Fear God and Keep His

Commandments

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

• KJV = Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

• ESV = The end of the matter: all hath been heard:

• NASB = The conclusion, when all has been heard:

(Septuagint) for this is the whole man

(Young’s Literal Translation) for this the whole of man

(KJV) Colossians 2:9-10 - For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Deity bodily. And ye are complete in him…

(Septuagint) - and you are by him having been filled…

(Young’s Literal Trans & English Standard Version) - and ye are in him made full…

“the whole man” / “the whole of man” • no one is exempt; to obey is every

man’s obligation   • only in obedience to and

fellowship with God does man reach a true and satisfying fullness in himself and in his life

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Psalm 33:8

Filial Fear: defined as “of, suitable to, or due from a son or daughter” and indicates devotion (Webster).

Servile Fear: defined as “like or characteristic of a slave: humbly yielding or submissive,” implying a range of motivation from fearfulness to resignation to respect for power and authority.

Proverbs 1:7, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Hebrew yira (fear) - Strong’s 3374 “fear, reverence, piety”) Acts 10:2, A devout man…that feared God with all his house (Greek phoebo (fear) - Strong’s 5399 “fear, be afraid, reverence, respect”) continue…

Deuteronomy 17:19, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God (Hebrew yare (fear)- Strong’s 3372 “to be afraid, be frightened, to revere, respect”)

Philippians 2:12, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Greek phobos (fear)- Strong’s 5401 “fear, terror, respect, reverence”)

“To understand the true meaning of ‘fear’ in the Biblical context as related to God, one must superimpose the fact that GOD IS LOVE, and therefore nothing to fear. It is impossible to fear the love of God … As such, it is necessary to substitute the word ‘love’ for the word ‘fear’ wherever it is encountered in scripture.”

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: If then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? … for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 1:6,14

…let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:28-29

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear…

1 John 4:18

“How often have we grieved Him by our want of perfect loyalty: by our forgetfulness of Him: by our failure in meekness and gentleness and mercy; by the weakness of our love, the poverty of our worship, the feebleness of our service…”

Robert Roberts The Law of Moses, chapter

25

The settled conviction that God exists, as the supreme life-giver and law-giver, leads to the conclusion, “Fear God and keep His commandments.” The negation of all faith leads to the conclusion, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Islip Collyer