Hebrews 12:28, 29: Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire.
For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer’s fear is reverence of God. But what does “reverence” entail? How does reverence inform our actions and reactions with one another? With the world? With God Himself? The answers are found within the Scriptures according to:
- Historical Context: Written around A.D. 65, the certain identity of the author remains unknown. Tradition cites Paul as the author, but missing is Paul’s customary salutation common to his other works. Some attribute Luke as its writer; others suggest Hebrews may have been written by Apollos, Barnabas, Silas, Philip, or Aquila and Priscilla. To some, this is a disturbing aspect, yet we are reminded of Deuteronomy 29:29:
“Secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those that are revealed belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we might obey all the words of this law.”
Compare this to Hebrews 1:1-3:
“After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, 2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. 3 The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
The author wants us to look at Scripture as having come from God. The words of Scripture are God’s revelation to us, a revelation to which we would do well to heed (Hebrews 2:1-4). No wonder human authorship is not emphasized in Hebrews (though it is certainly not denied). And so we find the absence of the author’s name to be instructive and completely consistent with the point and message of the book.
The Book of Hebrews was written by a Hebrew to other Hebrews telling the Hebrews to stop acting like Hebrews. In truth, many of the early Jewish believers were slipping back into the rites and rituals of Judaism in order to escape mounting persecution. This letter is an exhortation for those persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ.
Rich in
foundational Christian doctrine, the Epistle to the Hebrews also gives us
encouraging examples of God’s “faith heroes” who persevered in spite
of great difficulties and adverse circumstances (Hebrews 11). These members of
God’s Hall of Faith provide overwhelming evidence as to the unconditional
surety and absolute reliability of God. Likewise, we can maintain perfect
confidence in God’s rich promises, regardless of our circumstances, by
meditating upon the rock-solid faithfulness of God’s workings in the lives of
His Old Testament saints.
The writer of Hebrews gives ample encouragement to believers, but there are
five solemn warnings we must heed:
1. There is the danger of neglect (Hebrews 2:1-4);
2. The danger of unbelief (Hebrews 3:7–4:13);
3. The danger of spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 5:11–6:20);
4. The danger of failing to endure (Hebrews 10:26-39);
5. The inherent danger of refusing God (Hebrews 12:25-29).
And so we find in this crowning masterpiece a great wealth of doctrine, a refreshing spring of encouragement, and a source of sound, practical warnings against slothfulness in our Christian walk. But there is still more, for in Hebrews we find a magnificently rendered portrait of our Lord Jesus Christ—the Author and Finisher of our great salvation (Hebrews 12:2).
- Grammatical Usage: V. 28: “receiving” or “Paralambano” in the Greek means, “to take to one’s self” which is in the present tense indication an act occurring in actual time; “kingdom” or “Basileia” meaning, “sovereignty, power and dominion”; “moved” is “Asaleutos” meaning, “unshakeable, firm”; “grace” or “Charis” meaning, “favorable regard” again in the present tense; “serve” or “Latreuo” meaning, “intelligent service”; “reverence” or “Aidos” meaning, “regard in the sense of honor”; “fear” is “Eulabeia” meaning “piety…the combination of fidelity and duty.” V. 29: “consuming fire” is also in the present tense.
- Literal Application: Therefore let us be grateful and take unto ourselves the sovereignty, power and dominion of God that cannot be shaken, offering to God reasoned and reasonable service with honor, piety, fidelity and duty, for our God is a consuming fire.
- Contextual Interpretation: There is a marked resemblance in this exhortation with that of Peter who said,
Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God? (2 Peter 3:11, 12).
Verse 28. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved. We who are Christians pertain to a kingdom that is permanent and unchanging, meaning that the kingdom of the Redeemer will never pass away. It is not, like the Jewish dispensation, to give place to another, nor is there any power that can destroy it. It has now endured for two thousand years, amidst all the revolutions on earth, and in spite of all the attempts which have been made to destroy it; and it is now as vigorous and stable as it ever was. Its great convictions and laws will endure on earth till the end of time, and will be made permanent in heaven. This is the only kingdom in which we can be certain that there will be no revolution; the only empire which is destined never to fall.
Let us have grace whereby we may serve God. The Greek is, literally, let us have grace; the meaning is, “let us hold fast the grace or favor which we have received in being admitted to the privileges of that kingdom.” The object of the writer is to keep them in the reverent fear and service of God. The argument which he presents is that this kingdom is permanent. There is no danger of its being overthrown. It is to continue on earth to the end of time; it is to be established in heaven for ever. If it were temporary, changeable, liable to be overthrown at any moment, there would be much less encouragement to perseverance. But in a kingdom like this there is every encouragement, for there is the assurance:
(1) That all our interests there are safe;
(2) That all our exertions will be crowned with ultimate success;
(3) That the efforts which we make to do good will have a permanent influence on mankind, and will bless future ages; and
(4) That the reward is certain. In a government where nothing is settled, where all policy is changing, and where there are constantly vacillating plans, there is no inducement to enter on any enterprise demanding time and risk. But where the policy is settled; where the convictions and the laws are firm; where there is evidence of permanency, there is the highest encouragement. The highest possible encouragement of this kind is in the permanent and established kingdom of God. All other governments endure revolution–this can not; all others may have a shifting policy–this has none; all others will be overthrown –this never will.
With reverence and godly fear. With true veneration for God, and with pious devotedness.
Verse 29. For our God is a consuming fire. This is a further reason why we should serve God with profound reverence and unwavering fidelity. The quotation is from Deuteronomy 4:24:
“For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
Two thoughts are conveyed:
1) God, and He only, is to be worshipped in a way suitable to Himself as He has the sole right of fixing the manner of worship. He is to have all the glory in every part of worship, therefore the ordinances of worship are immovable; nor are they to be altered, or others put in their place without incurring his displeasure. Essentially, in context, the appropriate fear of God assures not only His preeminence in our worship but the elements of worship including quickening of the conscience by the holiness of God, feeding the mind with the truth of God, purging the imagination by the beauty of God, opening the heart to the love of God, and devoting the will to the purpose of God proving the motivation of music, ordinances, sermon and response.
2) Moreover, this phrase is expressive of the preservation of His people, and of the destruction of His/our enemies (Deuteronomy 9:1-3) which, again in context, underscores the everlasting nature of His Kingdom discussed above. We commonly say that God is a consuming fire meaning that God, as an absolute God, is full of wrath and vengeance; and it is a truth, but not the truth of this text. Here it is that our God, our covenant God, our God in Christ, He is indeed as a wall of fire and in His providences protects and defends the saints as fire in His actions and Word to enlighten and warm them, to guide and direct them, but not a consuming fire to destroy them. The consuming fire is directed toward His (our) enemies, who are as thorns, and briers, and stubble before Him (Deuteronomy 4:24); while the intent of its usage here is preservation.
- Scriptural Comparison: Although we’ve all heard the word, few of us can give a quick and easy definition for godliness. We read little about it (historically the concept has been treated rather lightly in Christian literature), and we might conclude that it’s something we’ll experience and understand only as we go much further down the road of Christian living. This, of course, is the wrong view of godliness; rather, godliness is a foundational spiritual attribute to which we are to commit ourselves to building into our lives now. NO higher compliment can be paid to a Christian than to call him a godly person. He might be a conscientious parent, a zealous church worker, a dynamic spokesman for Christ, or a talented Christian leader; but none of these things matters if, at the same time, he is not a godly person.
The words godly and godliness actually appear only a few times in the New Testament; yet the entire Bible is a book on godliness. And when those words do appear they are pregnant with meaning and instruction for us.
When Paul wants to distill the essence of the Christian life into one brief paragraph, he focuses on godliness. He tells us that God’s grace “teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” as we await the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:11-13). When Paul thinks of his own job description as an apostle of Jesus Christ, he describes it as being called to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness (Titus 1:1). Paul especially emphasizes godliness in his first letter to Timothy. We are to pray for those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We are to train ourselves to be godly. We are to pursue godliness—the word “pursue” indicating unrelenting, persevering effort. Godliness with contentment is held forth as great gain; and finally, godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
When Peter, in looking forward to the day of the Lord when the earth and everything in it will be destroyed, asks what kind of people we ought to be, he answers that we are to live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:10-12). Here Peter uses the most momentous event of all history to stir us up to our Christian duty—holy and godly living.
Surely, then, godliness is no optional spiritual luxury for a few quaint Christians of a bygone era or for some group of contemporary super-saints. It is both the privilege and duty of every Christian to pursue godliness, to train himself to be godly, to study diligently the practice of godliness.
We don’t need any special talent or equipment. God has given to each one of us “everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). The most ordinary Christian has all that he needs, and the most talented Christian must use those same means in the practice of godliness.
The Bible gives us some clues about godliness in its earliest pages. Genesis 5:21-24 tells us about Enoch, the father of Methuselah. In a short three-verse summary of Enoch’s life, Moses twice describes him as one who “walked with God.”
Much later in the Bible, the author of Hebrews gives Enoch a place in his great ‘Faith’s Hall of Fame” in chapter 11, but he sees Enoch from a slightly different perspective. He describes him as “one who pleased God.”
Here, then, are two important clues: Enoch walked with God, and Enoch pleased God. It is evident from these two statements that Enoch’s life was centered in God; God was the focal point, the polestar of his very existence.
Enoch walked with God; he enjoyed a relationship with God; and he pleased God. We could accurately say he was devoted to God. This is the meaning of godliness. The New Testament word for godliness, in its original meaning, conveys the idea of it: a personal attitude toward God that results in actions that are pleasing to him. This personal attitude toward God is what we call devotion to God.
But it is always devotion in action. It is not just a warm, emotional feeling about God, the kind of feeling we may get while singing some grand old hymn of praise or some modern-day chorus of worship. Neither is devotion to God merely a time of private Bible reading and prayer, a practice we sometimes call “devotions.” Although these practices are vitally important to a godly person, we must not think of them as defining devotion for us.
Focused On God
Devotion is not an activity; it is an attitude toward God. This attitude is composed of three essential elements:
- the fear of God
- the love of God
- the desire for God.
Note that all three elements focus upon God. The practice of godliness is an exercise or discipline that focuses upon God. Devotion to God, then, is the mainspring of godly character. And this devotion is the only motivation for Christian behavior that is pleasing to God.
This motivation is what separates the godly person from the moral person, or the benevolent person, or the zealous person. The godly person is moral, benevolent, and zealous because of his devotion to God. And his life takes on a dimension that reflects the very stamp of God.
The God-Fearing Christian
The late professor John Murray wrote in Principles of Conduct, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.” Yet the fear of God is a concept that seems old-fashioned and antiquated to many modern-day Christians.
Some of our aversion to the phrase “fear of God” may be due to a misunderstanding of its meaning. As we cited previously, the Bible uses the term “fear of God” in two distinct ways: that of anxious dread, and that of veneration, reverence, and awe.
Fear as anxious dread is produced by the realization of God’s impending judgment upon sin. When Adam sinned he hid from God because he was afraid. Although this aspect of the fear of God should characterize every unsaved person who lives each day as an object of God’s wrath, it seldom does. Paul’s concluding indictment of ungodly mankind was, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18).
The Christian has been delivered from fear of God’s wrath (1 John 4:18). But the Christian has not been delivered from the discipline of God against his sinful conduct, and in this sense he still fears God. He works out his salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12); he lives his life as—a stranger here in reverent fear (1 Peter 1:17).
For the child of God, however, the primary meaning of the fear of God is veneration and honor, reverence and awe. Murray says this fear is the soul of godliness. It is the attitude that elicits from our hearts adoration and love, reverence and honor. It focuses in awe not upon the wrath of God but upon the majesty, holiness, and transcendent glory of God.
The angelic beings of Isaiah’s vision in chapter 6 demonstrated this awe when, with two of their wings, they covered their faces the presence of the exalted Lord. We see this same awe in Isaiah himself and in Peter when they each realized they were in the presence of a holy God. We see it most vividly in the reaction of the beloved disciple John in Revelation 1:17, when he saw his Master in all of his heavenly glory and majesty, and fell at his feet as though dead.
It is impossible to be devoted to God if one’s heart is not filled with the fear of God. It is this profound sense of veneration and honor, reverence and awe that draws forth from our hearts the worship and adoration that characterizes true devotion to God. The reverent, godly Christian sees God first in his transcendent glory, majesty, and holiness before he sees him in his love, mercy, and grace.
There is a healthy tension that exists in the godly person’s heart between the reverential awe of God in his glory and the childlike confidence in God as heavenly Father. Without this tension, a Christian’s filial confidence can easily degenerate into presumption.
One of the more serious sins of Christians today may well be the almost flippant familiarity with which we often address God in prayer. None of the godly men of the Bible ever adopted the casual manner we often do. They always addressed God with reverence. The same writer who tells us that we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, the throne room of God, also tells us that we should worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, “for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 10:19 and our primary text of Hebrews 12:28-29). Paul, who tells us that the Holy Spirit dwelling within us causes us to cry “Abba Father,” also tells us that this same God lives in “unapproachable light” (Romans 8:15 and 1 Timothy 6:16).
In our day we must begin to recover a sense of awe and profound reverence for God. We must begin to view him once again in the infinite majesty that alone belongs to him who is the Creator and Supreme Ruler of the entire universe. There is an infinite gap in worth and dignity between God the Creator and man the creature, even though man has been created in the image of God. The fear of God is a heartfelt recognition of this gap—not a put—down of man, but an exaltation of God.
Even the redeemed in heaven fear the Lord. In Revelation 15:3-4, they sing triumphantly the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb. Note the focus of their veneration upon God’s attributes of power, justice, and holiness. It is these attributes, which particularly set forth the majesty of God, that should elicit from our hearts a reverence for him.
This same reverence was drawn forth from the children of Israel when they saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians. Exodus 14:31 says, “The people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” Along with Moses they sang a song of worship and gratitude. The heart of that song is found in Exodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” To fear God is to confess his absolute uniqueness—to acknowledge his majesty, holiness, awesomeness, glory, and power.
Words fail us to describe the infinite glory of God portrayed in the Bible. And even that portrayal is dim and vague, for now we see but a poor reflection of Him. But one day we will see Him face to face, and then we will fear Him in the fullest sense of that word.
No wonder, then, that with that day in view Peter tells us to live holy and godly lives now. God is in the process of preparing us for heaven, to dwell with Him for eternity. So he desires that we grow in both holiness and godliness. He wants us to be like Him and to reverence and adore Him for all eternity. We must be learning to do this now.
In our day we seem to have magnified the love of God almost to the exclusion of the fear of God. Because of this preoccupation we are not honoring God and reverencing him as we should. We should magnify the love of God; but although we revel in his love and mercy, we must never lose sight of his majesty and his holiness.
Not only will a right concept of the fear of God cause us to worship God aright, it will also regulate our conduct. As John Murray says, “What or whom we worship determines our behavior.” Albert N. Martin has said that the essential ingredients of the fear of God are (1) correct concepts of God’s character, (2) a pervasive sense of God’s presence, and (3) a constant awareness of our obligation to God. If we have some comprehension of God’s infinite holiness and His hatred of sin, coupled with this pervasive sense of God’s presence in all of our actions and thoughts, then such a fear of God must influence and regulate our conduct.
It is interesting to note how wisdom is connected to, or stems from, the fear of God. Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.
It is interesting to note the spiritual requirements for gaining wisdom begins with reverence:
- Reverence (Pr. 9:10)
- Humility (Pr. 11:2, 15:33)
- Teachableness (Pr. 9:9, 15:31, 19:20)
- Diligence (Pr. 8:17, 2:4-5)
- Uprightness (Pr. 2:7)
- Faith (James 1:5-8).
Some reduce the fear of God to “respecting” Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.
Conclusion: Believers are not to be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe. This “reverence” checks our spirit for carnal desires, reasoning, actions and reactions unworthy of Him, His Kingdom and His Church on earth. Indeed, the remedy of carnality is the reverence of God.