the fear of the LORD

this is a recurring topic that seems difficult for us to get our heads wrapped around. Not different from so many of the facets of the Truth, who is Jesus.

One thing I'd like to note about all that is that the FEAR of the LORD is something delightful to the soul that is inclined to OBEDIENCE. This is central in Jesus' command that we make disciples, teaching them to OBEY. Not just teaching them about Jesus, but to OBEY all He commanded.

soooo... you get this thing, that 1 John deals with (read the whole book) by saying that if we obey him we don't fear condemnation, but if our hearts condemn us in any way, He is greater than our hearts.

The thing I think Paul W was nailing is that we christian folk are on the danger side of 2 Cor. 13:5 and Matt. 7:21. Way on the danger side of it. There's a warning to the whole body, along the lines of the book of James, right now! And the book of James will put the proper fear into you--the very fear that Philippians 2 is talking about.

Go read this stuff:
Phil. 2
James (whole book)
2 cor. 13:5
...and go find in another NT book where it says that each individual should look into whether or not they're ok with the LORD. I think Gal. 5 will help with that...
1 John, with a focus on the relationship of obedience to fear to forgiveness to freedom from sin...
Matt. 28:17-20
Heb. 3, with a good look at v.12
think on these things and don't flop around. Get solid in the fear of the LORD.

now, paul washer speaks to a certain audience, and some of it doesn't translate, but the Apostle Peter preached, "Save YOURSELVES from this perverse generation..." that was acts 2, and a clear call to get out of the trouble of God's wrath...

whether or not you like the "total depravity" rhetoric that is so commonly used to bind people under men's control, we see clearly that there is a serious wrath issue in regard to unbelief, pride, and not yeilding to the truth, who is Jesus.

So there's some food for thought.

Ultimately, it's not about the preacher, but the truth...who is Jesus Christ, Himself, among us, and soon to return.