“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14) The very last two verses of that book. Sounds like it’s coming from someone who has had a number of life experiences. “All this stuff you’ve ever read. It boils down to two verses.” stated Pastor Josh.
“Fear God, revere Him. Why? The end is what we’re trying to get: to go to heaven. God created everything. God is God. Beside Him, there is no one else. And God is good.” continued our pastor. Jesus even said it, “…none is good, save one, that is, God.” (Luke 18:19)
The second part is to keep His commandments. The answer to that ‘Why?’ question is obvious. It’s in Psalms 5:4, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.” By His very nature God is holy (Isaiah 6:3). Because of this, a day of judgment is coming.
Right now as the events of our lives unfold, wickedness and evil has rooted itself in our society. There isn’t a day go by that the news doesn’t have wanton acts of evil reported. Unfortunately for lookers on, there’s a kind of casualness about reporting it. In some cases evil is not even thought of as particularly bad. Mankind has established a pattern of winking at it. But God is not going to wink at it.
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead.”(Romans 17:31) Now there are those that cast a skeptical eye. The God of the Old Testament is raised into question. He did unleash His wrath and destroy many for their wickedness.
Number One: God is God and man is man. The two are different. God finds sin detestable, even the thought of it is detestable to Him. God’s wrath is far greater than man’s. Number Two: God loves man. He created him. He loved man so much that He sent His Son to the cross to satisfy His judgment against sin. Romans 5:8 says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Number Three: Man only has until the end of his life on earth to come out from under God’s wrath by repenting for his sins. John 3:36 says that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
It’s easy. Fear God and keep his commandments. Believe that Jesus, His Son, paid the awful price. Be a follower of Jesus. The reward will be amazing: eternal life.
“Fear God, revere Him. Why? The end is what we’re trying to get: to go to heaven. God created everything. God is God. Beside Him, there is no one else. And God is good.” continued our pastor. Jesus even said it, “…none is good, save one, that is, God.” (Luke 18:19)
The second part is to keep His commandments. The answer to that ‘Why?’ question is obvious. It’s in Psalms 5:4, “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.” By His very nature God is holy (Isaiah 6:3). Because of this, a day of judgment is coming.
Right now as the events of our lives unfold, wickedness and evil has rooted itself in our society. There isn’t a day go by that the news doesn’t have wanton acts of evil reported. Unfortunately for lookers on, there’s a kind of casualness about reporting it. In some cases evil is not even thought of as particularly bad. Mankind has established a pattern of winking at it. But God is not going to wink at it.
“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men that he hath raised him from the dead.”(Romans 17:31) Now there are those that cast a skeptical eye. The God of the Old Testament is raised into question. He did unleash His wrath and destroy many for their wickedness.
Number One: God is God and man is man. The two are different. God finds sin detestable, even the thought of it is detestable to Him. God’s wrath is far greater than man’s. Number Two: God loves man. He created him. He loved man so much that He sent His Son to the cross to satisfy His judgment against sin. Romans 5:8 says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Number Three: Man only has until the end of his life on earth to come out from under God’s wrath by repenting for his sins. John 3:36 says that he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
It’s easy. Fear God and keep his commandments. Believe that Jesus, His Son, paid the awful price. Be a follower of Jesus. The reward will be amazing: eternal life.
