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. The fear of God which he holds up before us, as the whole work and duty and happiness of man, is such a fear as blends with love, and issues in all holy obedience, in the keeping of God's commandments, heartily, impartially, universally. I. THE PRINCIPLE OF RELIGION. This is the fear of God, not such a dread as wicked men have, and which makes them tremble — like the devils in their prison beneath, but a holy and reverential sense of His majesty — a belief in His presence, power, and goodness — the adoration of His love and wisdom — the reliance upon His providence and the dread of His displeasure. By consequence, the fear of God includes our belief in Him, as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word. The fear of God which I now commend to you is a mixed feeling — love, faith, confidence must blend with it. This is the inward principle of religion — without it there can be no acceptable worship. There are two extremes from which it is alike distant. The one extreme is that dread, which engenders superstition and human devices for its palliation and removal. II. THIS FEAR IS SEEN IN ITS RESULTS — it necessarily leads to practice; it is in connection with duty and obedience. When we see the movements of a clock, or any complex machine, we know that there is a power at work within. If the hands of a watch move, we know that there is a cause; the result follows of course. It is so with the outward acts of religion when they are right; they spring from the inward principle. The great virtue of this inward principle is, that it actuates man in his conduct universally; it gives a right aim and tendency both to his desires and affections — both to his words and works. To govern the tongue, to restrain the appetites of the body, to correct the temper, to keep down the swellings of pride, the suggestions of malice and revenge, to curb all dishonesty in desire and action, to secure temperance, soberness, and chastity; "to keep the hands from picking and stealing, and the tongue from evil speaking, lying, and slandering;" to establish truth and integrity in the deep places of the heart; these are all results flowing from an inward principle of the fear of God. III. THIS IS THE WHOLE OF MAN; his whole duty, his highest achievement, his noblest work. (H. J. Hastings, M. A.) 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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