Do you know John Murray’s Payton lectures at Fuller Seminary, Principles of Conduct?  It’s a wise and searching look on just what it means to obey God, culminating with a chapter on the fear of God, where Murray looks closely at an arresting attribute, the Fear of Isaac. 

‘God-fearing’ is a term we casually remember from old books, but how does that possibly fit us today as we treasure and rejoice in the gospel, that Jesus has taken the holy God’s wrath upon himself, giving us confidence and joy and great boldness in our Holy God’s presence?

I’ve been helping a friend get ready to preach from Psalm 38. Scholars call that kind a Lament Psalm, and it seems to help us to have a name for it.  But it’s still very hard to take, all about my sin and very little about God’s grace and forgiveness.  If I’d heard a preacher say this, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t come back to that church again, too much law and very short on grace. 

But this isn’t a preacher talking, it’s the inspired word of God, and I have to take it that way.  For a start, I’m sure of this: it’s not an either/or thing, either law is bigger than grace or the other way around.  Not Neonomianism versus Antinomianism.  Sometimes that seems to make some sense, our last preacher didn’t have the right balance, let’s get one now tilted in the opposite way.  But we can’t live and believe that way in life: Monday- Wednesday-Friday law, Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday Jesus, that won’t fly.

We are called to live in the presence of our holy God, truly the fear of Isaac, and also with the Father of Jesus and ours too.  I’ve talked that over with my friend and colleague Dan McCartney.  I said, people tend to remember the last thing they hear, so when we say already but not yet, it’s the not yet that sticks in their minds, so wouldn’t it be better if we ended up saying, but still already?  Then Dan said, but after that wouldn’t you have to say, nevertheless not yet?  That’s the way our lives are, isn’t it?  Already means:  Jesus Christ is risen indeed; he has conquered world, flesh and Devil; we have all we need for life and godliness; he is coming again, come quickly Lord Jesus; we live boldly in his presence. Not yet means: why does my heart keep wandering off to my idols; why are my prayers so flat; why do I spot the faults of others much easier than my own; etc. etc.  But always, what’s the other side?

I’ve been reading about recent college graduates and their exaggerated sense of entitlement—why did that happen?  Is our whole culture that way?  What happened to humility?  Is everything all around us designed by Pharisees?  What would it take for people to look seriously at themselves, and also to Jesus Christ?  Calvin must have been right when he said God-knowledge and self-knowledge fit together, but do you know how to do that?  How should you preach, or live, Psalm 38?  I’m coming to think, not only do we need to put this together better for us believers, but it’s a big part of what we want to say to others.  Not just, Christ is the answer, but also, this is what in my life the things that he’s the answer to.  We have to work hard at that, or it’ll come over as just a slice of our pre-modern personalities.  

People have talked about ‘preparation for grace,’ that you need to know your sin and need before leaning on Jesus.  I see the value of that, but I think it used to take too long, and while we knew at the same time that our salvation is totally about God’s love and grace and kindness, before we got to that we wanted to be totally sure how miserable we were.  Maybe, but I think it goes more like this too: now that I know the joy of not avoiding Jesus at all, but getting to know him more and more closely, the last thing I want is retrogressing to self-worship.  My self all alone can be familiar and non-threatening, but at the end of the day very small and dull.

Could it go like this?  As you drop off to sleep, call on the Lord to wake you up within the joy of the Lord.  As you wake up enjoy his presence, and then review the upcoming day with him and say, O Lord, I can predict unbelief in that spot, shield me Lord, and open my heart to see what you can do then. I pray this honestly as you continue to work that honesty in me, and I know myself by your grace.  This is who I am and I’m tempted to do this and say that this afternoon.  But Lord I love you so much, hear Jesus intercede for me now, shield me from the denial I will be so tempted to.  May I know myself as you know me, Lord.

Value his presence, reject his absence, trust Jesus and love him with all your heart. That’s a beginning I believe.  But we have to build and share and build and share.  Our hearts are sinful, we want to learn Psalm 38 to be our psalm, and then to call out to you for rescue.  To call out boldly, because Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and our Mediator of all your promises, O my Father.

 Boldness and Fear by WRF member, D. Clair Davis This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Tags: God-fearing grace boldness Christ salvation God's love Redeemer Mediator