Should a Christian love God or fear God?

[Hestha]

After looking a bit further on the subject, I see that soap is not quite the answer which suits your question.

My question to you is if a Christian is a tansmembrane protein, what would a non-believer be in this scenario?

I don't know. Maybe the non-Christian is out of the picture.

 

[ForceofTime]

I don't know. Maybe the non-Christian is out of the picture.

Ok. Well, I gave it a shot, but I would like to say thank you for the question, I learned quite bit!

 

[DCJazz]

Fear in the sense of 'god-fearing' is, I thought, meaning more 'respect' than terror. That's what I always got out of it. So your meaning of fear (terror) is inaccurate here, but you are right to say fear (terror) is the opposite of love.

But you have used the fear that is in 'god-fearing', therefore in response to the question I must say... both.

 

[Harry3142]

Hestha-

The apostle John wrote that perfect love casts out fear. If a person is truly grateful for what God has already done on his behalf, he will want to follow God's lead for no other reason than because it is God who is doing the leading.

Fear as being synonymous with respect is simply the recognizing of who God is, of who we are, and respecting the difference. But fear as being synonymous with terror is another matter altogether.

I have encountered certain denominations and sects whose heirarchy uses the tactic of instilling their laity with a dread of God. They are to see him as perpetually angry, and completely attuned to throwing all of them into hell. It is only through their abject obedience and total submission to his will that they have any chance of salvation. And how they learn what God's will is for them is through accepting the leadership of that particular denomination or sect absolutely and without question.

I call this 'the hitlerian tactic' because of his skill at using it in order to 'shut down' the intellect of the german people and reduce them to blind emotionalism. Only when these denominations and sects are using it, it is with the purpose of 'shutting down' the intellect through making the laity so afraid of what God has in store for them that they are willing to accept anything that helps them avoid this judgement. The leadership has convinced them that unless they see that leadership as God's spokesmen and obey them unconditionally, they will be damned.

And what is the purpose for doing this? It's the lust for power. If the heirarchy can instill enough terror into their laity, that heirarchy can demand anything they want of that laity, and the laity will provide it if at all possible. They attempt to cloak their motives in piety and spirituality, but the true purpose of their reducing the laity to abject terror is in order for that leadership to obtain the laity's abject obedience to themselves.

 

[98cwitr]

...

 

[98cwitr]

Hestha, perhaps it would help if you simply explain what that has to do with my relationship with God. Scientific aptitude is notttt my thing.

As a former atheist, I have a feeling that's the underlying point the OP is trying to make.

A Christian will love and fear God as a child love his Father yet fears His disciple. That's my .02 on the matter.

 

[salida]

Both.

 

[talitha]

Hestha, perhaps it would help if you simply explain what that has to do with my relationship with God. Scientific aptitude is notttt my thing.

As a former atheist, I have a feeling that's the underlying point the OP is trying to make.

A Christian will love and fear God as a child love his Father yet fears His disciple. That's my .02 on the matter.

So, 98cwitr, you understand the connection? Your post here doesn't really enlighten me.

 

[98cwitr]

Well, about 5 years ago I would have said the same thing with the intent of slyly and wittily calling "you Christians" uneducated, simple-minded, ignorant, and gullible. Saying such things, and then having you "confirm" by saying "Scientific aptitude is notttt my thing" would also be my way of both validating and reaffirming the belief that most Christians are simpletons while boosting my own ego (ie: "I'm smarter than they are"). That's why I would have thrown out such technical terms that most people wouldn't get...to grant myself reaffirmations in my own beliefs. Not saying that is in fact what the OP is doing, but that's how I would interpret it.

All that said, my "hypothesis" regarding the OP's intentions are also "reaffirmed" with threads like this http://www.christianforums.com/t7675189/

 

[Hestha]

Well, about 5 years ago I would have said the same thing with the intent of slyly and wittily calling "you Christians" uneducated, simple-minded, ignorant, and gullible. Saying such things, and then having you "confirm" by saying "Scientific aptitude is notttt my thing" would also be my way of both validating and reaffirming the belief that most Christians are simpletons while boosting my own ego (ie: "I'm smarter than they are"). That's why I would have thrown out such technical terms that most people wouldn't get...to grant myself reaffirmations in my own beliefs. Not saying that is in fact what the OP is doing, but that's how I would interpret it.

All that said, my "hypothesis" regarding the OP's intentions are also "reaffirmed" with threads like this http://www.christianforums.com/t7675189/

I apologize if I sounded like a know-it-all. Honestly, I wasn't really trying to be a know-it-all. I just used that transmembrane protein metaphor, because I am currently taking a physiology course, and all my mind is thinking about is physiology. Sometimes, my mind can get a little carried away by applying whatever I have learned in class in the real world.

On that other thread, I was a little curious about whether or not Christians would study the religion before they accepted anything. I am a bit wary about blind acceptance of the claim that you "just need faith".

 

[98cwitr]

You must be reborn.

3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

John 3
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]

Check out 1 Cor. 13...and replace ever occurrence of the word 'love' with 'God'

 

[food4thought]

I found that better recognizing and understanding my natural bent toward a "fear of man", it became clear what it means to fear God.

Fear of man - a concern for what other people think of you, how they'll react to you, and whether they will be pleased with you.

Fear of God- a concern for what God thinks of you, how he'll react to you, and whether he will be pleased with you.

So, as my love for God grows, my fear of God grows, i.e. my concern with his opinion of me grows. Exact same dynamic shows up in our relationships with the people we love.

what he said ^^^

 

[brinny]

We are compelled to KNOW Him. In "knowing" Him, all doubt and toxic fear is dissipated, in His glorious presence, where all tears are wiped away, and healing of body, mind, and soul are commenced, and we, like small children, run to His arms. He is the God Who rejoices over us with singing.

Perhaps after one "knows" this God, should an attempt be made to answer the question posed.

 

[98cwitr]

We are compelled to KNOW Him. In "knowing" Him, all doubt and toxic fear is dissipated, in His glorious presence, where all tears are wiped away, and healing of body, mind, and soul are commenced, and we, like small children, run to His arms. He is the God Who rejoices over us with singing.

Perhaps after one "knows" this God, should an attempt be made to answer the question posed.

Perfect love drives out fear!

 

[brinny]

Amen, brother!!!!

 

[JustAnotherAbdullah]

A great scholar once said that a believer is like a bird which has two wings, one of good hope in God and the other of fear of God's punishment. These two feelings should balance each other out in a believer, so that he/she becomes neither over-confident of God's forgiveness nor despairs of the mercy of God.