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

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.