Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there and built Penuel. Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to David’s house. If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and behold your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” He set the one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. This thing became a sin, for the people went even as far as Dan to worship before the one there. He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar to burn incense.”
(1 Kings 12:25-33)

“Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit.”
(1 Corinthians 12:1-3)

When God appoints you, only God can un-appoint you. Yet so often we don’t think in those terms. Jeroboam didn’t think in those terms. He was afraid to go worship in Jerusalem because only the king of Judah could sit in the Temple – which meant he would appear subservient because he would have to stand. The kings of the Northern Tribes encouraged worship in non-God appointed places led by non-Levite priests so that their people wouldn’t go to Judah and choose to remain there in order to properly worship God – that is to worship God in the way and in the places that God says is proper. So out came the golden calves. The king led the people astray. He put a stumbling block before them and actively helped them to stumble. All because he feared the loss of his position.

To a church filled with Gentile believers who had all come from pagan backgrounds, Paul proclaimed proper worship. He proclaimed it and encouraged them to hold to what they had been taught. To hold to what had brought them to God in the first place: Jesus and what Jesus had accomplished. He encouraged them not to fall to any idol – whether physical or not. We need to remember the proper teachings of the Word. It’s all about us aligning with God’s point of view, not trying to find some other way (a way WE like better) to do what He says. A friend of God is one who obeys God. A friend of God is one who loves God. A friend of God is NOT someone who puts other commands, other directives, and other guidance in the place of God. It doesn’t matter what it FEELS like. What matters is what God SAYS.

Summary

We need to not fear what other people will do or what they will say. It doesn’t matter what their opinion is, what education they have, or how they feel about something. It doesn’t matter what the law is. It doesn’t matter what is socially acceptable. What matters is what GOD says. God’s point of view. God’s moral character. How GOD feels about something. It would be hard to figure out if He hadn’t given us His Word. We have an instruction book teaching us all about Himself, His moral character, and what He says is proper and good conduct. We have a way to find out what to do and what not to do. We have a way to find out if it is good or not. And we have someone to ask when things get fuzzy. We need to put God first, keep open our communication to Him, and LISTEN to what He says. Anything else puts us in a place where we have rejected Him.