Therefore They Hushed Their Fears} Part Three

Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish. 

This post focuses on April 2015 General Conference talk and it is called "Therefore They Hushed Their Fears" by Elder David A. Bednar. This post is part three, I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk and I hope you will learn something new. 

The Fear of the Lord
Different from but related to the fears we often experience is what the scriptures describe as “godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28) or “the fear of the Lord” (Job 28:28; Proverbs 16:6; Isaiah 11:2–3). Unlike worldly fear that creates alarm and anxiety, godly fear is a source of peace, assurance, and confidence.

But how can anything associated with fear be edifying or spiritually helpful?

.... Please note that godly fear is linked inextricably to an understanding of the Final Judgment and our individual accountability for our desires, thoughts, words, and acts. ... I do not believe we will be afraid of Him at all. Rather, it is the prospect in His presence of facing things as they really are about ourselves and having “a perfect knowledge” .. of all our rationalizations, pretenses, and self-deceptions. Ultimately, we will be left without excuse.

"Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need
to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our
homes. We can be an influence for good in this world every
one of us." - Gordon B. Hinckley.

Every person who has lived or will yet live upon the earth “shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to his or her works whether they be good or whether they be evil” (Mosiah 16:10). If our desires have been for righteousness and our works good, then the judgment bar will be pleasing. And at the last day we will “be rewarded unto righteousness."

Conversely, if our desires have been for evil and our works wicked, then the judgment bar will be a cause of dread. ... And at the last day we will “have [our] reward of evil” (Alma 41:5).

As summarized in Ecclesiastes:
“Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

My beloved brothers and sisters, godly fear dispels mortal fears. It even subdues the haunting concern that we never can be good enough spiritually and never will measure up to the Lord’s requirements and expectations. In truth, we cannot be good enough or measure up relying solely upon our own capacity and performance. Our works and desires alone do not and cannot save us. “After all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23), we are made whole only through the mercy and grace available through the Savior’s infinite and eternal atoning sacrifice (see Alma 34:10, 14). Certainly, “we believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel” (Articles of Faith 1:3).
Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more completely, we love Him more perfectly. And “perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16).  ..."

You may or may not like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time. I think it was a great talk. Here is the link below.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/therefore-they-hushed-their-fears

Stay Tuned until next time.