The Fear of the Lord that Makes us Wise.mp3

Well good morning again church. If you would please open your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1. While you are finding Proverbs chapter 1 in your Bibles, let me say a few opening remarks. First I must say thank you to Pastor Chris for the opportunity to preach this Lord's Day. And thank you Jared and the worship team for leading us in worship this morning. It certainly is a blessing to sing songs of truth every Sunday. I am especially grateful to Pastor Chris, Brother Keith and the elders of the church, Tommy and Jared for consistently honoring the pulpit, consistently honoring the preaching and teaching of God's Word.

This emphasis, this commitment and dedication is truly at the heart of everything we do at Grace Life Church of Brookhaven. It is at the center, it is at the very core, the preaching of God's Word is the hub of the wheel. And you gentlemen set an incredible example for us to follow and I am very thankful for you. That's why it is so humbling to be standing behind this pulpit this morning. Now this morning we will be looking at one verse out of Proverbs chapter 1 and that verse is verse 7. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. God's Word reads, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Again Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. I always believe it is appropriate and beneficial to start with context. The context of Proverbs, Proverbs chapter 1. What is it? Why it was written and how to understand its structure and purpose. So this morning a little context as we build toward exposition. The book of Proverbs is part of the Old Testament wisdom literature. Proverbs chapter 1 serves as the gateway to the entire book and lays out its purpose and themes.

Traditionally Proverbs is attributed primarily to King Solomon the son of David who is known in the Bible for his wisdom. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 1 names him as the source of the sayings that follow. William McDonald sees the book of Proverbs as practical God-given wisdom for daily life rooted in Solomon's spirit-enabled insight. In teaching about Solomon's Proverbs John MacArthur underscores that Solomon's wisdom is rooted in the biblical principle the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs chapter 1 explicitly states why the book exists. It is written to help people gain wisdom and discipline.

It is written to help people learn to live with insight, with justice, and with integrity. It is written to help people develop prudence, especially for the inexperienced or young. It is written to help people grow in understanding even for the already wise. This makes Proverbs one of the most practically focused books of the Bible. In particular Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 the verse we are looking at this morning gives the theological foundation of the entire book. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs teaches that true wisdom begins with putting God in the right place in our lives.

And a repeated phrase throughout Proverbs is my son, my son. Like a father teaching a child. However this doesn't limit the audience. It functions as a literary device that recalls the voice of family instruction. It functions as a literary device that cast the reader in the role of a student receiving direct personal counsel. It functions as a literary device that presents wisdom not as abstract theory but as practical training for daily life. Proverbs one sets up the entire book as a manual on wise living. A call to moral decision-making. A contrast between the path of wisdom and the path of folly.

A warning that your choices shape your destiny. The rest of Proverbs builds on these themes. Now let's really dial into our verse this morning and specifically take a deeper theological dive into the phrase the fear of the Lord. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction. The fear of the Lord in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 is a technical expression in Hebrew wisdom literature. It does not mean terror, dread, or panic. Instead it describes a posture of the heart toward God. In the proper context of Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 fear of the Lord means awe. Awe.

This type of awe is a recognition of God's greatness and holiness like how people respond when witnessing something overwhelmingly powerful. An example of this would be in my life hurricane Ida. I can remember in August of 2021 hurricane Ida swept through southwest Louisiana and Sarah and I were living in a small town called Thibodeau Louisiana at that time. Many of you may not be familiar with Thibodeau but to put some context around that Thibodeau is roughly about 60 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. So hurricane Ida comes through and this was an area where I was born and raised and you very very well.

So hurricane Ida sweeps through and immediately following the storm you're able to go out and get supplies and things of that nature and you're just driving around for me anyway driving around seeing the destruction of things that you knew were once there and maybe weren't are extremely devastated. It leaves you with this sense of awe like man wow look at what happened right? This sense of awe fear of the law means fear of the Lord means awe. Fear of the Lord also means humble submission and moral obedience. It's a type of reverence that develops a willingness to honor God of all other authorities.

Quoting Wiersby and I quote the fear of the Lord means reverence for God and respect for his word a willingness to listen and a promptness to obey. A promptness to obey. Fear of the Lord also means recognition of God's ultimate authority and a willingness to learn from him. To put it plainly it's obedience. It's obedience referring to that Wiersby quote its promptness to obey. I really like that. In the Old Testament fear corresponds with keeping God's commandments. Fear corresponds with walking in his ways. Fear corresponds with avoiding sin. This is why Proverbs ties fear of the Lord to knowledge and wisdom.

The verse literally says the fear of the Lord is the beginning or foundation or starting point of knowledge. In Hebrew thought true wisdom begins with rightly relating to God not with intellect or education. Let me say that again. In Hebrew thought true wisdom begins with rightly relating to God not with intellect or education. There are many unbelievers that have acquired a lot of information. A lot of knowledge. But what Proverbs 1.7 is teaching us is that you cannot truly be wise without being rightly centered to God. The fear of the Lord is to take his commandments seriously. The fear of the Lord is to submit to his design for life.

The fear of the Lord is to reject self-sufficiency. The fear of the Lord is to recognize his sovereignty over all decisions. It is a relational and ethical term not an emotional one. Here are a few other passages that help to clarify or expand the meaning for us. Proverbs chapter 9 verse 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This pairs with Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. Together they teach that wisdom has one starting point. One starting point and that starting point is a reverent submission to God. Job 28 verse 28. Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to turn away from evil is understanding.

Job defines fear of the Lord as turning away from sin. Living a moral upright life. This reinforces that biblical fear equals right action not apprehension. Psalm 111 verse 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Again moral obedience and reverence are the foundation of understanding. How about Deuteronomy chapter 10 verses 12 and 13. And now Israel what does the Lord your God require of you but to fear the Lord your God to walk in all his ways to love him to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord which I am commanding you today for your good.

What does the Lord require? Fear him. Walk in his ways. Love him. Serve him. Keep his commandments. It speaks to a circumcision of the heart. A circumcision of the heart and here fear is linked with love showing that these concepts are not opposites. They're not opposites. Psalm 34 11 through 14. Come oh children listen to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life and loves many days that he may see good. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. Did you catch that in verse 11?

I will teach you the fear of the Lord the psalmist writes. Keep your tongue from evil turn from evil do good seek peace. Here the phrase is practically defined. Fear of the Lord is expressed through ethical living. Proverbs 14 27 the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. Instead of describing fear as intimidation the Bible calls it a fountain of life. The fear of the Lord is life-giving church. Let that sink in this morning. It's life-giving. John Piper says and I quote the fear of the Lord is full of peace and security and hope. It keeps us near to the merciful heart of God. The fear of the Lord is life-giving church.

Proverbs 15 33 the fear of the Lord teaches wisdom. This explicitly says fear of the Lord is educational. Educational it forms the moral compass of the wise if you will. Acts chapter 9 verse 31 the verse we read this morning. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it multiplied. See even the early church understood this they walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Again fear and comfort just like we saw with fear and love they go together showing this is reverent devotion.

Again not apprehension. So to summarize all of this again the fear of the Lord is not dread. It's not terror. It's not intimidation but it is reverence for God. Submission to His authority. Willingness to learn and obey. It is moral transformation. It is awe at His holiness. It is humble dependence. The fear is the foundation on which all wisdom is built. Isaiah 33 verse 6 reads and he will be the stability of your times. Abundance of salvation. Wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure. Isaiah calls the fear of the Lord our treasure.

And so from here with all this context and understanding I would like to establish this morning four truths regarding how the fear of the Lord should impact our lives as born-again believers. Four truths starting with truth number one. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God. Think about a church. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God in many many ways. One way is by putting God in His proper place. As mentioned fear means reverence. All and a recognition of God's absolute holiness and authority. When we approach God with reverence we stop treating Him casually.

When we approach God with reverence we stop reshaping Him into our preferences. When we approach God with reverence we begin to see Him as He truly is. Holy, powerful, just, merciful, gracious, patient, loving. This posture corrects any distorted or shallow view of God. That is why it is essential to our lives as born-again believers. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God by revealing God's holiness. The fear of the Lord awakens us to the reality that God is morally perfect and wholly completely set apart. And church this matters. It matters because we begin to understand why sin is serious.

It matters because we begin to grasp why grace is astonishing. It matters because we begin to see why worship is our only fitting response. Without reverence, without fear of the Lord holiness becomes just a doctrine. With reverence, with fear, it becomes a lived awareness. A lived awareness. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God by producing wisdom. Remember what verse 7 says, Proverbs 1 7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Scripture says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Why?

Because wisdom starts with seeing reality accurately, living in the real world. And God is the foundation of reality. Fear of the Lord leads to wisdom because it humbles us. It opens us up to instruction. It aligns our thinking with God's character. We cannot understand God rightly if we approach Him with pride. The Bible actually says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. If you don't believe me, go look up James chapter 4 verses 6 and 7 or maybe 1st Peter chapter 5 verses 5 and 6. Be wise. Be humble, church. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God by deepening relationship, not creating distance.

Now this might surprise some people. See, the fear of the Lord doesn't push you away. It actually draws you closer. It draws you closer. When we see God's greatness, His mercy, His patience, His love, it becomes more meaningful and overwhelming. See, on Wednesday nights we have been studying the minor prophets with the youth. I'm sorry, with the children's ministry. And we concluded this week by looking at 2nd Kings chapter 17. For 250 years, God was patient and exhibited steadfast love for the Israelites before delivering them over to the Assyrians.

Even though they were warned countless times and had seen many displays of God's patience, God's mercy, and God's love for them, the Israelites continued to ignore God. They never acknowledged His patience. They never really embraced His love. Instead, they continued to be disobedient. They continued to do what was right in their own eyes. Sounds foolish to me. We will talk about the fool in just a bit. They continued to worship false gods and idols. They did not fear God and they did not honor His holiness. So God sent the powerful nation of Assyria to bring judgment upon the nation that had forsaken Him.

Now church, I believe this saying to be very true. A small view of God leads to small trust. A big view of God leads to deep devotion. The fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God by transforming how we live. Understanding God isn't just intellectual, it's practical as well. See, fear of the Lord shapes our choices, our values, our relationships, our sense of purpose, which in turn reinforces our understanding of who He is. So truth number one, fear of the Lord shapes our understanding of God. Truth number two, the fear of the Lord drives genuine worship. The fear of the Lord drives genuine worship.

Listen, the fear of the Lord should move a born-again believer toward genuine, joyful, wholehearted worship. Worship should start with a very high view of God's holiness because the born-again believer recognizes that God is infinitely holy and sovereign. That's why I love the songs we sing every Sunday morning. We sing biblical truths that constantly remind us of this fact, that God is infinitely holy and sovereign. Born-again believers recognize that sin is more serious than previously understood. The cross is more precious because it satisfies God's righteous wrath. This should produce a sort of humble and trembling joy in our lives.

Born-again believers fear the Lord because God is holy and the believer worships Him because Christ has made the holy God our Father. It's a math problem, if you will. Fear plus grace equals worship. Fear plus grace equals worship. And when you get the math problem right, you begin to develop a deep awareness that every breath, every promise, and every mercy is undeserved. This humility leads to worship that is marked by gratitude, submission, repentance, awestruck, joy. It removes all of our self-centeredness and replaces it with God-centered adoration. And believer, hear this this morning, this is all fueled by fear of the Lord.

And this fear of the Lord motivates a believer. It motivates us to walk in holiness, to obey God from the heart, to love His commands, to seek His presence. And then when you do this, worship becomes the overflow of obedience, not a performance. The believer doesn't obey to earn favor. Listen, the believer obeys because he reveres in delights in the one who saved him, the one who saved him. The truth is that fear of the Lord is central to worship.

Our worship should emphasize the reading of Scripture, expository preaching, reverent prayer, congregational singing that is rich in theology, the ordinances, baptism, and the Lord's Supper treated with seriousness and joy. Our worship should emphasize simplicity rather than emotional manipulation. Fear of the Lord guards worship from becoming man-centered, casual, or entertainment-driven. Instead it becomes solemn yet joyful. It becomes reverent yet warm. It becomes serious about sin but saturated with grace. And this fear deepens love and love deepens worship. So for those that fear the Lord, worship becomes a way of life.

As we mentioned before, fear of the Lord and love for the Lord are not opposites. They strengthen one another. The believer fears grieving the God he loves and loves the God whose holiness evokes fear. And the end result is this. The end result is deep Scripture saturated Christ exalting worship that is grounded in the holiness of God and the grace of the gospel every day in every aspect of our life. Truth number two, the fear of the Lord drives genuine worship. Truth number three, the fear of the Lord cultivates an obedient heart. The fear of the Lord cultivates an obedient heart. So right away we need to establish this truth.

Obedience does not begin with human effort. It begins with God giving a new heart. Let me say that again. Obedience does not begin with human effort. It begins with God giving a new heart. Ezekiel chapter 36 verses 26 and 27. "And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." See the Holy Spirit awakens the believer to God's holiness.

And then the believer feels a right reverent trembling before the majesty, before the holiness, and the purity of God. And this new spiritual sight produces a desire to walk in his ways. To put it maybe simpler, fear of the Lord is not learned first. It is given. It is given. Quoting McArthur, he outlines the following sequence for attaining true or ultimate knowledge. First, teaching about God. Second, learning about God. Third, fearing God. Fourth, knowing God. Fifth, imitating God's wisdom. You see the sequence there? It's teaching, it's learning, then it's fearing, then it's knowing.

I believe that God's Word clearly teaches that the human will is naturally enslaved to sin until freed by divine grace. Once freed, fear of the Lord reshapes the believer's desires. It teaches the believer to say, "God is God and I am not." It teaches the believer to say his ways are right even when difficult. I know many of you here this morning probably have testimonies that could speak to that. It teaches the believer to say obedience brings life and blessing and disobedience is destructive and dishonoring to him. Fear of the Lord becomes a controlling principle that redirects the will toward righteousness.

This is why Proverbs often says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge or wisdom. It is the starting point of right thinking, right valuing, right acting, if you will. Obedience begins to flow from a heart that has learned to detest sin's ugliness and by grace and his grace alone, this obedience perseveres and lasts a lifetime. See, God fearing obedience is progressive. It sustains the believer through trials, temptations, spiritual weariness, seasons of doubt. Why? Because fear of the Lord keeps the believer anchored in God's unchanging holiness and unchanging love.

Listen church, fear of the Lord is the soil in which the Holy Spirit grows. Obedience. It is the soil in which the Holy Spirit grows. Obedience. Look no further than Job to see how this takes effect in the believer's life. Job, an obedient heart, a picture of trust and faithfulness. Job chapter 1 verse 1, "There was a man in the land of us whose name was Job and that man was blameless and upright." He was blameless and upright, but catch this, here's why. "One who feared God and turned away from evil." That's how the Bible describes Job in chapter 1 verse 1.

"A man that was blameless and upright, but catch this, one who feared God." This is the man God permitted to be tempted, afflicted. Job, a man who feared God. Truth number three, the fear of the Lord cultivates an obedient heart. Truth number four, the fear of the Lord leads a born-again believer to the local church. The fear of the Lord leads a born-again believer to the local church because the Lord Himself commands believers to be part of a church. The fear of the Lord inevitably leads a regenerated believer into joyful, reverent, committed fellowship in a local church.

The Scriptures explicitly command not to neglect gathering, Hebrews 10. The Scriptures explicitly command to submit to elders, Hebrews 13. The Scriptures explicitly command to use spiritual gifts for the body, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4. The Scriptures explicitly command to gather for worship, prayer, and the preaching of God's Word, Acts 2 and Matthew 18. A born-again believer who fears the Lord cannot despise or ignore the commands God gives Himself has spoken. He Himself has spoken. The fear of the Lord leads to submission to God's Word, which leads to a commitment to the body.

And that body is the local church, His bride, you know, the one He died for. Obedience to Scripture naturally places the Christian in a local covenant community because regeneration changes a person's affections, not just their behavior. Not just their behavior. Listen Church, God loves His people, God loves His gathered church, God loves His worship, God loves His ordinances, God loves His shepherding structure. So a believer who fears the Lord begins to love what God loves because the Spirit transforms the heart. So if that's true, listen, church is not optional. The local church is not optional.

It is His bride, it is His body, it is His household. So to fear the Lord is to say if God treasures His church, I will treasure it. The believer is drawn to the local church not out of obligation alone but out of affection shaped by reverence, shaped by fear of the Lord. And let me take it maybe another step and let's be honest this morning. Listen, sanctification is only possible. Only possible by the means of grace God has appointed. What are some of the means of grace that God has appointed? The preaching of the Word, prayer with the saints, the Lord's supper, mutual engagement, church discipline, fellowship, the local church.

Fear of the Lord should produce a holy humility that says I cannot grow on my own. I need the body God has given me. We need the local church. I need the local church. Building upon that, the Christian life is covenantal, not individualistic. Fear of the Lord recognizes that God saves people into a people. Fear of the Lord recognizes that God commands believers to bear one another's burdens. Fear of the Lord recognizes that God gives gifts to the individual for the body. Fear of the Lord recognizes that Christ is the head of a body not just of individuals.

So fear of the Lord motivates the believer to say if God has a covenant people I want to belong to them. This is why a proper theology emphasizes membership. Accountability, discipleship, because the fear of the Lord acknowledges God's right to place us in a community where He works. Where He works. Listen church, it's about aligning our priorities with Christ. Christ died for the church. Christ nourishes the church. Christ rules the church. Christ gave pastors and elders to the church. Christ commands the church to make disciples. Christ promised to build His church. So if one truly fears Christ as Lord, one will align with His priorities.

And I believe this, a believer cannot claim to fear the Lord while disregarding what the Lord Himself treasures most after His own glory which is His church. His church. So truth number four, the fear of the Lord leads a born-again believer to the local church. Now this morning as I work toward closing, we cannot ignore the second half of verse seven. Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction." So this morning we must talk about it. The fool. The fool. In Proverbs 1.7 the word translated fools does not refer to someone silly.

It does not refer to someone that is simple-minded. It does not refer to someone that is lacking intelligence. Instead it conveys moral deficiency rather than intellectual deficiency. The fool in Proverbs is not being insulted. The term is a moral and theological category if you will. It describes someone who lives in opposition to God's order. In other words, not unintelligent. Instead, morally hardened. Some characteristics of the fool might be morally obstinate, rejects wisdom, opposes God's authority, refuses correction or discipline, self-reliant in a destructive way. The fool is one who hates wisdom and knowledge.

Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 and verse 22. The fool is one who refuses instruction and discipline. Proverbs 15 verse 5. Proverbs 16 22. Proverbs 17 10. The fool is one who prefers evil and rejects God. Psalm 14 verse 1. See in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7 I believe the contrast is deliberate. Deliberate. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Simply put, the wise fear God. The fool rejects him. The fool rejects him. Psalm 14 verse 1. The fool says in his heart there is no God. Church that is flat out rejection.

So as we close this morning, it is important for me to take a minute and explain how the fear of the Lord can take different forms depending on a person's spiritual condition. One form is serval fear which is the fear an unbeliever has before God. Another way to explain serval fear is the fear that a slave has toward a harsh master. It is generally characterized by dread of punishment, fear of condemnation, terror at God's holiness, a desire to flee from God. Serval fear arises from knowing that God is holy and that God judges sin and that one is guilty before a holy God.

See without knowing God as Father this type of fear becomes terror not reverence. Serval fear is real but it cannot produce obedience that pleases God. At best it restrains outward sin. We would understand this to be the good person. The good person, right? We all know the "but I'm a good person" folk. At worst it leads to avoidance and hatred of God's authority. We would understand this to be the fool. Unfortunately we probably know this person too. The other form would be filio fear. Filio fear is the fear a redeemed child of God has.

It is similar to the fear that a child has toward a loving father and it is generally characterized by reverence. All love mixed with trembling. A desire not to grieve the father. A hatred of sin because it displeases him. This type of fear draws the believer toward God not away from God. And filio fear is understood to be the beginning of wisdom because it springs from a heart softened by grace. It is exactly what we see in Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. So where does all of this bring us? What does it all mean? Church, true fear of the Lord is impossible apart from the new birth. It is impossible apart from the new birth.

Before regeneration a person is spiritually dead. Ephesians chapter 2 hostile toward God. Romans chapter 8 and blind to his glory. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4. The Bible actually refers to the lost person as an enemy of God. Romans chapter 5. But the good news is when the Holy Spirit brings new life the believer's heart is awakened to God's holiness, to God's justice, and to God's saving mercy. This produces a transforming fear not terror that drives you away as we've mentioned but reverent awe that drives you near. Spurgeon said and I quote, "It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God.

Gracious fear drives to Him." If you are a fool this morning you stand condemned before holy God. I am not trying to sound harsh but the truth of God's Word is offensive to those who oppose Him. Only the gospel transforms fear of judgment into fear filled with joy and awe. The type of fear we've looked at this morning. Believers do not fear God as a judge who will condemn. Believers fear God as a father who disciplines us for our good and ultimately His glory. If God is drawing you this morning, if the Holy Spirit is awakening you to the salvation that is only found in Christ this morning, turn to Him and say yes. Say yes. Quit being foolish.

Humble yourself. Let the reality of the cross soften your heart. The price has been paid. It is finished. Say yes. Be wise. Fear the Lord and say yes. So the title of the message this morning, the fear of the Lord, fear that makes us wise. Let's pray.