems to me.

And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, I would that you were cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.

(Rev. 3:15-16)

 



Sobering words by a great God.  Are we of the seed royal, or not?  A little introspection may be suggested here.  I can think of only two eternal states of being for the Human race:  Those who belong, and those who don't.  FEAR GOD  -  eternity awaits.