THE FEAR OF GOD

ROMANS 1:23

And exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles

(Romans 1:23).

Throughout history mankind has come up with some compelling psychological reasons to deny the existence of God, at least the existence of the God of the Bible. But when we ask why, the answer is no surprise: the God of the Bible can be the most threatening Being in this universe.

Built-in fear

The Bible teaches us that men have a built-in fear and dread of God, yet modern rationalists deny this. For example, Freud argued that mankind invented the idea of God to deal with their fear of nature. But in the New Testament there is one thing that man fears more than nature itself, and that one thing is the holiness of God. As the author of Hebrews says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

Nature is awesome, but God is most awesome

Do you remember the gospel account of the sudden violent storm that threatened to capsize the boat in which Jesus and the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee? Extremely frightened, the disciples shook Jesus awake with a sense of desperation crying, “Jesus, do something, or we perish!”

Jesus awoke, looked at the raging sea, and commanded, “Quiet, be still.” Instantly the sea became as glass, and the air calmed. So wouldn’t we expect the next verse to read something like this: “And the disciples rejoiced at the power of Jesus to deliver them from the threat of nature”?

Well, that’s what we might expect. Instead we find these words recorded in Scripture: “They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!’ ” (See Mark 4:37–41).

Rather than being reassured by this awesome display of Jesus’ power, the disciples became more fearful. Suddenly they realized that Jesus was far different from them. He was not a normal human being. He was transcendent … awesome … holy. Perhaps for the first time they realized that to be in relationship with Jesus is to be in relationship with God. Perhaps for the first time they realized how profoundly He would change their lives.

CORAM DEO

The Bible says men invent false religions because they are afraid of God. The idols they fashion rob God of His glory. Is it possible that you have exchanged the true character of God for a substitute which is less threatening and completely impotent? In what ways might you have done this?

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