A Call to a Life of Appropriate Fear

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that the nature and depth of this fear are conditioned by God's reality as an accessible Father, an impartial Judge who judges according to each man's work, and a…

A young man fears failing math because of the negative consequences his father outlined, illustrating how fear is conditioned by potential harm.

We hear a young man say to one of his buddies, you know, I was really afraid that I was going to flunk my math course. Now that's a real fear. It's a dread that he might get an F in math. And when you probe and ask why were you afraid, he tells you that my dad said if I don't pass my math course, I can't go with the family on vacation.

19:05 - 19:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that the nature and depth of this fear are conditioned by God's reality as an accessible Father, an impartial Judge who judges according to each man's work, and a…

The same young man recounts being caught in an undertow and fearing death, demonstrating how the nature and depth of fear vary with the reality producing it.

We hear that same kid say in describing to someone else his experience at the Jersey Shore two years ago when he wandered out a little bit further than he should and was caught in the undertow and the lifeguards had to come in and by the time they got him he was unconscious and thankfully they revived him, got his lungs empty and he's describing this harrowing experience to someone and said and when all of the waves began to suck me under and pull me down I was afraid I was going to die. Now he's using the same word, afraid. But the nature, the extent, the depth of that fear is conditioned by ...

19:47 - 20:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains that the nature and depth of this fear are conditioned by God's reality as an accessible Father, an impartial Judge who judges according to each man's work, and a…

The young man fears not being invited to a party, showing how fear can be born of social desires and the dread of exclusion.

The same kid might say, to one of his buddies some time later, well, you know, I was afraid that I wasn't going to be asked to my buddy John's party. Now, he was fearful. For him, it was something to dread. Why?

20:32 - 20:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin clarifies what this fear is not: it is not the terror of the guilty sinner, the fear of the doubting believer, nor the fear of the uninstructed believer, as these are…

Adam's fear and hiding after disobeying God illustrate the terror of a guilty, unforgiven sinner facing deserved wrath and judgment.

Number one, it cannot be the fear of the guilty, unforgiven sinner, terrified at the thought of wrath and judgment. It can't be that fear. It cannot be the fear of the guilty, unforgiven sinner, terrified at the thought of deserved wrath and judgment. That's the fear Adam had in the Garden of Eden, and well he should have had it.

28:14 - 28:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be careless in sin, knowing God is your Father and Judge, but when you have sinned, do not despair, knowing your Judge is your Father.

The couplet 'I will not sin for my father is the judge' and 'when I have sinned, since my judge is my father, I will not despair' illustrates how balanced views of God prevent both presumption and despair.

Bask in his fatherly smile. He didn't say that. No Peter brings in this balanced view of the nature the character and the works of God. Just to show how helpful it is in this one little instance the way he juxtaposes these two things if you call on him his father that's a present tense if you are calling since you are calling upon him as father the very one who judges according to each man's work as one commentator said and so helpfully I will not sin for my father is the judge. Yes he is an accessible father he is a loving father he is a kind and tender father but he is the awesome judge sinc...

51:14 - 52:43 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace real fear of offending God as Father and provoking Him as Judge as a legitimate and necessary component of the Christian life.

Martin quotes Bishop Leighton's commentary on 1 Peter, explaining how holy self-suspicion and fear of offending God are inseparable companions to faith, love, hope, and spiritual joy, each grace feeding the other.

humble believer does not have grounds to set his hope perfectly on the grace that is coming to him and will be consummately revealed commanding them to sin no the humblest believer has well grounded a well grounded basis to have such a hope now unless we accuse Peter of being just having a lapse of memory and somehow suspended in his reception of those unique influences of the spirit of God to guide him as he wrote God sees no contradiction in these things no contradiction whatsoever God sees no contradiction in these winds no contradiction whatsoever it is not he who gave his life for him to ...

59:16 - 60:44 Read in full sermon