Do you fear God

[paul1234]

Do your fear god? that the fear of god will be with you to keep you from sinning, I fear him

Exodus 19: 1-25; 20: 18-21

Exodus 20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

God never changes he is the same god then as he is today

 

[tturt]

The fear of God includes putting aside what we think and want as well as what others think and going with what Yahweh wants. Afterall, we won't listen to Him if we think our opinions are more important than His. Our lives are so much better when we commit to His opinions and ways because it's the beginning of real wisdom.

 

[Buzzy]

I fear God but I'm not afraid of him.

 

[stormdancer0]

Yes, buzzy. Like you, I fear God, in the sense of being very aware of who He is, and in comparison who I am.

But I am not in any way afraid of Him, in the sense that I have a fear that He will hurt or abandon me. He loves me, and my "fear" of Him stems from respect, reverence, and awe.

 

[eheart]

Amen... in a generation that people living without the fear of God, we have to rise up and never stay silent.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:16-18)

I think fear is the beginning of wisdom .. but what Jesus did gave us promise that God can become complete in us . in that God is love . and part of this completeness "while in this world" is matured love tossing out all that junk fear from our hearts .

so in that moment we do not fear God . we have confidence even on the day of judgment because we are like him in this world .

 

[HeavenlyMetal]

I fear the LORD God in the fact that He can eternally judge my soul. It scares me to do wrong because of that very fact.

Anything frightful on earth is just needless worry. God in heaven has the final and ultimate say.

 

[Logeth]

For me, fearing the Lord is to have a reverence for Him, to know that He is sorveign, to be humble because I NEVER deserve anything from Him (but still, He is way to good and blesses me) and of course, to know that He is HOLY! Whenever I think of His holiness my heart trembles... but I am not afraid of Him! There is no fear for those who believe in God and I choose to love Him. I say no to sin not because of fear, but because of His precious love. I mean, He paid a price so I could say NO to sin! Only when I think of the great love that God had and has for me, I ask myself "Why in the world would I sin?".

*to avoid any discussion, I don't say that I am sinless, but I sin less hehe

 

[Jeffz]

The word fear in Hebrew is yirah and means:
yir'ah
1) fear, terror, fearing
a) fear, terror
b) awesome or terrifying thing (object causing fear)
c) fear (of God), respect, reverence, piety
d) revered

I guess it would depend on where I encounter God as to how I would apply these different types of fear.

 

[11822]

Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

 

[JRSut1000]

This is a GREAT thread and it's always such a good reminder!

I wish I could say on a daily basis that I had a genuine 'fear of the LORD' (the good kind!) because it would for sure keep me from making so many needless mistakes.

There is a book out by John Bevere called 'The Fear of the Lord' which I highly recommend!

So many times there seems to be a disconnect between the grace of God and the pure holiness of God.

I love to read the 'encounter' parts of the Bible, like Isaiah 6 and Jeremiah and many others. The people did not say "Heyyy Buddy, what's up?", they fell facedown on the ground. Even in heaven, the elders bow down and the angels cover themselves with their wings in His presence.

 

[stormdancer0]

Isaiah 6 is one of my favorite scriptures! I love how God's mercy not only protects Isaiah by cleansing his words, but then gives him a job to do with his newly cleansed lips.

 

[11822]

2Co 7:1 talks about perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

2Co 7:1 talks about perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

1 John 4:18 talks about perfect love driving out all fear. Many stages of maturity for sure.

 

[11822]

1 John 4:18 talks about perfect love driving out all fear. Many stages of maturity for sure.

Yes, its a wonderful journey. Humility is maturity and the hallmark of love. If we fear God we shouldn't think of ourselves as immature in a negative sense but instead be happy that God considers us worthy to receive His wisdom and thankful that we're maturing in Christ, fear is the beginning of wisdom, its a good thing.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Yes, its a wonderful journey. Humility is maturity and the hallmark of love. If we fear God we shouldn't think of ourselves as immature in a negative sense but instead be happy that God considers us worthy to receive His wisdom and thankful that we're maturing in Christ, fear is the beginning of wisdom, its a good thing.

Fear is the beginning of wisdom . but in it's completion . perfect love casts out all fear . and in this completion of love in us we have confidence on the day of judgment "because we are like him in this world"

 

[11822]

Fear is the beginning of wisdom . but in it's completion . perfect love casts out all fear . and in this completion of love in us we have confidence on the day of judgment "because we are like him in this world"

I agree, i just worry about insulting and discouraging people who do have fear in their heart. When we sin we should fear, sometimes i fear but love casts it out when i rest in His grace. When we sin we should ask forgiveness and rest in the merciful forgiving grace of God found in our Lord and Savior. God is always waiting to hear us confess our sin to Him and ask His forgiveness, He's always waiting to open His arms and love us.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I agree, i just worry about insulting and discouraging people who do have fear in their heart. When we sin we should fear, sometimes i fear but love casts it out when i rest in His grace. When we sin we should ask forgiveness and rest in the merciful forgiving grace of God found in our Lord and Savior. God is always waiting to hear us confess our sin to Him and ask His forgiveness, He's always waiting to open His arms and love us.

Love is the most excellent way . and i find tip toeing around people who have made fear their religion is not edifying . we must mature .

 

[lovedandhisforever]

terrified at times

 

[11822]

Love is the most excellent way . and i find tip toeing around people who have made fear their religion is not edifying . we must mature .

Ac 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied



Of course we must mature but Jesus is the athour and finisher of our faith. We cant force it upon each other, if someone fears God then its a good thing. Building someone up is love, tearing them down is not. That one verse about perfect love casts out fear is countered by a multitude of verses that speak of fearing God and perfecting holiness in the fear of God.