Dr Paul Allen

We need to make some important distinctions about the biblical meaning of "fearing" God . These distinctions can be helpful, but they can also be a little dangerous. When Luther struggled with that, he made this distinction, which has since become somewhat famous: He distinguished between what he called a  servile  fear and a  filial   fear. The servile fear is a kind of fear that a prisoner in a torture chamber has for his tormentor, the jailer, or the executioner. It's that kind of dreadful anxiety in which someone is frightened by the clear and present danger that is represented by another person. Or it's the kind of fear that a slave would have at the hands of a malicious master who would come with the whip and torment the slave.  Servile refers to a posture of servitude toward a malevolent owner. Luther distinguished between that and what he called filial fear , drawing from the Latin concept from which we get the idea of family. It refers t...

Image via Wikipedia "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." ( Psalm 111:10 )   This age has rightly been called the "age of information." With multitudes of books and periodicals in every field of study and practice, with billions of dollars devoted to all kinds of research, and now even the "information superhighway" of the Internet . It seems everyone and every organization is posting information of some sort on its own website and email. The world is almost drowning in information.   "But where shall wisdom be found and where is the place of understanding?" ( Job 28:12 ). Job's urgent question can never be answered "online," but only in an ancient book. "Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" ( Job 28:28 ).   This spiritual truism is found often in that Book. King Solom...

Image via Wikipedia At the risk of not showing honour to peers in ministry, I want to tackle the topic of honour today. I’m concerned. I see a trend in churches that I think is unhealthy . Honestly, I believe it’s also unbiblical. There are a number of churches today that are trying to teach a culture of honour. The concept of honour is biblical. In fact, Romans 12:10 tells us to: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour.” ( ESV ) We should show honour to our leaders, but God designed it to go both directions. If it’s one-way, it’s unhealthy and unbiblical. Let me explain further how God designed honor to work in church leadership. First of all, we are supposed to submit to our leaders. Hebrews 13:17 says: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” One of the wa...

Image via Wikipedia Priorities First things first. When Christians see suffering they feel empathy. We too have bodies (Hebrews 13:3). Therefore, love commands, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Then comes aid. We want to help relieve human suffering—all of it, especially eternal suffering: So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). And that includes enemies: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you ( Luke 6:27); If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink ( Romans 12:20 ). But sooner or later people want more than empathy and aid—they want answers. Proclamation and Power When love has wept and worked, it must have something to say about God . It doesn’t need to have all the answers. Only God does. But it has the Bible, and the Bible is not silent on this matter. No earthquakes in the Bible are attributed to Satan. Many are attributed to ...

Image via Wikipedia Priorities First things first. When Christians see suffering they feel empathy. We too have bodies (Hebrews 13:3). Therefore, love commands, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Then comes aid. We want to help relieve human suffering—all of it, especially eternal suffering: So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). And that includes enemies: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you ( Luke 6:27); If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink ( Romans 12:20 ). But sooner or later people want more than empathy and aid—they want answers. Proclamation and Power When love has wept and worked, it must have something to say about God . It doesn’t need to have all the answers. Only God does. But it has the Bible, and the Bible is not silent on this matter. No earthquakes in the Bible are attributed to Satan. Many are attributed to ...

Image via Wikipedia Priorities First things first. When Christians see suffering they feel empathy. We too have bodies (Hebrews 13:3). Therefore, love commands, “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Then comes aid. We want to help relieve human suffering—all of it, especially eternal suffering: So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). And that includes enemies: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you ( Luke 6:27); If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink ( Romans 12:20 ). But sooner or later people want more than empathy and aid—they want answers. Proclamation and Power When love has wept and worked, it must have something to say about God . It doesn’t need to have all the answers. Only God does. But it has the Bible, and the Bible is not silent on this matter. No earthquakes in the Bible are attributed to Satan. Many are at...

Image via Wikipedia "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." ( Psalm 56:3 )   "The only thing to fear is fear itself." This is a nice platitude, but it is altogether pointless without trust. There is no antidote to fear except trust in One who is able to deliver us from the thing we fear.   The first mention of fear in the Bible is significant. Adam said to God , "I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid" ( Genesis 3:10 ).   Indeed, one should be afraid when he has ignored or rejected God's Word, for "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" ( Hebrews 10:31 ). The same warning to sinners of all the ages is given in the Bible's final reference to fear. "But the fearful, and unbelieving, . . . shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" ( Revelation 21:8 ).   In contrast, note the last mention of fear in the Old Testament and the first...

"And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil ." ( Genesis 2:9 )   It is significant that the first reference to "science" in the Bible is in connection with the tree of the "science" of good and evil. The English word "science" comes from the Latin   scientia , meaning "knowledge." In both Old and New Testaments , "science" and "knowledge" translate the same Greek and Hebrew words respectively. Science--properly speaking--is what we know, not naturalistic speculation (as in evolutionary "science"). Adam and Eve knew a great deal about God and His creation, and all of it was "very good" ( Genesis 1:31 ); they did not need to have a knowledge of evil, and God warned them against it ( 2:17 ).   But they partook of the evil tree anyway, and t...