Hebrews 4:14 (KJV) Something To Really Fear

Hebrews 4:14 (KJV)
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

The phrase “let us” is found four times in this chapter (and a number of other times in the book of Hebrews):

• Vs 1
• Let us therefore fear
• Vs 11
• Let us labor therefore 
• Vs 14
• Let us hold fast
• Vs 16
• Let us therefore come boldly

The first two of these (and I believe a case can be made the same is true of the other two) are nearly discounted in modern Christianity. My focus is on the first of the four.

Even though the Bible assures us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning both of knowledge and of wisdom, fearing God is far from preached in the average pulpit. Today’s preacher is much more likely to focus on God’s accessibility, His love, His forgiveness. Not many Christians even consider that they might want also to fear Him.

Years ago there was a man in the church I pastored at the time, who could not stand that I am afraid of bees. It’s a pretty irrational fear, I know, but I am afraid of them. I got attacked by a bunch of them when I was a little boy and it isn’t something I want to have happen again. At any rate, he quoted from the book of James how that there is no fear in love and that perfect love casteth out fear. He tried to convince me that I was disobeying the Bible by being afraid of bees and wanted to teach me to love bees so I would no longer be afraid of them. It is this sort of misinterpretation of the Bible that leaves people so very far from God.

The Bible repeatedly and through many different lenses urges us fear the Lord. In this case we are to fear that we have come short of the promise of God.

The example is Old Testament Israel. They all possessed the same opportunity for rest but they did not all receive it. In our day this would translate into that we all have the same opportunity for salvation and peace with God but not everybody who thinks they have it do.

We take faith much too flippantly these days. We are far too casual with the Gospel. We fail to see the throne of grace as a place to find grace and help; we have come to view it as a place to demand our rights.

And in so doing many of us have missed God altogether.

That’s something to really fear.

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Hebrews 4:14 (KJV) Something To Really Fear

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