Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. There is no need to caution men against the fear of God. The tendency to-day is not to fear too much, but too little. I. FEAR GOD. Godly fear is salutary. 1. It fosters reverence. 2. It guards virtue. 3. It restrains from sin. 4. It impels to obedience; to the — II. KEEPING OF GOD'S COMMANDMENTS; of the commandment. 1. To repent. 2. To believe in the Lord Jesus. These are preliminary — to keeping — 3. The great commandment; and — 4. That "like unto it," and the command — 5. To walk in "all the statutes of the Lord." III. "THIS IS THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN;" rather, "this is the whole" — that is, this is everything — "so far as man's life is concerned." This is everything as it relates — 1. To faith. 2. To experience. 3. To conduct. 4. To service. Thus you get the complete man. (R. C. Cowell) Parallel Verses KJV: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. |
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