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

[ClearPerspective]

Why hopeless ?

Hi, I wrote that partly because I can't read as quickly as I used to, nor remember what I used to as well either.

Wherever I have been, I think it's been taught that you need to read scriptures daily or very regularly. I still haven't read all of the bible.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Funny how we often think God sent us to condemn it.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Thank you for writing. I don't see why going to church is the answer, not at the moment.

When we come together to hear and receive Christ, and all the riches of His abundant grace, in Word and Sacrament it really is Christ present. We can't find God by looking to ourselves, to our works; but God gives Himself freely and abundantly right where His word is--in its preaching, in the Lord's Supper, in the Gospel. God Himself there to give, create, and strengthen faith, to tell us He loves us, to tell us He forgives us, to proclaim us accepted on account of Christ and what Christ has done for us.

I think I need to see if I really am accepted by G-d first, and understand what it means.

That is found in Christ, and only in Christ, who has reconciled you to the Father, and the Father in His great big love for you accepts you in His Son. So that you are declared righteous on Christ's account.

Jesus died for you, that is what makes you accepted. Your works, your attempts to be acceptable to God, that doesn't matter. That is the path of despair, because the more we try to be accepted by God by our own efforts, the more we shall despair. But it is God who gives you Himself, freely, loving you and accepting you.

Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but the unrighteous, to repentance."

Paul the Apostle in Romans quotes the Scripture, "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10-18), but then goes on to say:

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, althought the Torah and the Prophets bear witness to it--the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as atonement by His blood, to be received by faith." - Romand 3:21-25a

See then, he says, "Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded." (Romans 3:27a)

I've never been to a Lutheran church - I haven't heard of one anywhere near me.

Depending on your experiences with churches, it could be different then what you're used to. We follow the traditional order of worship that Christians have been using for two thousand years, what is called the Liturgy (from a Greek word meaning "what the people do" speaking of what happens when we come together for worship). The benefits of traditional liturgy are many, but it can appear strange to those unfamiliar with it. The focus in liturgical worship is on Scripture and hearing God's word and promises, rather than on putting on performances. So it is very Christ-centered and Bible-centered, rather than ourselves-centered.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[timothyu]

When we come together to hear and receive Christ, and all the riches of His abundant grace, in Word and Sacrament it really is Christ present.

This is true yet the Adversary is free to manipulate this also, so discernment is necessary to decipher whether these gatherings are leading us to the Kingdom or back into the world of man. Politics, economics, and especially partnership with the world of man within these gatherings are dead giveaways as connections to other than the Kingdom.

 

[Hawkins]

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.

No, hellfire is a Pharisaic concept firmly believed by the Jews back in Jesus' days. However, Paul as the Pharisee who laid the fundation for Christianity seldom mentioned this concept. We've got the wrong impression simply because Jesus mentioned it in front of the Jews as it's a widely accepted concept among the Jews. Paul never emphasized it when it's his effort to peach the gospel to the gentiles.

 

[timothyu]

The only thing we need fear (not in the respect sense as with God) is the person standing next to us for all of mankind has been contaminated by the rebellion of adversarial elohim. God wages war with these fallen sons of God and we are left for now with trying to befriend those around us, loving even enemy as self in the hopes of protecting ourselves from harm by removing (ironically) their notion we may be a threat to them. There is wisdom in this concept given as a commandment from God for us, for the enemies of God's plan seek gain at the personal expense of others and we at any time are all capable of doing so, while at the same time being victims of others. That is life... for now.

 

[VCR-2000]

I think the OP thread title question is at least somewhat correct. Christians say that the faith is more about love and mercy, but it also says that there is eternal punishment for those that don't obey the conditions or standards of God (which are absolute and high and nobody could meet or even want to always meet), so some "fear" necessarily comes into play then. One fears either worshipping at the God's feet forever or being tormented forever.

 

[FireDragon76]

I think the OP thread title question is at least somewhat correct. Christians say that the faith is more about love and mercy, but it also says that there is eternal punishment for those that don't obey the conditions or standards of God (which are absolute and high and nobody could meet or even want to always meet), so some "fear" necessarily comes into play then. One fears either worshipping at the God's feet forever or being tormented forever.

That doesn't describe most of the Protestant denominations I have been involved with in my life. The preaching was most-definitely not fear-based.

 

[Runningman]

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.

I wouldn't say fear is a major theme in Christianity as it isn't mentioned much, but there are good reasons to fear God nonetheless. There are essentially two ways to obey God: out of fear or out of love. One involves self-preservation, lip service, &c and the other involves God-adoration, a sincere heart, and devotion; God is seeking those who perform the latter.

 

[timothyu]

What happened to fearing the Lord meaning respecting or revering Him?

 

[Runningman]

What happened to fearing the Lord meaning respecting or revering Him?

Do you think Yeshua meant respect and reverence for God here? Or another kind of fear?

Matthew 10:28
28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

[IoanC]

Fear does not come from God, but the devil. Satan has his own version of God and Christianity. It sounds and reads like the real thing, but you realize that something is wrong when it's all negative, based on fear and anger, imposed through force and bargains. However, The Spirit of God is always positive, free, full of hope and light, peaceful and happy.

 

[A_Thinker]

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.

The message of the Bible is ... we are born into a helpless, hopeless condition.

God came to our rescue ... and endured physical death ... to bring us into a much more hopeful, and life-affirming future.

It is analogous to a fireman showing you the way out of a burning building.

The Old Testament ... demonstrates our need to be rescued.

The New Testament ... introduces our Rescuer ... and directs us to Him.

 

[timothyu]

Do you think Yeshua meant respect and reverence for God here? Or another kind of fear?

Another kind obviously which shows you can't mix and match. Some mean respect, some mean beware.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

True Christianity is Life Based.

John 10:10​

But I came to give life, life in all it fullness.

 

[Wyatt A.]

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.

If you're going to fear anyone, fear God. He made the universe with His spoken word.

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death." Prov. 14:27

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Prov. 9:10

 

[Wyatt A.]

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.

I think you're asking good questions.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

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.

What has happened in recent years is that there has been a shift away from the authority of the Bible and from historic Christianity to the heresies of Progressive Christianity, which denies the atonement, the Commandments, and sin. They have departed from the God of the Bible to another God of their own choosing, and a Jesus who is not the Jesus of the Gospels.

A God who does not bring unrepentant sinners to judgment is not good. Adolf Hitler killed millions of innocent people. For him not to come to judgment and be sent to hell, means that a God who would do that is not good. But the God of the Bible is good, and it is His goodness that moves him to punish wicked people who refuse the salvation that He offers through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the Cross.

If, in 1945, you were part of the group that toured a concentration camp and saw the piles of dead bodies who were killed by the Nazis, would you think it would be loving to allow those murderers to go free and continue living in society? Or would you be angry at them and want them to be punished? Because God's goodness and purity is much greater than ours, do you think He would be angry at those wicked, evil Nazis and would bring them to judgment and throw them into the lake of fire?

What if a serial killer came and murdered your family, and that person came before the judge, and the judge said, "Because I am a loving person and I love you, I am going to set you free without punishment", wouldn't you be angry at the judge and want him fired?

 

[Halbhh]

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.

There's never been any kind of way to prevent people from being incomplete in their understanding, nor a way to know one has finally arrived at knowing all we can, in that the Word teaches us over time, continually, if we truly listen (that is, humbly turn to God/Christ as the Teacher, listening to Him, thus expecting He will teach us more as we listen to his Words through Christ's teachings in the 4 gospels (no matter how much we already understand.)

I think my case is a hopeless one.

So long as you are drawing breath, it's never too late to be accepted by Christ. We need only admit the truth of the matter: that like every other person, we ourselves have also been 'sinners' -- someone that has sometimes failed to love other people we've encountered, breaking the law of Love -- and we can simply turn to Christ in faith for entire forgiveness and renewal!

I think I need to see if I really am accepted by G-d first, and understand what it means.

God accepts everyone that turns to Christ in belief on Him -- that through Him God will forgive our sins! --

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

 

[Wyatt A.]

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.

Depends what kind of church you're going to and if they teach the whole word of God. God wrote the Bible so you can have a relationship with Him, and He considers having a relationship with you more important than belonging to a particular "religion". When you're born again and receive the Holy Spirit, Christ shows you how to follow Him

The most important thing to remember is the Gospel.

The Gospel is:

Man has sinned. Man is a sinner and the wages of sin is death.
God knew man could not pay for his own sins so His Son, Jesus lived a perfect life. Was without sin and was crucified. Gods wrath for our sins was taken out on Him, and because He did nothing wrong, it was enough for God. The price that was paid on that cross was enough so that if we confess our sins, confess that we are a sinner and confess that Jesus is Lord, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins so we can receive eternal life and be in Heaven with God forever.

Jesus was crucified, died, was buried and was raised from the dead 3 days later having defeated sin and death.

"There is no one righteous, not even one."
Ron 3:10

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Rom 3:23

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Rom 10:13

The Gospel means "good news".