The conclusion of the matter

The conclusion of the matter

Scripture:- Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

Observation:- At the end of Ecclesiastes, this is the final thought and conclusion that King Solomon leaves with us. There is no point in doing anything else really except for 2 things:- Fear God and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty, the whole purpose of man and only in doing these will we be content and fulfill our purpose in life.

What does “fear God” mean? God is a God of love, who loves to gather us like a hen gathers her chicks, like a shepherd gathers his lambs. In another place, Paul writes “In perfect love, there is no fear”. Jesus also said freely “Come to Me”. Even little children came to Jesus without fear. Where then is the place of fear?

As I thought about it, I realized that of course, there is a place for love, and freely coming to God and enjoying His presence and His kindness. However, there is also a dark side to each one of us as human beings, a compulsion to sin, a desire not to walk by the Spirit but to walk by the pleasures of the flesh which we know are wrong but still desire to do. It is in that place, that the fear of God protects us and keeps us from following the wrong paths. Men without fear of God engage liberally in as many sins as they want.

The fear of God also keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves. Job, who had felt he had been righteous enough in the sight of God was humbled and fell down in repentance when confronted by the holiness and power of God. Therefore, we need to keep the fear of God with us as a base to keep us from sin, and thinking too highly of ourselves. Nevertheless, we should not live moment to moment thinking that there is an angry God waiting to punish us which is not a true reflection at all of who God is. God is holy, yet God is loving. We need to fear Him yet love Him and draw close to Him. As we get to know Him deeper and deeper, we begin to fear less and less, but love more and more, but we should never lose our reverence and awareness of the great glory and holiness of God.

The second thing we must do is to keep God’s commandments. The people of Israel tried and failed to keep God’s commandments. It is impossible for us to keep the whole law and even when we break one commandment, we break the whole law. How then can we really, perfectly keep God’s commandments in our human weakness?

Under the new covenant of grace, Jesus has justified us by His righteousness and given us the Holy Spirit to help us live according to God’s ways. When we walk in the Spirit, we will exhibit the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Hence, we should seek the Holy Spirit every day and seek to live by Him and we will automatically keep God’s commandments.

Application: Carry the fear of God with us to turn us away from sin. Love God dearly and deeply, but also revere His holiness. Obey His commandments not by our own strength but depend on His Holy Spirit, and seek to live being constantly guided by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives us.

Prayer: O Lord, let me always fear and revere Your holiness yet also draw near to You in love and know You more and more. Help me seek Your Spirit that I may obey Your commandments and please You in what I do. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.