Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV)
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Here, we see the essence of humanity on earth, the purpose of being born, and the reason for regeneration. We see the essence of attending church and the ultimate purpose of preaching the gospel.

The reason Adam was created and placed in the garden to tend it was to fulfil the purpose for which he was made. The moment he deviated from that purpose, he missed the very essence of his creation.

No matter who you are or what you become, if these principles do not govern your life, you are not truly living. You are no different from those who remain in the grave without making any meaningful contribution to the purpose for which they were created.

This is why Jesus came to quicken us by His Spirit, to bring us out of the grave and into the fulfilment of our divine purpose. Whoever hears His voice will come out into the life for which he was created.

Those who choose to remain in the congregation of the dead will eventually discover that they cannot fulfil the will of God and, in the end, will lose their right to true life.

When you live to fulfil the desires of the flesh, you will reap corruption. For there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is destruction.

A way without the fear of God leads to corruption, and a life without the wisdom of God leads to perdition. It is only a fool who says there is no God. Even demons acknowledge His existence, and they tremble. How much more should those who were created to worship Him fulfil that duty?

If you truly fear Him, you will listen to Him and obey His commandments. The fear of God and obedience to His will work together to bring man into the completeness of the purpose for which he was created in the image of God, fearfully and wonderfully made.

Unfortunately, many who have been redeemed for this purpose have, in a world that has gone haywire, lost their fear of God, even among the brethren. Along with this loss comes the inability to live in His will and follow His commandments.

They fear Satan more than they fear God. They would rather offend God than offend the devil because they fear the repercussions, even though they know that it is a dangerous thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The fear of God and obedience to His will are what distinguish the wheat from the tares. To fear God is to depart from evil, something Satan and his agents cannot do. They do not fear God. They are only afraid of His coming judgment. They are condemned criminals waiting for judgment to be executed.

If they had the fear of God in their hearts, they would depart from their wickedness and abide in His will. But it is the duty of man to fear God, and this can only be fulfilled through contact with the Spirit of God.

A false man cannot truly do this unless he pretends, but his motives will remain the same as those of his master, who disguises himself as an angel of light to steal, kill, and destroy.

Whoever is not found in this purpose and does not fulfil his duty as a man is not worthy to be called a child of God.

Since the fall, mankind has not naturally lived in the fear of God. Fallen man is merely afraid of God and runs from Him because of His anger. But Christ came to bring us back into the fear of God and to teach us to abide in His law.

If a Christian who has known the truth does not have the fear of God in his heart and does not live according to His will, he is not a true believer but a charlatan who hides in the light while perpetrating evil against the church of Christ.

The question, therefore, is not merely whom you fear or whom you follow. The real question is whether you fear the true God and abide in His will.

How do you identify the true God, and how do you follow His commandments?

There is a manual for everyone who comes into the world, and that manual is the Bible. It is the light that reveals the way, exposes error, and points man to the true God, who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

If you have not found your way through the truth revealed in this Book, your worship may result in error, both for you and for those you influence.

The confusion on earth is that there are many gods demanding worship. They hide in forests, seas, and mountains and demand devotion from men. But the gods that did not create the earth will perish with the earth.

The God who is worthy of human worship is the One who gave Himself to give humanity eternal life in Him. He exchanged our cursed life for the blessed life He gives through His Cross.

He told us whom to fear: the One who has the power to kill and cast into hell, not the one who can kill the body but has no power over the eternal destination of the soul.

This is the difference between the god of this world and the God who holds the eternity of men.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. A god who does not possess this nature cannot give it to man. Jesus Christ came to do the will of God. He did not seek His own glory but returned all glory to God and faithfully fulfilled His will.

This distinguishes Him from every other god, and He alone deserves our worship.

If the conclusion of your life is merely to become rich and happy, to accumulate wealth, and to leave a great inheritance for your children and grandchildren, yet you fail to fulfil the purpose of God, then all your efforts are vanity.

You may be rich and possess everything this world can offer, but if you lack the fear of God and do not abide in His will, you will miss the joy of the Lord, which nothing else can truly give.

When you live for the vanity of this life, your pursuit itself becomes vanity.

The conclusion of the whole matter remains the same: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

To live outside this purpose is to chase the wind. To live in the fear of God and in obedience to His will is to fulfil the very reason for which you were created.

Prayer: Father, give me the grace to humble myself and bring it in doing your will, O LORD, in Jesus’ name, amen.