Page 17 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

GRACE, “...LET US HAVE GRACE,
REVERENCE BY WHICH WE MAY

5. AND SERVE GOD ACCEPTABLY
WITH REVERENCE AND GODLY FEAR.” Heb. 12:28
GODLY FEAR

Our first thoughts might be that grace and fear don’t mix together.
However, we find this mix recorded of the early church:

THE MARK OF “AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL... (Acts 4:33)
A SERVANT “THEN ALL THE CHURCHES THROUGHOUT ALL JUDEA,
GALILEE AND SAMARIA HAD PEACE AND WERE EDIFIED. AND WALKING IN
THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,

THEY WERE MULTIPLIED.” (Acts 9: 31)

The theology of the modern-day church emphasizes only the need to walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit by
means of the grace of God. The doctrine of the fear of the Lord is relegated to the God of the Old Testament,
the law-giver. This cannot be substantiated, for the contents of the book of Acts refutes such nonsense. What
about the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts Chapter Five? These were New Testament believers who lost
their lives solely because they lied to the Holy Spirit. The God of the New Testament swiftly killed them
resulting in great impact upon the church:

“SO GREAT FEAR CAME UPON ALL THE CHURCH
AND UPON ALL WHO HEARD THESE THINGS” Acts 5:11

Then consider the contrast recorded just 15 verses prior to the “great fear” induced upon this early church:

“...AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL.” Acts 4:33

When God’s people violate His great grace, then God may resort to a dose of great fear. A delicate balance of
these two concepts needs to be restored to the theology of the church of today. Consider this principle from the
Old Testament which easily can be seen as the moral to the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This passage
easily could have been written as an epitaph on their tombstones:

“FOR WHEN YOUR JUDGMENTS ARE IN THE EARTH, THE INHABITANTS OF THE
WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS. LET GRACE BE SHOWN TO THE WICKED;

YET HE WILL NOT LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS...” Isa. 26:9-10

6. HIS LABORS “...WHEN YOU HAVE DONE ALL THOSE THINGS
ARE HIS WHICH YOU WERE COMMANDED,
SAY, WE ARE UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS.
REASONABLE WE HAVE DONE WHAT WAS OUR DUTY TO DO.”
SERVICE
Luke 17:10

THE MARK OF The above parable is warning about thinking too highly of ourselves as
A SERVANT servants. There are things that God considers as our reasonable service. Paul
taught this as well:

“I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT
YOU PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE TO

GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE.” Rom. 12:1

It would be easy to think that we have given God the greatest gift in the world when we offer our body as a
living sacrifice. However, this is expected as part of our reasonable service. When a soldier shows up for
battle, is this not his reasonable service? However, if he risks life and limb in battle, he may receive a
commendation for service beyond the line of duty. Servants serve. This is their reasonable service. The
servant who hears, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:23), will excel in his service to God. He will
seek to do more than what is expected. When compelled to go one mile, he will volunteer to go two (Matt. 5:41).
He will be like the good Samaritan who went far beyond what would be expected. Don’t just be a servant of
God. Be the best servant of God. It will be worth it!