Fear God and Keep His Commandments

Sunset by the sea

Solomon described conditions in life that are true from generation to generation. The sun rises and sets (Ecclesiastes 1:5); the wind blows and follows its circular course (Ecclesiastes 1:6); the rivers flow into the sea (Ecclesiastes 1:7); and “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). In the end, his conclusion was that man’s purpose was to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Is this still man’s purpose today? Many religious people hold to the theory that man is saved by faith alone. If this were true, then it would be difficult to say that keeping God’s commandments would be part of man’s purpose today.

When Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius, he made a statement that parallels the conclusion of Solomon in Ecclesiastes. “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). This passage makes it clear: those who will be accepted by God today are those who fear Him and keep His commandments (do what is right).

No one of accountable age will stand justified before God by faith alone. By faith, yes (Romans 5:1). But not by faith alone. James wrote, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). If we wish to be accepted by God, we must fulfill our purpose in fearing Him and obeying Him according to the gospel. The gospel is the message that the apostles were to take “into all the world” (Mark 16:15). In doing this, they were to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that [the Lord] commanded” (Matthew 28:19-20). Or, to put it another way, they were to teach all men to “fear God and keep His commandments.” We must follow the same teaching today.


This article is an excerpt from the book, Vanity of Vanities: Notes on Ecclesiastes.


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Comments

  1. Larry DeVore says

    Another good article, Andy.
    Happy New Year to you and your family.

  2. Thanks, Larry! Happy new year to you, too.