No Fear of God Before Their Eyes

I once had a student in my class who had no fear of anyone.  He could and would lie most indifferently.  He would cause trouble, even to the point of hurting others in the classroom.  He had been expelled from another school, he defied teachers and administrators at every turn and he did it all with a confident smirk on his face.  There was no fear of God before his eyes.

While the scriptures repeatedly tell the believer to “Fear not” they also speak of those with no fear.  We have seen many saints who had fear at one time or another.  Abraham, Jacob, David, Isaiah, Daniel, the Disciples and Paul were all told at one time or another to be assured of God’s care and fear not.  But there are those who simply fear not because they don’t believe that God is really in charge.  In Romans 3 Paul quotes the psalmist David who said of the wicked, “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  They walk along life’s road, much to the dismay of the righteous, with no fear of God.  Their wickedness has made them their own god and whatever they desire is right.

In Revelation 9 and 16 John saw a vision of those who were so steeped in their own wickedness that even in the face of God’s awful judgments they refused to repent.  Four times that observation is made of the wicked.  Such wickedness does not just exist in the world today.  It has existed since Cain slew Abel and feared not to sass God.  The righteous have always had to dwell among the wicked and from sorrow of heart, like Lot, to pain of body, like the millions of martyrs, have felt the sting of their wickedness.  But God has always come alongside His children with these two words of comfort, “Fear not”. 

While the wicked may not fear their certain judgment, the righteous can rejoice that their judgment was settled at the cross of Jesus Christ.  While the wicked rely on their own inner god to maintain them, the righteous can rejoice in the presence of the true God to care for them.  While the wicked may prevail for a moment, the righteous will prevail forever.  In a world where the wicked have no fear of God, God calls upon us to fear not because He is God. Take heart, Christian Brother, God cares, God knows and God wins.

Though evil round about us lie, and God in heaven hear us sigh

He is not dead nor does He sleep, His promises He’ll surely keep

Our steadfast hope remains above; Where God keeps watch care with His love

“Fear not,” He says, “when evils rise; I stand forever at your side.”  

 

 

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