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The lack of fearing God is terrible; it is the source of all kinds of lawlessness—1 John 3:4, footnote 2.
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“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31), and “our God is also a consuming fire” (12:29):
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The living God whom we serve is not mocked—Gal. 6:7.
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The history of the church proves that a Christian who does not fear God will not have a good ending; such a Christian will have a miserable ending.
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If a believer is God-fearing, sooner or later he will be manifested by God; such was the case with Joseph, who was a God-fearing man and was enthroned—Gen. 41:38-44.
Ⅴ
The children of Israel were not only to keep God’s commandments but also to walk in His ways—Deut. 8:6; 10:12-21:
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When we fear God, we will walk in God’s ways—8:6; Exo. 33:13:
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God’s ways are actually what God is—Psa. 103:7.
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Whatever God is, is a way to us; for instance, God is love, and love is a way in which we walk—Rom. 8:4; Gal. 5:25; 1 John 4:8, 16.
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To walk in God’s ways, therefore, is to live God, express God, manifest God, and magnify God—Rom. 2:4; 11:22; Titus 3:4-5; Phil. 1:20-21a.
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We need to learn God’s ways—what God is and how He acts and behaves—Exo. 33:13.
Morning Nourishment
Heb. 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.12:29 For our God is also a consuming fire.
Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
We must learn to fear the living God. We must not be loose; God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7)….God often lets the Gentiles be, but He is never loose with His children….He disciplines us so that we may partake of His holiness. The Bible says, “Whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives” (Heb. 12:6), and it says that judgment begins from the house of God (1 Pet. 4:17). Hence, we must fear God. The apostle Paul says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” and “our God is also a consuming fire” (Heb. 10:31; 12:29). We belong to the living God. We should not think that He does not see when we are loose or that He does not hear the things we say. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. We must learn to fear Him.
The living God whom we serve is not mocked. He searches our intentions, thoughts, emotions, and everything about us; nothing can be kept hidden from Him. We must fear Him and know that He is a judging God and that judgment begins from His house. We must fear God in our intentions, thoughts, attitudes, living, and service because He is a living God who is not mocked. (CWWL, 1957, vol. 3, “The Living God and the God of Resurrection,” pp. 6-7)
Today’s Reading
[God] not only judges man’s condition but also makes man’s situation manifest. His judging is for manifesting, and He will make all things manifest (1 Cor. 3:13; Eph. 5:13; 1 Tim. 5:24)….His manifesting of all things proves that He is a living God. He does not overlook anything. Hence, we must not remain in any condition that is incompatible with His nature.If a man is God-fearing, sooner or later he will be manifested by God. It is not vain to fear God. He knows those who fear Him. In the Old Testament Joseph is an example. He feared God and dared not sin against God. Others falsely accused him and put him in prison (Gen. 39). Eventually, God came to make all things manifest. Joseph was manifested as a God-fearing man and was enthroned (41:38-44). God will manifest our faith and love toward Him. A brother who wants to make a show of his love for God will one day be exposed, that is, made manifest. If his intention is to make a show of his faith before men, God will make that manifest. Therefore, no one can pretend, for God will manifest whether he is wrong or right. Our God is the living God; He is not careless. If we know Him in this way, we will fear Him and trust Him. He is the Sovereign of the universe, and He has authority over all things in the universe. He is not loose and does not overlook anything. He is great as well as fine. There is not a matter that is so trivial as to escape His notice.
God makes things manifest according to His nature. He wants to be manifested as holiness, righteousness, light, and love. The Old Testament law portrays the nature of God. God judged His people in the Old Testament according to His law, that is, according to His nature. In order to manifest His nature, He must work on His people. He must be invol.ved with our intentions, our thoughts, and our living and work lest we misrepresent Him. He will manifest whether we love Him, hate Him, fear Him, or mock Him. Our God is a great God, and yet He is broad. He is also very fine and not careless. He is bright, He is light, He is holy, and He is holiness. He wants us to be children of light, and He wants to be our God (Eph. 5:8; John 20:17). Every child of God must fear Him and be comforted by Him because He is the living God. (CWWL, 1957, vol. 3, “The Living God and the God of Resurrection,” pp. 7-8)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1957, vol. 3, “The Living God and the God of Resurrection,” ch. 1