El temor de Dios

The Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me. Therefore, go around the world teaching and preaching the gospel to every creature, to the last of the earth. In contact with the Ministry of Biblical Teaching of Dr. Charles Stanley. Hoy en el programa en contacto, El Temor de Dios. El titulo de este mensaje, El Temor de Dios. Al oir esto, usted se pregunta, ¿debo tenerle miedo a Dios? ¿O acaso significa otra cosa? Cuando se usa en la escritura, por supuesto, ¿debo tener miedo a Dios si vivo en pecado? Él es un Dios santo, un Dios justo. El Temor de Dios. Bien, si tiene miedo o no, depende de cómo viva. Si vive en pecado, desde luego que tiene derecho total a temerle a Dios. Él dice, el alma que pecare morirá. La paga del pecado es muerte. Está establecido que los hombres mueran una vez y luego el juicio. Si vive en pecado, tiene derecho a tenerle miedo a un Dios santo. Al único Dios, Jehová, Yahweh, Elohim, Jesucristo, el Señor, tiene derecho a temerle. ¿Pero quiere decir eso? Y ahora quisiera que vayamos al libro de Deuteronomio. Hay un versículo que quiero que leamos, ya que es muy directo. Dice algo que necesitamos oír con frecuencia. Deuteronomio capítulo 13, versículo 4 dice,

En pos de Jehová vuestro Dios andaréis, y a él temeréis. Guardaréis sus mandamientos, y escucharéis su voz. A él serviréis, y a él seguiréis. Veámoslo de nuevo, punto por punto. En pos de Jehová vuestro Dios andaréis, a él temeréis. Guardaréis sus mandamientos, y escucharéis su voz. A él serviréis, a él seguiréis. Ese es su mandato. Y entonces, ¿qué significa temer a Dios? Sencillamente esto, reverenciarle, honrarlo, exaltarlo, engrandecerlo, tenerle en gran respeto, adorarlo, tenerlo en alta estima, obedecerle, reconocerle su dignidad, honrar su posición como creador y juez de la humanidad. Si usted conoce a Cristo como salvador, eso es lo que significa temer al Dios vivo. Déjeme preguntarle, ¿teme usted a Dios? Pues nunca he pensado en temer a Dios. Creí que era un Dios de amor. Es un Dios de amor. Bueno, ¿por qué el miedo? No es miedo. No queremos decir eso. Dijimos que es tenerlo en alta estima, la más alta estima, obedecerle, exaltarlo, rendirse, someterse a él. ¿Tiene esa clase de actitud hacia Dios? Él dice que hay que temerle. Ahora, la Biblia dice en Salmo 147, Se complace Jehová en los que le temen.

Pregúntese, ¿temo yo a Dios? Si teme a Dios, ¿él se complace en usted? Si se complace, lo bendecirá. Así que, evitemos confundirnos. No hablamos de tenerle miedo a Dios. Hablamos de tenerlo en la más alta estima, lo cual nos lleva a obedecerlo y seguirlo. Dios se complace en los que le temen. Y vea lo que dice en el Salmo 33.8, Tema Jehová toda la tierra. Teman delante de él todos los habitantes del mundo. Y pensando en los dos ladrones en la cruz con Jesús, Jesús está en medio y uno de ellos le reprocha fuertemente diciendo, ¿por qué no te bajas mientras el otro ladrón le pregunta, ¿ni aún temes tú a Dios? Le haré una pregunta. Si temer significa tenerlo en la más alta estima, honrarlo, obedecerlo, entregarse, rendirse a él, seguirlo y adorarlo, ¿teme usted a Dios? Or is it just someone he talks to, someone he prays to in case of an emergency, someone he sometimes thinks of when he's in trouble, when he doesn't know what to do and is afraid? Who is this God? The Bible says we must fear the living God. So with that in mind, let's look at what the world thinks of God. Think about that for a moment. It says we fear Him, but what does the world think of Him? Let's go to Romans chapter 3. I want you to look at what the world thinks. We're talking about fearing God. The Bible says in Romans 3, verse 10,

No hay justo ni aun uno. No hay quien entienda, no hay quien busque a Dios. Todos se desviaron, aun se hicieron inútiles. No hay quien haga lo bueno, no hay, ni siquiera uno. Sepulcro abierto en su garganta, con su lengua engañan, veneno de áspides hay debajo de sus labios. Su boca está llena de maldición y de amargura. Sus pies se apresuran para derramar sangre. Quebranto y desventura hay en sus caminos, y no conocieron camino de paz. No hay temor de Dios delante de sus ojos. Aquí se describe, en este capítulo, cómo es el mundo. No hay temor de Dios ante sus ojos. Esa es la idea que tienen. Tal como ven la vida y el mundo, no hay temor de Dios. Ni se honra a Dios. Para ellos, Dios es un problema porque estorba su camino. Y un Dios santo que no tolera el pecado. Y este Dios no permitirá que su vida en el pecado sea cómoda o sea divertida. Puede que tenga breves momentos de felicidad o gozo, pero muy breves. Pues el Dios santo odia el pecado. No odia al pecador, pero sí odia al pecado. Por lo que el pecado hace en sus hijos. Puede pensar que el pecado es divertido. Dios lo ve como un daño para su voluntad, su propósito y plan para su vida. Quisiera entonces que entienda lo que significa temer al Dios vivo. Porque un día toda rodilla se doblará y toda lengua confesará que Jesús es el Señor para gloria de Dios. La gente que vive en pecado piensa, ¿para qué necesito a Dios en mi vida? ¿Para que no muera separado eternamente de Dios? Sin poder llegar a ser jamás la persona que Dios quería que fuera.

¿Y por qué no llegará al cielo? Si no teme a Dios, no llegará al cielo. Si no teme a Dios y muere en ese estado, se irá al infierno. Cuando le da la espalda a Dios, le da la espalda a su única esperanza. Aquel que lo ama, lo cuida y quiere lo mejor para usted. Pero él no hará que lo siga, ni hará que lo ame, ni que lo obedezca. El temor de Dios es algo sagrado. Así que piense en eso y así mismo en lo que dice en su palabra, está establecido que los hombres mueran una vez y luego el juicio. ¿No quiere a Dios en su vida? Déjeme decirle algo. No importa lo que crea, no puede evitar el juicio de Dios santo, quien lo ama, pero está dispuesto a darle el libre albedrío si decide no amar. Y si decide morir sin él, dejará que tenga lo que quiere contra su voluntad. ¡Qué absurdo! La Biblia dice que Dios es santo y hay que andar en santidad ante él. Usted dirá, ¿no existe la santidad? Sí existe. No dije sin pecado, ni perfecto, sino santo. Todavía crecemos. Si ve que un creyente que omite un error aquí o allá, o que peca contra Dios y le pide perdón, no son perfectos. El único que es perfecto murió en la cruz, resucitó, y ahora sentado junto al Padre intercede por usted y por mí. Dios es santo. Debemos temerle de la manera correcta. Así que, quisiera que veamos por qué debemos temerle. ¿Qué dice la Biblia? We saw a moment ago that the reason why we have to fear Him, as it says in Deuteronomy,

is because this is how He commands us. Remember what He said, He said it very clearly, In the place of Jehovah your God will walk, and you will fear Him. You will keep His commandments, and you will hear His voice. You will serve Him, and you will serve Him. This is what God commands each one of us. And so, why do we have to fear Him? Because He commands it, and because the Bible says that this is the beginning of wisdom. Look at what Proverbs 1.7 says. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Jehovah. There are many people who think they are intelligent, but listen carefully. You can have 30 titles in 30 different subjects. You can be an expert over all the other experts. You can be an erudite in many things, but if you don't fear God, you don't know the most important thing in life, which is your relationship with the Holy God, and you don't know who He is. God says that it is the beginning of wisdom, genuine wisdom. You may know many things, but life is learning that God is the beginning of wisdom. In Proverbs 9, verse 10, the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom. Do you want to be wise? The school will not make you wise, nor will the titles it has make you wise. In the Bible, wisdom begins with fearing God. Knowing what to do, when and how to do it, what to believe and what not to believe. Someone wise is the one in whom God lives and in whose life He makes life a reality, which He proposed that person have. God is a holy God. And I ask you, do you want to be a wise person? Of course you do. Well, where to start? Start with the Almighty Lord. He is a wise God, and He gives His wisdom to those who are willing to ask for it,

willing to give their lives, willing to surrender. That is why there are people who often do not seem to have much education. But when you sit down and talk to them, you think, Lord, how did they learn that and that and the other and the rest? Because God gives wisdom to those who seek it in Him. I remember some people I have met in my life. Most of them have been grandmothers. With an immense wisdom that makes me feel small. And years of obeying God, of surrendering to Him and seeing Him work. A pious grandmother is one of the most powerful people on this earth. A pious grandmother who has lived her life and has gone through all kinds of difficulty and affliction and still smiles, prays, and thanks God for who He is. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 16, verse 6 says, Listen to this. The fear of God sets it apart from sin. When we fear God, we do not want to sin in our life. Maybe there is something here or there, but you resolve it, repent and fix it. Because the God who lives in your being will give you a desire for justice, a just life, a pious life. And if the Bible says that He and wisdom, the fear of God, sets us apart from evil, what is its purpose in setting us apart from sin? To prevent us from damaging, from ruining our lives. The wisdom of God helps us in every area of life. And if you have a big question in mind, for example, and you try to make an important decision in your life, if you are quite ready, not only will human wisdom want it, but the wisdom of the Holy God, who sees the beginning and the end all at the same time, and knows all the complexities of everything He will face at the same time,

the wisdom of God, to fear God, not to be afraid of Him, but to trust Him. Then the Bible says in Proverbs 3, 7 and 8, Look at what it says, Look at what it says, Abusing it is abusing the house of God. There are people who drink, go to parties, abuse their bodies in many ways, and say, You know what? It doesn't hurt me. But it does hurt you. But if you give a radius to your body, what does it say? It says that it will bring medicine to your body and refrigerant to your bones. Think about this. God loves him so much that he gave him a physical body in which he lives. And he lives in his body to speak through you. And also to love and help. And he can enjoy life. And what does it say? That it is medicine to his body and refrigerant to his bones. It doesn't mean that if he obeys God, he will live up to 100 years. That doesn't guarantee any number of years, and it doesn't guarantee this. If you know Jesus as Savior, that guarantees a body inhabited by God who will give you the best. Now look at this. Proverbs 14.26 In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence. Wow, is that true? In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence. When one depends on God and lives a straight life, there is a feeling of confidence. Confidence, courage, what is it? It is God in his being, living his life in you. It is he in his being who faces what you face, and assures you that you can overcome it. Confidence, courage, security.

The fear of God. The reason for that is because he has God in his being. And because he is a believer. And by having God in his being, when he faces a situation, he will not face it alone. He will face it with him. Because he lives in his being. Everything he faces in life, he will do in the presence of the Holy God. Whoever loves him and wants the best for you. Fearing God is the wisest thing in life. Then it says, listen to this. Psalm 145 verse 19. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He will hear their cry and he will save them. Listen. When you live the kind of life that God wants, and decide to follow it and obey it, it says, God will fulfill the desires of your heart. Listen. People see God as, as if he were a spiritual monster, waiting for someone to sin. He is a majestic God who loves us. And it says, he will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. You will say, I think my desires don't go well with God. So I don't fear him? It is not that he will have this or that kind of desire. If he fears him, he will desire what he wants him to desire. And it says, he will fulfill the desire of his heart. Trust in God. He will fulfill the desire of his heart. I think there are many people who face difficult situations, who wonder why things don't work out.

Why doesn't this work out? Why don't I have what I need? Where is God in all this? Does he fear God? Does he live the kind of life that opens the door for God to answer his prayer? Psalm 34.7. The angel of Jehovah camps around those who fear him. Listen to that. The angel of Jehovah camps around those who fear him. When we fear God, We have His divine protection. And well, I would like to make a proposal to you. Perhaps you are going through a difficult situation or perhaps you are overflowing with joy. I would like to make a proposal to you. It will warm your heart every time you read it. Read Psalm 91 completely. Well, if you have the living translation of the Bible, it is the easiest to understand. Psalm 91. People do not understand the amazing power of God. Or when He is willing to manifest, it is said, He encampments us, He protects us, He fulfills the desires of the heart. And now let us see Proverbs 19.23. The fear of Jehovah is for life. Not only the beating of the heart. Real life. The true life. And I think of those people who try to live their life looking for happiness, looking for peace, looking for joy, looking for this and that. And the truth is, that the source of what they are looking for is the same person they have tried to separate.

The fear of God. The fear of God is the source of all unimaginable blessing. Because you try to honor Him, you want to listen to Him, you seek to obey Him, you turn to Him, you are waiting for Him, you surrender to Him. Disobeying Him is absurd. Disobeying Him is costly. Disobeying Him is a great disappointment. Disobeying Him is something vain. And obeying Him and fearing Him is great. Look at this verse. Proverbs 10.27. The fear of Jehovah will increase the days. For how long? I don't know the answer to that. I'll tell you something. Look, someone who lives 40 or 50 years trusting and following God has more life than someone who lives physically until 70 without God. You may be here, but without God you are not living. Let's say you live here, but you have before you the fearful judgment of God who offers you an opportunity and is willing to save you, to help you, to guide you, to protect you and to all the things we just read and much more, willing to do so much for you if you trust in Him and surrender your life to Him. And if you parents don't do it, don't expect your children to do it. Do you want your children, do you want the best for your children? Listen to me, grandmother, grandfather, father, mother. Do you want the best for your children? Surrender your life to God. Fear Him and live before your children a straight life. It is the most effective thing you can do for your family.

The most effective. Think about this. Fearing God is elementary in your salvation. No one can be saved if first of all God does not surrender Himself. So we are saved by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus who now lives in our being and gives us the best of ourselves. Sometimes we fail, but He forgives us. And He does not change, God does not change His appearance over us. He knows us to perfection. I would tell you that the wisest decision you can make is to fear the living God, to honor Him, to obey Him, to exalt Him in your life, to praise Him, to worship Him, and to believe in Him for salvation. The moment you decide to believe what He says, God will change your life. Because He loved the world so much that He has given His only begotten Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in Him may confess their sins and give Him their life, may have eternal life. I only tell you this. Fearing God is incredible. Fearing God is an incredible blessing. Fearing God is an incredible promise. And there is much more than I have said. Let me ask you, do you fear Him? Is it the first thing in your life? When you go to bed at night, do you talk to Him? When you get up in the morning, do you talk to Him? When you get in your car to go to work, do you talk to Him? When you work with people who don't trust Him, who don't love Him or believe Him,

do you ask God for them? Do you fear the Living God? Do you ask Him for your life? It is the best decision you can make. And it is my prayer for you, in the name of Jesus. Father, thank you for your love, your forgiveness, your kindness, and an endless number of blessings that you have reserved for us. Teach us all to fear you, that we may not forget what we have heard. And let us trust in you when everything around us looks bad. Even when you are alive, in our hearts, fear you, that we may not fear anything or anyone else. Thank you for that, in the name of Jesus. Amen. If this program has been a blessing to you, please visit encontacto.org. Trusting God every day can be challenging, but cultivating this trust gives us a joy and peace that we could not find alone. Trust in God at all times. The new daily devotional of the teachings of Dr. Charles Stanley encourages us to believe in the love of God and to rest in His purposes. To purchase it, visit encontacto.org. Request your free booklet, In Peace and Quietude, a guide to experience God's peace in times of anxiety. Thank you.