Mandate 7

“Fear the Lord,” he said, “and keep His commandments. By keeping God’s commandments you will be strong in every undertaking, and what you do will be unsurpassed. For when you fear the Lord, you will do everything well. This is the fear you must have, and you will be saved. But do not fear the devil. For by fearing the Lord you will master the devil, because there is no power in him. Where there is no power, there is no cause for fear; but where there is glorious power, there is also cause for fear. Everyone who has power inspires fear, while one who has no power is despised by everyone. But fear the works of the devil, because they are evil. By fearing the Lord, therefore, you will not do them, but will keep away from them. There are, then, two kinds of fear. If you want to do evil, fear the Lord and you will not do it. If, on the other hand, you want to do good, fear the Lord and you will do it. Therefore the fear of the Lord is strong, great, and glorious. Fear the Lord, then, and you will live to Him; and all who fear Him and keep His commandments will live to God.” I said, “Why, Sir, did you say of those who keep His commandments, ‘They will live to God’?” “Because,” he said, “all creation fears the Lord, but it does not keep His commandments. Those, therefore, who fear Him and keep His commandments have their life with God; but whoever does not keep His commandments has no life in him.”