Lesson 3:

God-Toward Devotion

1.       Remember what we studied in our last lesson…

a.       Godliness is the reverent awareness of and devotion to God that results in a life that is pleasing to Him.

b.      Godliness involves a purpose of heart and discipline of life that focuses itself on honoring God.

c.       We may be moral but we cannot be righteous without the proper attitude of heart.

2.      Element #1: The Fear of God

a.       The fear of the Lord is not just an OT concept.

                                                              i.      Jeremiah foretold the fear of God under the new covenant. (Jeremiah 32:39-40)

                                                            ii.      The early churches walked in “the fear of the Lord.” (Acts 9:31)

                                                          iii.      The apostles used the fear of God to motivate others. (2Corinthians 7:1; 1Peter 1:17)

                                                          iv.      Jesus was prophesied as One who would delight in fearing the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-3)

b.      What does it mean to fear God?

                                                              i.      Sinners should be terrified of the imminent judgment of God. (Revelation 6:16)

                                                            ii.      Christians should feel an overwhelming sense of awe at the majesty of God.
(1John 4:17-18; Revelation 1:10-18)

c.       The fear of the Lord has been called “the soul of godliness.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

d.      Truly godly fear sees God as He is and us in the light of His glory. (Isaiah 6:1-5)

                                                              i.      It will help us to see our sin as God sees it. (Luke 5:1-8)

                                                            ii.      It will cause us to see our whole lives differently. (Luke 5:9-11)

3.      Element #2: The Love of God

a.       A Christian who does not fear God can never appreciate His love.

b.      God is love; love is the essence of God’s character and behavior toward man. (1John 4:8-10)

                                                              i.      The events at Calvary define love (agape).

                                                            ii.      Divine love has no meaning apart from the cross.

c.       It is not enough to acknowledge that God loves the world. (John 3:16)

                                                              i.      I must be gripped with the realization that God loves me, as an individual. (Luke 15)

                                                            ii.      God’s love is personal and individual, not an impersonal, logical deduction.

d.      While the grace of deliverance is conditional, God’s love is unconditional.

                                                              i.      His love does not depend on me; it emanates from His unchanging nature.

                                                            ii.      Nothing can separate me from God’s love apart from my consent. (Romans 8:31-39)

e.       Emphasizing God’s love does not devalue the demands of His law.

                                                              i.      God’s love, like His grace, compels us to be faithful and obedient to Him.

                                                            ii.      Our lives are to be controlled by Christ’s love. (2Corinthians 5:14-15; 1John 4:19-5:3)

4.      Element #3: The Desire for God

a.       The Christian who truly fears and loves God will eagerly desire fellowship with Him.

                                                              i.      David longed for God’s presence in his life. (Psalm 27:4; 42:1-2; 63:1-8)

                                                            ii.      Paul had an earnest desire to know Christ intimately. (Philippians 3:7-11)

b.      God has always sought fellowship with man.

                                                              i.      He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:8-9)

                                                            ii.      He promised a special relationship to the Israelites. (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

                                                          iii.      He seeks our reconciliation in Christ. (2Corinthians 5:18-20)

                                                          iv.      The glory of the New Jerusalem is fellowship with God. (Revelation 21:3-4; 22:3-5)

c.       Even now, God is seeking a relationship with us. (Revelation 3:20)

d.      A longing for God is inseparable from a desire for His will to be done. (Isaiah 26:8-9)

5.      The Interconnectedness of Fear, Love, and Desire

a.       There is a healthy tension between the fear and love of God.

                                                              i.      Without God’s love we might become timid, despairing, and paralyzed by dread.

                                                            ii.      Without God’s fear we might become casual, presumptive, and irreverent.

b.      In today’s religious world love has been magnified to the virtual exclusion of fear.

                                                              i.      We rightly rejoice in the love and grace of our merciful and wonderful God.

                                                            ii.      But it is the absolute holiness and justice of God that gives His love its meaning!

c.       Why did Jesus have to die? Love alone cannot tell us.

                                                              i.      Love is meaningless without Calvary; Calvary is meaningless without God’s wrath.

                                                            ii.      Jesus died to save us from the just wrath of a holy God. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

d.      These three components work together, each one strengthening the other.

                                                              i.      Meditating on the holiness of God helps us to marvel at His grace. (Psalm 130:3-4)

                                                            ii.      Likewise, mercy should enhance our reverence and desire for God. (Psalm 103:8-18)

e.       Consider the fear of God, the love of God, and the desire for God as the points of a triangle.

                                                              i.      Fear and love form the base because they are the foundation of true devotion.

                                                            ii.      Desire is at the summit because it is the highest expression of devotion to God.

f.        The godly person is satisfied with God, but yearns for greater fellowship with his Lord.

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