If you respect God, then you will obey Him. My friend, this is absolutely good advice for life; give respect to God!

Respect God; It is Absolutely Good Advice For Life

STM Bible Study Summary

All must answer to God for what they’ve done. So our primary focus should be to “fear, respect, and obey God.” People who respect the Lord will obey Him.

Wise (absolutely good) advice for life

Note: Solomon was wiser than anyone else [1 Kings 4:31a (NIRV)]. Wisdom and knowledge are given to you; and I will give you wealth and honour, such as no king has had before you or ever will have after you. 2 Chronicles 1:12 (BBE)

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Now, what should we learn from everything that is written in this book? The most important thing a person can do is to respect God and obey his commands because he knows about everything people do—even the secret things. He knows about all the good and all the bad, and he will judge people for everything they do. (ERV)

KJV: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Think about this:

For this reason, we should give attention to and respect/fear of what God can and will do. So, I advise you to give proper respect to God.

Do you respect God“? To give respect to God means you admire Him with praise and love, mixed with awe and/or fear. When you respect God, you worship Him. In fact, you honor Him by doing what He says.

Jesus warned the people in Luke 12:4-5

My friends, don’t be afraid of people. They can kill you, but after that, there is nothing else they can do. 5 God is the one you must fear. Not only can he take your life, but he can throw you into hell. God is certainly the one you should fear! (CEV)

KJV: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Key Points:

Wisdom

Those who want wisdom respect God.

Proverbs 9:10

Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord, and understanding begins with knowing the Holy One. (NCV)

KJV: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Psalms 111:10

If you really want to become wise, you must begin by having respect for the Lord. All those who follow his rules have good understanding. People should praise him forever. (NIRV)

KJV: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Fear, respect, and reverence

Show that you fear and revere the Lord by the way you live.

Acts 9:31

And so it came about that the church, throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, enjoyed peace and became firmly established; and, ordering its life by respect for the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (OEBus)

KJV: Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Obey

Your respectful obedience to the word of God pleases Him.

Philippians 2:12-13

So then, my dear ones, just as you people were always obedient [to my teaching] when I was there with you, so now, in my absence [also], be [obedient] all the more. [Continue to] complete your own salvation [i.e., by living faithfully to the end] with fear and trembling [i.e., with a reverent and submissive spirit], 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to motivate the desire and to carry out what pleases Him. (AUV)

KJV: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Many people want respect but fail to give it. – Tim

Skip to the end.

Fear, Respect, and Reverence

Before grace fear was a key element between people and God. So, people (sinners) were to fear God (the creator) and the punishment for sin.

Jeremiah 5:22

Have you no fear of me? says the Lord; will you not be shaking with fear before me, who have put the sand as a limit for the sea, by an eternal order, so that it may not go past it? and though it is ever in motion, it is not able to have its way; though the sound of its waves is loud, they are not able to go past it. (BBE)

KJV: Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

H3372 yare’ – fear

Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon: H3372 יָרֵא yare’ (yaw-ray’) v. to fear, be afraid.

Love of God

However, under grace, through Jesus, the focus is the love of God. Thus, love gives the power to control (self) and avoid sin. As a result, only those who continue in sin need to fear the Lord.

1 John 4:18

There is no [reason for] fear if one [really] loves, but a complete love removes fear [from us] because fear produces punishment [i.e., mental anxiety], and the person who is [always] afraid does not have a complete love. (AUV)

KJV: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

How to Respect God

When we respect God, we pay attention to him and give him special consideration. In other words, we honor him and treat him with admiration (worship). As a result, the child of God reveres God by obeying His rules. That is the proper way to give respect to God or respect him.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So we should make ourselves pure—free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become perfect in the way we live, because we respect God. (ICB)

KJV: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

G5401 phobos – fear

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: φόβος phobos (fo’-ɓos) n. reverence, respect (for authority, rank, dignity); KJV=fear.

Reverence/revere

Definition

To reverence is to regard with fear mingled with respect and affection/esteem. It is a deep respect and high regard mixed with fear and love. In fact, it is spiritual and not tied to our feelings, it comes from the soul. However, when it is linked to awe, then it is a deep emotion or feeling.

The only use of reverence as it relates to God

Hebrews 12:28-29

Let us be thankful, because we will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship (serve) (intensely adore) God in a way that will please him, with reverence (respect) and awe (KJV—godly fear). 29 Our God is a destroying (consuming) fire. (NSB)

KJV: Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

G127 aidos – reverence

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon: αἰδώς aidos (ai-d̮ōs’) n. a sense of shame or honour, modesty, bashfulness, reverence, regard for others, respect.

Skip to the end.

Honor/Obey God

Honor, when used of the Lord, is first of all, to reverence i.e., to have deep respect for God. B) to adore i.e., to honor as God or as divine. C) to worship i.e., to perform acts of praise or respect. That is how we give honor to God.

Matthew 15:7-9

You who pretend to be someone you are not, Isaiah told about you. He said, 8 ’These people show respect to Me with their mouth, but their heart is far from Me. 9 Their worship of Me is worth nothing. They teach what men have made up.’” (NLV)

KJV: Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

How do we honor God?

Open your hearts and let the word of God minister to you as you read and study. God is to be held in the highest esteem but we must be mindful that God will still be God regardless of our praise and respect or lack of. We honor God with worship and serving Him. No other being is worthy.

Revelation 4:11

“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” (NKJV)

KJV: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Isaiah 2:11

Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. (NLT)

KJV: The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Be holy

The Lord chose YOU to be set apart for Him (i.e., be holy). So I urge you to honor God. Live so that He will receive praise through you (Ephesians 1:12). That is another way to give respect to God.

Ephesians 1:3-4

How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every blessing in heaven because we belong to Christ. 4 Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single fault—we who stand before him covered with his love. (TLB)

KJV: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Obey

One of the best ways to show that you appreciate God is to obey Him. When you obey God, you submit to His authority. You meet the requirements given in the Scriptures. Above all, it is to freely agree to fair limits and control.

James 1:22

Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it. (CEV)

KJV: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

So be obedient as a faithful servant

Romans 6:22-23

But now that you have been set free from the control of sin, and have become servants to God, the fruit that you reap is an ever increasing holiness [holy living], and the end eternal life. 23 The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through union with Christ Jesus, our Lord. (OEBus)

KJV: But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Skip to the end.

Respect God wrap-up

Psalm 33:8-9

Worship the Lord, all the earth! Honor him, all peoples of the world! 9 When he spoke, the world was created; at his command everything appeared (GNT).

KJV:

If you believe the Lord is supreme and our creator. Then you have many reasons to respect God. He is to be feared and revered/respected; do you agree?

God will judge

1 Peter 4:17-18

The time has come when God will start to judge people. He will first judge the people who belong to him. If he will start with his own people, what will happen to other people? They have refused to obey God’s good news, so it will surely be very bad for them. 18 The Bible says [Proverbs 11:31]: ‘When God saves righteous people, that is a difficult thing. It will surely be much worse for people who turn away from God and who do bad things.’ (EASY)

KJV: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

I cannot stress the importance of the fear of and respect for God; it is absolutely good advice for life. Learn to fear, honor, worship, obey, and give respect to God our Lord. I pray that you have enjoyed and will make the most of this Bible study. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺

Outline

Note: parenthesis (#) encloses the key verse(s).

Summary

• Wise (absolutely good) advice for life: Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 (13-14) [references: 2 Corinthians 6:11-7:1 [6:14-7:1; (6:16-18 and 7:1)].

• Think about this: Luke 12:4-7 (4-5).

• Key Points: Proverbs 9:10-12 (10); Psalms 111:10; Acts 9:31; and Philippians 2:12-18 (12-13).

Fear, Respect, and Reverence

• Jeremiah 5:18-31 (22 and 29).

• Love of God: 1 John 4:17-19 (18).

• How to Respect God: 2 Corinthians 7:1-12 (1).

• Reverence/revere: Hebrews 12:25-29 (28-29).

Honor/Obey God

• Matthew 15:1-9 (7-9).

• How do we honor God?: Revelation 4:1-11 (11) and Isaiah 2:1-22 (10-11).

• Be holy: Ephesians 1:3-14 (3-4).

• Obey: James 1:21-27 (22) and Romans 6:15-23 (22-23).

Respect God wrap-up

• Psalms 33:1-15 (8-9).

• God will judge: 1 Peter 4:12-19 (17-18).

Related studies/lessons/snacks for further spiritual growth:

Worship God In Spirit And Truth; That Pleases Him! – an estimated 5-minute read.

We Found 15 Special Gifts; Spiritual Gifts From God – an estimated 29-minute read.

True Worship Is Not Tradition, But What Pleases God! – an estimated 19-minute read.

Godly Wisdom; 5 Really Simple Steps To This Ability – an estimated 19-minute read.

Choose Friends Carefully, A Warning To All Godly People – an estimated 9-minute read.

♥ Question for “Respect God; It is Absolutely Good Advice For Life”: Is your hope in the Lord and eternal life?

See what is available on the Sound Truth Ministry website.

I look forward to your feedback via comment at the bottom of the page or by emailing tim@stministry.com. Have a fantabulous day!