The Church That Fears His Name

What is the Church called to be? What is God’s purpose for the Church? And are we that Church today? Scripture affirms the Church’s calling — to become the Church that fears His name. If that’s true, how close are we to becoming that Church? Further, what do we need to do to become the Church that fears His name? I’d like to talk answer those questions in this post.

First, what does it mean to fear the name of the Lord? In Proverbs 8:13, KJV;  we learn, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” To fear God, we must hate evil, all forms of evil, and evil in any and every form. God hates evil. In Proverbs 6:16-19, ESV; we learn, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness that puts out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.”  The Psalmist said, “Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?” Psalms 139:21, ESV. Further, he states, “I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them as my enemies.” 

Some might say, but that’s the Old Testament. In Hebrews 1:9, NLT, it says of Jesus, “You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.” I don’t think of most believers seeing Jesus through that lens. Rather, we offer to others unbridled compassion (compassion without requirements or restrictions). Clearly, scripture doesn’t teach that kind of mercy. Rather, mercy is tempered by justice, and justice always precedes mercy. Otherwise, we enter a place where mercy destroys and doesn’t restore. Mercy is meant to restore not coddle others who choose the path of sin. No! All sin carries its own punishment. But if a person is repentant, mercy can step in to restore someone like that. But if we offer mercy without requiring repentance, it destroys that person and others, including us.

Then, in the Psalms, we learn, “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever”. Psalms 19:9, NKJV. In the Hebrew, the word for clean is tied to ceremonial washing and cleansing. Before the Levitical priests would present offerings to God, they would go to the brazen (bronze) laver to wash. Physically washing, under the Old Covenant, was necessary prior to meeting with God. Today, we are washed “by the laver of water in the word of life”. Ephesians 5:26, Douay-Rheims Bible. It’s an essential part of our approaching God. Even today, we must be washed by the cleansing water of God’s Word for the cleansing of our hearts and minds from the pollution of this world — the absence of the fear of the Lord. 

“There should be a holy reverence, honor, and respect for God. And that’s something we seem to have lost. That honor begins by honoring God’s servants.”—Scott Wallis

Jesus, prior to His great sacrifice on the cross, sat down with His disciples and received communion. Yet, before receiving communion, Jesus did something — He washed His disciples feet. The Apostle Peter, not wanting Jesus to lower Himself through this act, said, “You shall never wash my feet.” John13:8, ESV. Jesus responded, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”  That’s the New Testament and it’s Jesus stating plainly to the Apostle Peter (and us) how important it is for him (and us) to be washed by Christ. To approach God, we must be washed. Not only once, as some teach, but again and again. And we, as Jesus said to the disciples, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14, ESV. 

In other words, the Church that fears His name washes and cleanses the feet of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Our calling is to keep all believers in the fear of the Lord. Yes, there should be a holy reverence, honor, and respect for God. And that’s something we seem to have lost. That honor begins by honoring God’s servants, 1 Timothy 5:17, honoring our parents, Ephesians 6:1, 2, should continue by honoring our spouses, Ephesians 5:21, honoring all in authority, Romans 13:1, and lastly, by honoring all mankind. 1 Peter 2:17. Why don’t we have that in our churches, homes, lives, businesses, and communities? We haven’t been washed by the Word of God. Now, I’m not saying God’s Word hasn’t been preached, spoken, or declared. What I am saying is, we haven’t been washed by it. 

Have you ever sat next to a homeless person. What’s the first thing that gives them away? You’re right! The smell. Now, I’m not putting them down. But I am using them as an illustration. Have you ever come around a believer and they “smell”. I’m not saying that they physically smell. I am saying they smell in the spiritual realm. Some smell like pride, others smell like greed, and still others smell like self (everything is about me, me, me, me). It’s the smell that gives them away — they haven’t been washed. In fact, sometimes, that can spill over into the physical realm and they can actually begin to “smell”.

What am I saying? We, the Church, needs a bath. We’re pretty grimy, dirty, and slimy from the world — it can be seen by our absence of the fear of the Lord. We don’t fear God, reverence God, honor God, or treat God with the respect He deserves. Rather, we place our own thoughts, opinions, desires, and “words” ahead of God’s Word. Nevertheless, it’s God’s will for His Church to become the Church that fears His name. For that to happen, a change in us must take place. If we truly fear His name, then why would we be afraid of His Word or the truth. Certainly, the fear of the Lord desires truth. Psalms 51:6. 

Today, I want to encourage you to come clean with God. It’s time for the truth to be told. Don’t hold on to the lie any longer! Let His truth reign in your heart so that you might be part of the Church that fears His name. Isn’t that what you want?! I know I do. Let’s begin today!

Let us pray!

— Scott Wallis