What we listen to and what we preach are vitally important to us as believers...

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So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. -- Matthew 5: 19 (NLT)

There is much confusion in the body of Christ these days. Either because people have been hurt in their church experiences or because we are always looking for loopholes to excuse our pitiful sin condition, Scripture is often used to justify the very things God stands against. The Bible is very clear and for the most part very simple. The problem is that sometimes we simply do not like what it says. So we try to find ways around it either through human logic and well reasoned arguments or through bending Scripture until we think it looks the way we want it instead of the way God intended it. The Bible is inerrant and infallible. It is what we base our lives on. Scripture should never be dismissed. It never contradicts itself. You should never be able to look at one Scripture and with that in hand use it to dismiss another Scripture as somehow not being applicable.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. -- 2Timothy 3: 16-17 (NLT)

ALL Scripture! Not some verses. Not a verse here and a verse there -- just the ones that I can use. Look, I think sometimes we do things backwards. The inspired Word of God is meant to show us what is wrong in our life as the above verse says. I think what we do sometimes is we have a preset idea that we like, for example -- God is love. We then take that idea and we Scripture hunt for support of our preset idea. We find support and use it to dismiss the portions of Scripture that might disagree with our pre set idea. Of course God is love but that is only one of His attributes. God is also wrath and judgment but we don't like talking about that too much.

There is a move in this country towards a feel-good Gospel. It teaches things we want to hear instead of things we do not. It is at best an imbalanced Gospel and at worst it is rank heresy. It will over-emphasize the love of God at the expense of the fear of God. Usually the verses used are found in Galatians:

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I'll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace. -- Galatians 5: 1-4 (NLT)

The first rule of Bible interpretation is always context. Paul is writing to the Church at Galatia who was being influenced to consider the Law of Moses in addition to the grace of God through Christ Jesus. Clearly Paul is speaking about how they were justifying themselves. But those who believe that we are past the age of law will say that this renders all of the fear of God Scriptures somehow irrelevant. Not one dot above an "I" in the Word of God will ever be rendered irrelevant in this lifetime:

"Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. -- Matthew 5: 17-18 (NLT)

Too many are misunderstanding in these the end days. The work of Jesus Christ on the cross dealt with our sin issue before God -- it did not change who God is. Do we honestly believe that God contradicted Himself? That He changed His mind even though His Word says that He does not change His mind? Is it OK now because of grace to murder and commit adultery? Of course not:

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? -- Romans 6: 1-2 (NLT)

I have heard the defense that Galatians verse says we are not to be entangled with slavery again. That is only half right. We were slaves to the law when we were unsaved and in the world. We were slaves to it without even knowing. What made us slaves was that on judgment day, that was what was going to be used to condemn us. Once we accept Christ and have a true relationship with Him, we are no longer slaves to the law because now we will be judged according to the blood Jesus shed at Calvary -- when He took our sins away. But that does not mean I am no longer a slave, just that I am no longer a slave to the law. But again, what does the Bible teach us:

Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. -- Romans 6: 15-18 (NLT)

So when we were in the world we obeyed sin and now that we are saved we are supposed to"obey God. It is God who wants us to be slaves to righteousness. It seems some of the confusion is over the relationship of the fear of the Lord to salvation. The logic usually says that because I am saved, why would I fear God? I know I am going to heaven and I should not have to walk in condemnation when I am saved. The logic is flawed because it incorrectly assumes that the fear of heaven and hell is the only reason why we should ever fear the Lord. While our eternal destination is an important example of why we should fear God it is not the only example. We could fear the Lord and His chastening:

And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, "My child, don't make light of the Lord 's discipline, and don't give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child." -- Hebrews 12: 5-6 (NLT)

Somehow we got the love of God even confused. We secularize that love. We turn it into something like we see on a Hallmark commercial. I saw a preacher yesterday correctly state that the most terrifying fact in the Bible is that God is love -- why? Because we are so bad; what is He supposed to do with us? If God did not chasten and rebuke us then we might never learn. We might never change our patterns. We might never mature. How in the world would that be love? It is because God loves us that He chastens us. It is because God is just that He must not tolerate our sin.

Another good reason to have a healthy fear of the Lords is that He is so holy and we are so not. It is not that we are cowering in fear of a lightning bolt but rather that we are absolutely terrified of forgetting who He is! Why? Because it is when we forget the fear of the Lord that sin creeps into our life. It is when we think we do not have to fear the Lord that we can more easily fall from the grace God has bestowed upon us. When David saw Bathsheba bathing he had lost the fear of the Lord. Because if he had it, he would have been deathly afraid of committing adultery and murder. In the New Testament, Ananias and Sapphira did not fear the Lord when they lied to the Apostles about how much money they got for a sale of a piece of property. It isn't just about the fear of heaven and hell. Disobedience to God has its consequences in this world too. David lost his kingdom and three sons would die as a result of his fearlessness. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit.

The law is still vitally important to us as believers because it is who God is. It also provides the framework for who God wants us to be. It is too easy to dismiss it because of the work of the cross. The key verse today implores us that not even the least commandment should be ignored. Why? Because as the verses to Timothy state, it corrects us when we are wrong, teaches us what is right, and prepares us for the works God has for us to do. The inherent problem with the grace argument is that it is lazy and selfish. It says I do not have to worry about being corrected because Jesus paid the price. It says I do not have to worry about being taught because Jesus paid the price. It says I do not have to be prepared for the works God will have me do because Jesus paid the price. It is specifically because Jesus paid our price that we should be open to correction, teachable in our Spirit and prepared for the work God has for us.

What is most interesting in the key verse today is it addresses not only what we might believe but what we might try and teach others. Listen, not everyone is called to impart the Word of God. There is a difference between witnessing to what Jesus has done in your life, which we are all called to do, and teaching Biblical truths. God is warning us here to be very careful before we dare take the Word of God to people in an authoritative role, especially if no one has given you that authority. Paul in his second letter to Timothy:

Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. -- 2Timothy 2: 14-18 (NKJV)

If we were to be honest with ourselves we would admit there are far too many opinions in the church, usually based upon personality and not the Word.   Sure there may be enough of the Word to justify a position but not to genuinely teach. Of no profit to the ruined hearers. It is often these false teachings that spread like cancer -- poisoning the body against the true doctrine of God. God warns us here that the result is often the overthrow of some faith. This is how some start to chase after myths. This is how such heretical teachings as the holy laughter debacle can be so widely accepted. The Bible warns us that people will start to move toward becoming intolerant of sound doctrine. They will gather around them teachers that will tickle their ears to what they want to hear. We all want to hear that sin is not that important -- but it is not true. We all want to hear that "love wins" - but it doesn't because God wins. We all want to hear that this is our best life - but we know our best life is always eternal. We all want to hear that those pesky 613 Mosaic laws do not matter anymore -- but dear Lord they matter even more now.

Which leads us to the concluding point and that is there are levels of rewards in heaven. I think sometimes we get saved and think that's it. Nothing left to strive for. That is incorrect. Look what the key verse warns. Those that teach the wrong thing about the laws of God will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven! Those who hold to it and teach it correctly will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. We would do well to heed the teachings of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven:

"So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, "Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' -- Matthew 25: 20-21 (NKJV)

Salvation is the starter's pistol shot for the race, not the tape of the finish line. What we do and how we work our salvation is infinitely important to God. The Bible says to work it out with fear and trembling. One of the greatest fears I have is God allowing me to be turned over to the desires of my flesh without Holy Spirit conviction. Be careful who you listen to and who you follow. What are their qualifications? Does their life bear the fruit of the Spirit? Is the Word used for illumination or defense of pre-set ideologies? The Bible instructs us to test everything! Be careful in what you try and teach people regarding the Word of God. Are you called to do so? Is your theology in line with Scripture or do you seek to be dismissive of one while in favor of another? God doesn't do salad bar theology. Approach these things as if lives depend on them because it surely does.

Reverend Anthony Wade -- May 20, 2012

Authors Bio:
Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.