In this part of the study of the fear of the Lord, I will cover verses that talk about holiness and overcoming sin.
Holiness
Job 1:8 (ESV) Job 2:3 (ESV) 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? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
In the ESV, Job 1:8 and Job 2:3 say the same thing, except Job 2:3 adds the last sentence where God tells satan that Job STILL holds fast his integrity.
Why is this under the heading of holiness? Because God says that there is no one like Job on the earth - a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil. That’s what holiness, or righteousness, looks like when it comes to human beings.
Job is not just putting on the appearance of being holy. He’s not just a little bit holy. He’s so righteous that God takes notice of him, and even holds him up as an example to satan.
Do you think there was a little bit of sin in Job’s life? Do you think there were some skeletons in his closet? Don’t you think if there were that satan would have brought those up right away? But Job is so blameless that satan can’t argue with God about Job, he can only argue that God has blessed him so much that he has no reason not to be faithful.
If you want a model of holiness to follow, of course you should learn from Jesus first, but you can also learn from Job.
2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV) Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1 is actually talking about the promises referenced in 2 Corinthians 6:17-18.
In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Paul tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. The promises he mentions are that God will welcome us, and be a father to us, and call us His sons and daughters. It’s in that context that Paul says “Since we have these promises.”
And keep in mind that Paul likes to argue in terms of cause and effect - since this, then that - because this, therefore that - etc…
He’s saying that God has promised to accept us as His children, and that promise should cause us to want to cleanse all unrighteousness from our body and spirit. If we do that we will “bring holiness to completion in the fear of God.”
If I fear God and take His promises to heart then they should motivate me to be more and more righteous. If I know God, and trust Him, and stand in awe of His power and glory, then there is no reason for me not to purge everything out of my life that can come between me and Him.
God is jealous for me, and the more I get to know Him the more I become jealous for Him!
Overcoming Sin
Proverbs 8:13 (ESV) The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
The Bible says a lot about what the fear of the Lord is. But there are also things that it is not.
Fearing God and doing evil are opposing forces. You can’t move closer to God without moving further away from evil.
Pride, arrogance, and perverted speech are rooted in selfishness. Selfishness is at the root of all sin. The more I pull into my self - that is, my selfish desires - the further I pull away from God. But when I pour myself out selflessly to God, the closer I am drawn to Him and the further I get from falling into temptation.
Proverbs 14:2 (ESV) Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
You can’t fear God and still walk in sin.
Fearing God leads me to walk in righteousness. If I have attachments to sinful habits and desires, then those will be roadblocks in my relationship with God. He forgives me and loves me, but every time I sin it hurts Him, and that makes me shrink away in shame.
When I practice righteous habits I draw closer to God in confidence and intimacy. When there is nothing causing conflict between us, our relationship blossoms with joy and fruitfulness.
In any relationship, two people are usually going to have to compromise in order to get along. But God does not have to compromise with me. Instead I have to be uncompromising in my devotion to him.
Proverbs 16:6 (ESV) By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
It is God’s steadfast love and faithfulness that atones for my iniquity. It is Jesus’s sacrificial love that paid for my sins.
If I am tempted to sin, then I just have to turn my heart to God for relief from that temptation.
When Eve was tempted by the serpent, he tricked her into focusing her attention on her own selfish desires. But when satan tried to tempt Jesus with selfish desires in the wilderness, Jesus didn’t fall for it. Instead He kept his focus on God’s word.
When my selfish desires start to cloud my judgement, I should turn my attention immediately to God’s word. My satisfaction comes from God, and selfish desires only lead to emptiness.
Proverbs 23:17 (ESV) Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day.
On the surface some people may seem to have all the trappings of success that anyone could ask for. But when we only focus on worldly things we end up feeling empty inside.
If you envy sinners, you will often find that your envy is exactly what gives them satisfaction, and, they will keep trying to get more and more things in order to keep feeding their need for more and more envy. They will never try to help you - at least not to a point where you could equal or rival them - because then you won’t have a reason to envy them.
True satisfaction does not come from the approval, or envy, of others, though. It comes from having a strong, growing relationship with God. You don’t have to look at what others have, you only need to give your attention and devotion to God and He will give you all the peace and satisfaction you need.
When God created Adam and Eve, they were without sin. They walked with God with pure hearts. When they turned their focus to their own selfish desires, they sinned.
When Jesus walked the earth He lived without sin because He refused to ever focus on His own selfish desires - even to the point of giving His life for us.
Jesus didn’t just pray “Not my will, but thy will be done,” He lived it. And that is what we need to aspire to as well.
με αγαπη,
BJ