Proverbs 14:26-27. 26In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
27The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
It’s been a little while since we talked about the fear of the Lord. Back in chapter one we were immediately told that there is no true wisdom without the fear of the Lord. Without trust in God. Love for God. Reverential awe for God. Fear of the Lord in the Old Testament is what the New Testament simply calls godliness.
2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Godliness is our gradual conformity to the character of God. And as Peter says, we have everything that we need to be godly through the knowledge of him. And how do we know God? In Christ. As Paul will tell Timothy, Christ is the mystery of godliness.
1 Timothy 3:16. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He [Jesus] was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
The secret to godliness, to fearing the Lord is to know the story of Jesus, and to trust your union with Jesus. Jesus was taken up into glory (1 Tim. 3:16), and we have been called to a godliness that unites us to his own glory and excellence (1 Pt. 1:3).
Not only do we have everything we need for godliness in Christ, godliness in Christ gives us everything we need. Look again at today’s proverb. The fear of the Lord (godliness) is for us both strength and satisfaction. A strong confidence and a fountain of life, and boy do we need both. Why? Because sin both attacks and attracts us doesn’t it?
When sin attacks we need a strong confidence. We need to know that what we have in Christ can stand against the accusations, the emotional trials, the spiritual darkness that sin tries to manifest in our lives. The mystery of godliness in us allows us to see beyond what we can see, and thus use the shield of faith to quench the fiery arrows of the Enemy’s lies.
And when sin attracts we need a fountain of life. We need something more satisfying than the thing that is tempting us. Christ is better. Christ is more pleasing, more satisfying, more rapturous than anything that might steal away our affections. Only Jesus will never fail you. Only Jesus will love you forever unconditionally. Only Jesus will always seek your good.
Jesus only Jesus.
You: What do you typically turn to for strength and satisfaction? Food? TV? News? Sex? Work?
You in Christ: In what way can we say that everyone that is in Christ is godly?
Christ in you: Where do you need Jesus to be a strong confidence today? A fountain of life? How can you let him be these for you?
Pray: Father, in Christ I can know you and become like you. Keep showing me the mystery of godliness by faith. Amen.
To Live is Christ 