Does God invoke FEAR in anyone anymore?

[chris777]

Does anyone Fear God anymore?


fear 1. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
2. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.

1. To be afraid or frightened of.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive about: feared the test results.
3. To be in awe of; revere.
4. To consider probable; expect: I fear you are wrong. I fear I have bad news for you.
5. Archaic. To feel fear within (oneself).

v.intr.

1. To be afraid.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive.

SYNONYMS fright, dread, terror, horror, panic, alarm, dismay, consternation, trepidation.

and while I do include reverence, I am primarily refering to terror
as I feel we have pridefully, and ignorantly lost it.

 

[savedandhappy1]

I don't see much reverence or fear of God anymore.

All I see is everyone talking about His Love and pretending or not believing His other characteristics. (Jealous, Wrath, Judgements, Chastising, etc.)

We were told that itching ear times would come, and I do believe they are here. People trying to make God into who they want HIm to be, and not respecting or fearing Our Lord and Saviour.

 

[127Rockledge]

3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.

This is the type of fear I assume God wishes we have towards him.

If so, I very much fear God. However I can see where you might find things differently in Churchianity.

I am in essence, a different kind of Christian. I do not believe in this hallmark god modern churches have set up. My God is to be feared.

 

[chris777]

the reverence and awe is a factor, But he also turned over the angels that sinned as well, something many of the lovey dovey christians convienently forget.

 

[127Rockledge]

So we are to fear (be afraid) God for his wrath?

 

[chris777]

YES , and for who he is.

We should tremble

 

[FijianBeliever]

I once had reason to be terrified of God. I honestly thought I had lost my salvation. Gave me new insight into the meaning of the word "Ichabod".

 

[127Rockledge]

YES , and for who he is.

We should tremble

It was a sarcastic question.

 

[lilymarie]

Yes of course we should fear God. Look at the story of Job. Job was upright and blameless and then all these "testings" of terrible tragedies came upon Job, and thus Job wanted to discuss what he thought was unfair and he wanted a "hearing" of sorts with God.

And God said: Stand there and brace yourself like a man and you shall answer me! And then God asked of Job: Can you bring out the constellations in their seasons? Etc. This was God pointing to the fact, who are we to question God?

 

[ArcticFox]

I sure hope he does!

Seriously though, I do firmly believe he creates fear in people. It is an awesome emotion, able to produce some great results, or some horrible results. Fear can led us to great irrationality, or can lead us to act when we would otherwise be complacent.

I know a lot of people who could use the fear of the Lord in their life, and I am the chief of those that I know. May the Lord give me a good kick in the pants because of my complacency and lack of prayer. Many of us have a tendency to spend an hour or two watching TV or a movie, but yet somehow feel that spending a whole 30 minutes at one time in prayer is just too much. How many of us would spend 45 minutes or more eating a leisurely meal with friends, and yet wouldn't take 20 minutes to prayer with those same friends?

Time is like money: we only have so much. Except in the case of time, everybody is equally rich and equally poor. How do you redeem the time? Does reading these messages cause you to erupt into prayer? Sometimes joyful, sometimes needful, sometimes confused. That is my experience, and I will pray now that it be yours!

Oh Lord, let even this messageboard be a vehicle of prayer. Let your glory shine even here, in a place that does not exist but on a computer. Lord, let us share our knowledge of you, and grow in love for you. Teach us to have a healthy fear of bringing dishonor to your name, and let us fear falling sin lest we become prideful. Make us holy Lord! AMEN.

 

[tiredwalker]

Does anyone Fear God anymore?


fear 1. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.
2. A state or condition marked by this feeling: living in fear.
2. A feeling of disquiet or apprehension: a fear of looking foolish.
3. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power.
4. A reason for dread or apprehension: Being alone is my greatest fear.

1. To be afraid or frightened of.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive about: feared the test results.
3. To be in awe of; revere.
4. To consider probable; expect: I fear you are wrong. I fear I have bad news for you.
5. Archaic. To feel fear within (oneself).

v.intr.

1. To be afraid.
2. To be uneasy or apprehensive.

SYNONYMS fright, dread, terror, horror, panic, alarm, dismay, consternation, trepidation.

and while I do include reverence, I am primarily refering to terror
as I feel we have pridefully, and ignorantly lost it.

As modern Christianity has developed its theology of Jesus as a personal savior, it has tamed the image of God to lessen our fear of him. Which would you rather have a personal relationship with: Jesus the Loving or Jesus the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ed Off who "holds us over the pits of hell as one holds a loathsome spider?"

 

[BlackLamb]

There is no fear in love. Instead, perfect love drives fear away. Fear has to do with being punished. The one who fears does not have perfect love.
1 John 4:18

Sounds like the opposite to me. If we fear God hurting us, we are obviously not aware of what his perfect love is, and we have not experienced it.

Respecting God and acknowledging his fullness and perfectness is a far cry from actually being afraid of him, as what some people here are proposing.

 

[chris777]

As modern Christianity has developed its theology of Jesus as a personal savior, it has tamed the image of God to lessen our fear of him. Which would you rather have a personal relationship with: Jesus the Loving or Jesus the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ed Off who "holds us over the pits of hell as one holds a loathsome spider?"

pretty much summs it up we have what we desire

 

[chris777]

Matt 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

What did it for me was my own blasphemy as to the accuracy of the scriptures, and then reading my condemnation in Rev 22:
[18] For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
[19] And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Since I had cast much doubt, based on hearsay, the Lord convicted me
of my Ignorance.

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge

 

[holo]

I sure hope he does!

Seriously though, I do firmly believe he creates fear in people. It is an awesome emotion, able to produce some great results, or some horrible results. Fear can led us to great irrationality, or can lead us to act when we would otherwise be complacent.

I know a lot of people who could use the fear of the Lord in their life, and I am the chief of those that I know. May the Lord give me a good kick in the pants because of my complacency and lack of prayer.

May he not!

May the Lord reveal his love and grace to you, the grace that surpasses all understanding, so that you will want to nothing but be with him. May he deliver you from falsely humble religiousness which first tells you that you must make yourself approvable to God, and then condemns you for not doing so. May the Lord make you stop kicking yourself in the pants.

As modern Christianity has developed its theology of Jesus as a personal savior, it has tamed the image of God to lessen our fear of him. Which would you rather have a personal relationship with: Jesus the Loving or Jesus the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ed Off who "holds us over the pits of hell as one holds a loathsome spider?"

I don't know why anyone born again would want to identify themselves with a "loathsome spider".

How many people are your friends because you've threatened them to be, because they don't have a choice? How many people love you because you've commanded them to and threathened to burn them forever if they don't?

 

[hithesh]

I don't see much reverence or fear of God anymore.

All I see is everyone talking about His Love and pretending or not believing His other characteristics. (Jealous, Wrath, Judgements, Chastising, etc.)

We were told that itching ear times would come, and I do believe they are here. People trying to make God into who they want HIm to be, and not respecting or fearing Our Lord and Saviour.

How do you fear someone, who tells us to love him, and that there is no fear in love?

"God is love,
and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love."

If true love for god, drives out fear, how can I fear him?
If you fear god, then you are not truly in love with him.

 

[tiredwalker]

How do you fear someone, who tells us to love him, and that there is no fear in love?

"God is love,
and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love."

If true love for god, drives out fear, how can I fear him?
If you fear god, then you are not truly in love with him.

I just sort of swiched gears in my mode of thought. I'm not sure though. Thinking of God as God the father, there is love with a bit of fear. Fear defined as respect. I was very fortunate to have a wonderful father who took the time to get to know my growing personality and adjust his discipline to suit my needs. He did the same with my sis who required a very different techhique. Because he knew me so well, I feared him a bit. I knew that I would not get away with anything and that I would be disciplined in the most effective way for my personality. It could be the same way with God. We are aware that he knows us so well and will know when we are up to no good. We cannot escape his vision. That creates a respectful fear. Just a thought.

 

[savedandhappy1]

How do you fear someone, who tells us to love him, and that there is no fear in love?

"God is love,
and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love."

If true love for god, drives out fear, how can I fear him?
If you fear god, then you are not truly in love with him.

Prov. 16:6
6By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

2 Cor 5:10-11
10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Luke 1:50
50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

Luke 12:5
5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Luke 23:40
40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Acts 10:35
35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
​

 

[artybloke]

People who are terrified of God obviously haven't met Him yet. God is not some kind of despot threatening the lives of his subjects.

But true love involves awe and wonder, and if you don't have that for God, you're missing something very important.

 

[hithesh]

Luke 1:50​

50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.​

Luke 12:5​

5But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.​

Luke 23:40​

40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?​

Acts 10:35​

35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.​

I don't think, fear in the gospels, is "fear" in the sense that we commonly define it. It's defiently not fear of punishment. I think it's more like a fear of dissapointing God. It's definetly not a fear of God's wrath. But more so the fear of leaving the love of God, fear of leaving his presence. The same as we have fear, of disspointing our wife, or children. It's a deeper sense of fear, but not "fear" in the way that we know it.

Because I know, I don't have a "fear" of god, in the sense that I am scared of going to hell, or that he will strike me dead tommorow. I have no fear of his wrath. I don't talk to god, in a formal manner, I perform no rituals, I don't pray for a "good" life, a "good" job, I take my lot and I'm content with it, if he takes it all tommorow, I am still content with it. In this sense, I cannot have a fear of God, because there is nothing he can do, that makes me "fear" him, in the way we commonly refer to "fear".

If you tell me, I am to be scared of the god you believe in, then I have to say I don't believe in your God. Because I love my Lord, and in this Love, there is no fear.