Page 33 - The Christian Life and the Church Life_Government of God
P. 33

The Christian Life under the Government of God             32


        must follow the model of our Lord, so that we too can commit all things to
        the Judge who judges righteously.

         OUR NEEDING TO BE HUMBLED UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND
          OF GOD, WHICH CARRIES OUT THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD

             We should be humbled under the mighty hand of God, which carries out
        the government of God (v. 6). This is found in 1 Peter 5:6.

               In Verse Six the Mighty Hand of God Referring to God’s
               Administrating Hand Seen Especially in His Judgment

            In verse 6 the mighty hand of God refers to God’s administrating hand
        seen  especially  in  His judgment  (1:17;  4:17).  We  know that the  Lord’s
        judgment is for Him to carry out His government. First Peter 1:17 says, “And
        if you call as Father the One who without respect of persons judges according
        to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear.” This means that
        we should pass our time on this earth in fear. The word “fear” is used quite a
        few times in the Epistles of Peter, since they are books on the government of
        God (1 Pet. 1:17, 2:17-18, 3:2, 16). Philippians 2:12 tells us that we need to
        work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. If you read the footnote,
        it tells us that we cannot do this by ourselves. We can only let God do it for
        us. Praise the Lord that God operates in us both the willing and the working.
        Hence, in response to this word, “pass the time of your sojourning in fear”,
        we must pray, “Lord, keep us in the fear of God.”
            In the recent crystallization-study of Deuteronomy, the brothers spoke of
        the need to fear Jehovah. Last December, all my children came to Anaheim
        and they all participated in this training. Then on the last day of the year,
        we knelt before the Lord together and prayed that the Lord would keep us
        in the fear of God. I told my children and their wives that we must always
        remember to be in the fear of God.
            If you look at the situation in society today, people say things and do
        things as if there is no God because they have no fear of God. The fear of
        God is very much related to the government of God. The Lord will do what
        He wants to do in His government, and there is no room for negotiation. Just
        like my earlier example, according to my experience, when we have offended
        the government of God, we may pray for deliverance but the Lord may not
        answer us because we are under His governmental discipline.
   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38