Sep
19
Written by:
Bob Flynn
9/19/2008 6:12 AM
"There is no fear of God before their eyes - This completes their bad character; they are downright atheists, at least practically such. They fear not God’s judgments, although his eye is upon them in their evil ways." Dr Adam Clarke
Romans 3:9-18 Here again is shown that all mankind are under the guilt of sin, as a burden; and under the government and dominion of sin, as enslaved to it, to work wickedness. This is made plain by several passages of Scripture from the Old Testament, which describe the corrupt and depraved state of all men, till grace restrain or change them. Great as our advantages are, these texts describe multitudes who call themselves Christians. Their principles and conduct prove that there is no fear of God before their eyes. And where no fear of God is, no good is to be looked for. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
"THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES." (NASB)
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (KJV)
"They have no fear of God at all." (NLT)
"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (NET)
"For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all." (Psalm 36:1 NLT)
G5401
φόβος
phóbos; gen. phóbou, masc. noun from phébomai (n.f.), to flee from. Fear, terror, reverence, respect, honor. The fear "of God" or the Lord meaning a deep and reverential sense of accountability to God or Christ (Romans 3:18) (Word Study)
"There is no fear of God before their eyes - This completes their bad character; they are downright atheists, at least practically such. They fear not God’s judgments, although his eye is upon them in their evil ways. There is not one article of what is charged against the Jews and Gentiles here that may not be found justified by the histories of both, in the most ample manner. And what was true of them in those primitive times is true of them still. With very little variation, these are the evils in which the vast mass of mankind delight and live. Look especially at men in a state of warfare; look at the nations of Europe, who enjoy most of the light of God; see what has taken place among them from 1792 to 1814; see what destruction of millions, and what misery of hundreds of millions, have been the consequence of Satanic excitement in fallen, ferocious passions! O Sin, what hast thou done! How many myriads of souls hast thou hurried, unprepared, into the eternal world! Who, among men or angels, can estimate the greatness of this calamity! This butchery of souls! What widows, what orphans, are left to deplore their sacrificed husbands and parents, and their own consequent wretchedness! And whence sprang all this? From that, whence come all wars and fightings; the evil desires of men; the lust of dominion; the insatiable thirst for money; and the desire to be sole and independent. This is the sin that ruined our first parents, expelled them from paradise, and which has descended to all their posterity; and proves fully, incontestably proves, that we are their legitimate offspring; the fallen progeny of fallen parents; children in whose ways are destruction and misery; in whose heart there is no faith; and before whose eyes there is nothing of the fear of God." Dr Adam Clarke
Today we see the ever increasing "dissing" of the things of God and the attitude of utter contempt toward the person of God. Referring back to Romans 1 and the words of Dr. Alva J. McClain:
"The Word of God continues to stand in the World. The cross of Christ, although it occurred nineteen hundred years ago, continues to stand as the great witness to the wrath of God. Similarly, the wrath of God is being revealed continuously upon those who break the laws of God in nature. It is a standing revelation" Dr. Alva J. McClain, Romans: The Gospel of God's Grace.
Where there is no respect there can be no hope! This contempt exists in the midst of the revelation of God in nature where His attributes can be plainly seen. We instead create theories that deny the existence of the Almighty and replace Him with primordial soup and spontaneous creation of the universe and all life from nothing! Bang! The stuff that shouldn't even pass the laugh test is elevated by reprobate minds to the level of fact without evidence. Those who would believe anything contrary are vilified. How low have we fallen! Yet still Grace abounds to sinners who will on Christ believe!