Too little love, too little fear

There is no doubt that loving God is important. Jesus said, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5). Lots of people think they love God and think He is going to save them (John 3:16).

The relationship between love and God’s commandments is made very clear in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandment.” The Lord furthermore said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

God wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but one cannot fail to consider the need for fearing God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” We had better fear God because it will not be good for us to enter into God’s judgment unprepared (Hebrews 10:31; 12:29). People want to talk about God’s love, but not His wrath. In Malachi 1:8, the people offered sick animals to be sacrificed to the Lord. They did not fear Him enough to follow His commandments. God does love you, but make sure you are not presumptuous with that love and neglect the appropriate fear which will compel you to follow Him.

Kyle Campbell