The God Shot: 2 Corinthians 5:11

"Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience." (2 Corinthians 5:11)What do you think of when you hear the phrase, "the fear of the Lord?" Punishment or walking on eggshells? In Scripture, there are two different types of fear and the Jews even had two different words for it in Hebrew. There's the kind we all know and hate and then there's the fear of the Lord, which is made up primarily of delight and awe. It's the way we feel about the Grand Canyon. We know it can kill us, but we drive for hours to stand at its edge and marvel. Paul wants to share that delight with everyone. He wants to help others see the beauty of God and His great rescue of us. At the same time, Paul is being accused by some local false teachers who have a different message about God and He wants the Corinthians to know that His message is the message of truth. There is nothing Paul won't endure to help others see Jesus and to know and believe that He is where the joy is!