Learn to live obedient (3)

3 - Paternal chastening and fear of God
“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear” (1 Peter 1:17).

Yes, our Father, is the merciful God and the God of every comfort, and also He is the loving God with unconditional love; yes, but He also judges, decides and condemns; He judges without partiality and is not partial to faces. Being his children does not mean that He will not indict us for He will put us accountable according to each one’s deed; It’s an individual judgment to each one’s work ; therefore, he says “Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear”. We need to fear so that we can live the life of real obedience and holiness.

The word “fear” is repeated many times in this epistle. There exist two types of fear, a fear that we must not fear of: “Not afraid with any terror…… And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” (1Peter 3:6,14); but there is a different kind of fear, it’s a sacred and pure fear, the fear that God is demanding and Apostle Peter mentioned it 4 times:

-Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear (1Peter1:17)
-Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. (1Peter 2:17)
-When they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. (1Peter 3:2)
-Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).

It is the fear which is written about: “The fear of the LORD is clean.” (Psalm 19:9) as well as “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” (Psalm 111:10). It’s the fear that makes us live a strong and holy spiritual life. When Apostle Paul wrote “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12); he did not mean the fear of death, punishment or judgment, for our judgment is past and our life is guaranteed.

However, if we do not judge ourselves, we are chastened by the Lord, “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged, but when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:30-32); For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. So, Apostle Peter says “Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here”; he did not say: conduct yourselves throughout the time of your life. Our life here on earth is nothing but a small part of a novel and one of its short chapters for we must return back home one day.

Because we have much learned about Grace, we have lost the sense of the paternal fear. Therefore, God says: “A son honors his father and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is my honor? And if I am a Master Where is my reverence?” (Malachi 1:6).

Beloved, we sometimes, turn freedom into an opportunity for the flesh. Let’s realize that our God and father, honor, glory and power be to Him, let’s us not fear from Him but fear Him and sanctify Him in our hearts.

Magdy Samuel