Return to Index.

Compassion and Fear
March 21, 2011

Among Christians who identify as Sabbitarians are those who focus on the law because we believe that many who identify as Christians do not understand the law as it applies to us today. This focus on the law gives us a unique understanding of the New Testament and we believe a greater insight to end-time prophecy. Our focus on the law also gives many of us the occasion to develop a fear of the Lord to the exclusion of having compassion when both compassion and fear are parts of our Christian ministry. My personal thought is that if we do not first show compassion, when we need to preach the fear of the Lord, this message will be rejected, because we will appear to have first rejected others.

Jude 20-23
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Of note in Jude, compassion comes before fear. The idea of compassion among Sabbitarians who focus on the law can be an enigma.  For instance, we know that Jesus had compassion, but we may not know how to have compassion because we have been so focused on the fear of the Lord. We show compassion by making a difference. Difference is a mathematical term used in subtraction.  It may be considered to be the part remaining or what is missing. It makes sense to me that we can show compassion by being the remnant that provides what is missing. Spiritually, this world is missing God, including most of modern Christianity. One only needs to look to the Middle East unrest or the recent earthquake in Japan to see the movement of prophecy. Students of prophecy understand that the end time population will mostly be void of the knowledge of God through ignorance or deception. The thought may arise when one should use compassion and when one should use the fear of the Lord.

Hebrews 5:1-2
For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

We should have compassion on those who are ignorant and those who are not Sabbitarians, not of the faith.

Romans 9:14-16
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Compassion goes together with mercy, and if God has compassion and mercy, so should we.

Mark 8:1-9
In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Jesus showed compassion on the multitude by providing them food when they had no food. There are also times when the Fear of the Lord needs to be shared, and there is one example that comes to mind when Jesus used both.

John 8:1-11
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

In this example, Jesus shows that given one situation one can have mercy on one participant, the woman, and share the feat of the Lord with the others, the Pharisees.

Luke 18:10-14
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The attitude behind the action often determined if compassion or the fear of the Lord should be used.  The Pharisee thought highly of himself and the publican considered himself as he was.

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

Fear of the Lord is used to ultimately give way to love.   Those of us who are today living in fear of God, do not have the love of God, and cannot be made perfect. While we are obedient to the law of God, we must do so in an attitude of love by showing mercy and compassion to those who are ignorant of God's way.

1 Peter 3:8-12
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

A final thought is we need to have compassion not only for the ignorant, but for each other as we maintain the highest standards of conduct hating what is evil and embracing that what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
Copyright and Legal Information
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information