Do Not Be Haughty, but Fear

Do Not Be Haughty, but Fear

What should I be afraid of, fear, and watch out for? I should be afraid of sinning, of displeasing God. I should be afraid of being left behind when the cups of God’s wrath are poured out over the earth instead of being with Jesus when He enters into His glory and returns soon to fetch His bride. Yes, I should fear being rejected!

Above all things I ought to fear haughtiness, because if that finds a place in me, my fall is assured. Pride comes before a fall. Only humble people and those who humble themselves receive grace. Only by humbling myself do I continue in God’s goodness. Then I will remain standing; otherwise I will also be cut off. Regardless of how God-fearing I have lived previously, I am bound to fall the day on which I harbor exalted thoughts about myself. Nothing else is of any use. It is terribly serious! God does not accept anything else as a substitute for humility. He who was for me previously, becomes my adversary on the day that I become haughty. Then I have fallen into the snare of the devil. Nothing worse can happen to a person.

With the rebellion of Korah (Jude 11; Numbers 16), God has from old established a fear-inspiring example as a warning for all the churches throughout all generations and ages. This example ought to be enough for everyone, but unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram with their wives and children and all their possessions went straight down into the pit as the earth suddenly opened up under them and swallowed them alive, because they harbored exalted thoughts about themselves and consequently dared to oppose Moses and Aaron. Yes, they “only” allowed themselves to claim that they were also holy so they could be equal to them. Just think—only that!!!

Two hundred and fifty esteemed men in the congregation who supported these three were consumed by the fire that came down from the Lord. The next day the entire congregation complained against Moses and Aaron, saying that it was their fault that all these dear brothers had fared so badly. In other words, the church had still not learned from such a powerful object lesson! Therefore the Lord became very angry again and sent a terrible plague over the congregation so that 14,700 men died.

Can you comprehend that it was this dangerous and that it would go so terribly wrong with them? If you are humble, then you understand it. Then you understand it inwardly; but if you are not able to grasp this, then watch out, for you are not far from being like them.

“Fear,” it is written. Otherwise “He may not spare you either.” Rom. 11:21. It is not to be taken for granted that you will remain standing or that you will go with Jesus when He returns. On the contrary! We see the same deadly seriousness in the next verse: “Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

“Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God,” it is written. The harlotry of our times has gained the upper hand in so-called confessing Christendom. It has gone as it was prophesied in Revelation 18:23: “For by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.”

This sorcery has had such an effect that almost none of all the thousands of people who confess their faith in Jesus and the atonement, see anything else of God’s goodness and severity except His goodness. They do not see the severity and therefore do not fear! It has become a matter of course that all those who invoke the atonement “on account of the blood” will go to heaven regardless of how ungodly their life is.

For all intents and purposes, the fear of God does not exist on earth today. Instead of a pure virgin with simple faithfulness, there is, practically speaking only complete unfaithfulness among those who call themselves Christians. That is why the entire world mocks them, and not without good cause.

There is no reason whatsoever to speak kindly about this harlot Christianity. On the contrary! It is this kind of Christianity that is mainly to blame for all the misery on earth today. When it receives its well-deserved judgment, all the saints and all those who fear Him, both the small and the great, will shout with great joy before God’s face.

It is written that the triumphing of the wicked is short (Job 20:5) while the joy of the saints, the faithful ones, is everlasting. Let us comfort and strengthen one another with these words!

Sincere thanks to all the holy, faithful, and precious friends! Unceasing thanks for time and eternity for your genuine and good brotherhood!