"The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him." (Nahum 1:5-6, NIV)
One of the many problems with legalism is that it produces external compliance rather than real change from within. The danger lies in having a "pull yourself up the by the bootstraps" kind of spirituality. It is possible to be externally "holy" and be spiritually dead. Just look at how Jesus describes the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23.
It was as I approached adulthood that I began to learn the how deeply rooted the sin nature is within me. I can be externally complient with all the legal standards and yet be held captive by pride, greed and sensuality.
The verses above remind me that even though I have been saved by the work of Jesus on the Cross, I must not take that relationship for granted. There is a place for fear in the relationship. Because of my love for God, and the nature of our relationship (that of ceature to creator) it is appropriate for me to be fearful of violating his commands for me.
As I write this, two verses come to mind. The first is Philippians 1:6, which promised that Jesus will complete the work in me that He has begun. The second is Romans 8:1 which affirms that I am no longer under condemnation. There is a sense of relief and exultation in these verses. I have been given so much!So somehow for me, as a believer, I have fear and exultation in juxtaposition and it seems, somehow to be right.
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