Is Christianity basically fear based? I don't get it.

[ClearPerspective]

I thought Christianity was supposed to be about love, but after reading some of the Bible and going to church, it seems to be largely fear based.

 

[ClearPerspective]

I'm saying this because people hardly ever talk about the curses in the OT, or the fact that they only used to consider the OT scripture and inspired.

 

[HTacianas]

I thought Christianity was supposed to be about love, but after reading some of the Bible and going to church, it seems to be largely fear based.

It can be. After a while you find that it's not. We obey God out of love for him. And looking at that obedience we find that the world is a better place for it. But then for some we are told, "others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh", see Jude 1:23.

 

[Brother-Mike]

"God is Love", conceptually, only appears in something like 1 in a 1000 verses.
Vastly more prevalent is that "God is Righteous".

We are all sinners against God.
We all deserve eternal punishment for this.
But if you choose to believe in Jesus and his sacrifice for your sins you will be joined with God forever in the New Earth.
You can do this right now, and start on a journey of deepening your faith and understanding, bearing results and a change in your heart over time.

 

[Basil the Great]

It is much less fear based today than it was a few generations ago. Back then it was reportedly very common for pastors to preach about hellfire and damnation.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I thought Christianity was supposed to be about love, but after reading some of the Bible and going to church, it seems to be largely fear based.

Christianity is about love, just not the kind that alleviates us of every and all concerns (such as curses).

And some of your current perspective will be conditioned by the portions of the Bible you've read and ---dare I say it--- the kind of church you're attending.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Christianity is about love. God's love for humanity. Love demonstrated on the cross. "God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The cross was necessary because while God is love, He is also Just and Righteous. Sin must be dealt with. Those who believe in Jesus will be forgiven, those who do not believe are condemned and can expect judgement. That is where fear comes in the equation. Fear of God. Fear of Judgement.

 

[Lukaris]

The Lord summed up much of the Old Testament ( the law & prophets) in his 2 greatest commandments ( Matthew 22:36-40). He also said that these depend on us treating other people accordingly by His commandments as we would hope to be treated likewise ( see Matthew 7:12 & then read Matthew 7:1-12 before & to it).


It is not easy to reconcile aspects of the Old Testament with the New Testament but as we can see the Lord testifies to their unity.

There is an ancient church manual titled: The Didache from about 100 AD that provides a basic unity of the old & new covenants by the early Christians. It is a fairly easy & brief ( about 10 printed pages) read although the ultimate understanding of the intellectual aspect of covenant unity is not easy to get. Much of it is a summation of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Matthew 6, & Matthew 7.

a translation of the Didache:

Didache. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (translation J. B. Lightfoot).

Info on it:

Didache

 

[Sabertooth]

It takes a healthy fear of dying without Him for us to reach out for His Salvation.
Once we are in, we begin to exchange that fear for trust, awe, adoration, etc.
My only main fear, now, is not about going to Hell, but the temporal consequences of trusting my wisdom over His. He would still love me, but I might get bumps & bruises that I would have avoided if I trusted Him instead.

The initial fear can be compared to a fear of natural fire.
Natural fire can harm you, if mishandled, but
it can keep you from freezing, if handled respectfully.

 

[Aussie Pete]

I thought Christianity was supposed to be about love, but after reading some of the Bible and going to church, it seems to be largely fear based.

Jesus came to save mankind because of God's great love. The problem is that a lot of people do not respond to love. They prefer to live lives that are hostile to God and His ways. This leads to a conflict. God is not to be messed with. There are always consequences. Mankind has laws that have consequences if broken. Man has such laws because he knows that lawlessness is a blight. Why should man expect God to be any different?

The Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. We surely should respect someone who has the power to send us to hell. However, the Bible also says that perfect love casts out fear. The person who knows Jesus and knows that God loves him has nothing to fear. I was saved because I feared God's judgement. That was a bit over 50 years ago. I now serve God because I know His great love for me and because I know that His will for me is the very best that I could have.

 

[timothyu]

We have a lot more to be fearful from by way of fellow man, especially those who see themselves as elite. Man uses fear to control. Their Church, being created by man naturally will use the same fear for the same reasons, over the truth from God as originally intended.

God however is not man's church but His own truth, and He said not to worry about self and fear what you had to lose, because after all this world is backwards to His Kingdom and is not worth saving and neither is what we have been taught by it worth saving. That might scare some people but He also says to care about others as a replacement for self intertest.

This should keep us busy with a sense of well being until a time God rights the wrongs we have created. We weren't sent here on holiday from the Garden but to learn the consequences of our selfish actions. We may be under the thumb of others in the world created in our own selfish interest, but we can make our personal lives better and of those around us, regardless of how futile it may seem. Less is more in the end. (read -- Tickle, Tickle)

 

[Tolworth John]

I thought Christianity was supposed to be about love, but after reading some of the Bible and going to church, it seems to be largely fear based.

It is about both. Through the o t there are many references to God's love for people.e, yes he choose the Jews, they were chosen for two reasons.
They were to be an example of how people should live.
They were also the people through whom Jesus would appear.

You are aware of the curses in the o t, but go back and read that all curses are also paired with blessings.

The blessings were for obedience while the curses were for disobedience.

This is true for new testament teaching.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

What's wrong with it being fear based? If the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge then I don't think there's anything wrong with fear.

 

[John Caldwell]

I'm saying this because people hardly ever talk about the curses in the OT, or the fact that they only used to consider the OT scripture and inspired.

Our churches teach the OT and NT as one Scripture. And Christianity is not a religion of fear. The curses, the Law...these teach of sin (we should be fearful of sin in our lives). But Christianity is a freedom from bondage to this fear.

 

[timothyu]

What's wrong with it being fear based? If the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge then I don't think there's anything wrong with fear.

One meaning is be afraid while fearing God means respecting.

 

[ClearPerspective]

Why can't you agree?

One person has written what's wrong with it being fear based, and another has said it's not

There's so much confusion. I think if you're going to give wise answers here on this forum then you need to have some kind of system that prevents people who haven't understood the faith from responding.

As for some people not responding to love, some issues can't be resolved over coffee and cake for half an hour.

 

[Brother-Mike]

Why can't you agree?

One person has written what's wrong with it being fear based, and another has said it's not

There's so much confusion. I think if you're going to give wise answers here on this forum then you need to have some kind of system that prevents people who haven't understood the faith from responding.

As for some people not responding to love, some issues can't be resolved over coffee and cake for half an hour.

It would be a category error to presume that theology and belief work the same as science. What we’re discussing here is about interpretation, contextualization, etc. It is not a process of science.

Your concerns would be the same as criticizing ten movie critics for confusingly not all sharing the same opinion of a film.

 

[ClearPerspective]

I think i made a valid point. I think your reply is out of context. If you want to reach others there needs to be some agreement.

 

[Jesus is my Superhero]

Fear is the beginning of wisdom - to fear God. It is also the beginning of the walk with God, for the many who come to God because of fear. A starting point of learning about how to walk with God.

Jer.9:23,24
This is what the LORD says: “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

And Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

A Christian should over time, arrive at a place where the main desire is to be in agreement with Jesus on all points. This is achieved by having a relationship with Jesus who is our High Priest - among other responsibilities. Through prayer and fasting, spiritual understanding is granted to a believer, over time.
Growing in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

2Pet.3:18
but grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

[ClearPerspective]

Thanks for explaining that.

I think my case is a hopeless one.