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"A fearful thing..."

Text: Hebrews 10:31

THE FEAR OF THE LORD

The Old Testament emphasized the cultivation of the “fear of the Lord”.

1. God Himself endorsed this sense of fear (deep reverence) {Cf. Deuteronomy 5:29}.

2. The Book of Proverbs emphasized the cultivation of this fear of the Lord (Cf. Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ taught His disciples to fear God.

“But I will show whom you should fear:
Fear Him who after He has killed, has power
to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”
Luke 12:5

ENCOURAGING THE CULTIVATION OF A HEALTHY FEAR OF GOD

The author of Hebrews encouraged the cultivation of the fear of the Lord. He did not mince his words when he wrote the following text!

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the
living God.”
Hebrews 10:31

1. It is a fearful thing

a) This sense of fear of God must be cultivated.

b) It is a very wholesome sense of fear.

2. A fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God

a) The full context must be borne in mind.

i) God is the Judge.

ii) He has the power to kill and to cast a person to hell.

b) The issue at hand

i) It is the sin of trampling underfoot the Son of God.

ii) It is the sin of despising the blood of the covenant.

iii) It is the sin of insulting the Spirit of grace.

God would firmly judge all who sin so willfully.