Fear of God

[Kehaar]

Proverbs 8:13

Deuteronomy 5:29

This verse was part of my readings today. I just wondered how we define our fear of God, is it more than a healthy respect? What does it mean to fear God?

[snoochface]

Interesting question.

Sometimes I think I don't fear God enough. I think about the wondrous and miraculous things he does, and instead of being awe-inspired, I think, "Well yeah, he's God, of course he can do those things." I feel disrespectful when I have those thoughts.

Now that I'm a Christian (just over a year ago) I think my fear of God has lessened because I know I'm saved and won't be punished. I love God and strive to do his will, follow his commandmants, and live as closely to Jesus as I can. I don't take it for granted that I'm saved so I can go do whatever I want, or anything like that. But I don't fear God's wrath because I know I'll be in heaven with him someday. That makes me feel disrespectful, too. :(

[TheListener]

Read the book of Job, all of it. The theme is excellent. Talks about human pride, suffering, agony, and how we rever ourselves in s sense that God is trivialised. And when God speaks He puts things into perspective. That will show you what fear of the LORD is.

As for me, it's not fear as in fear of a murderer, it's a different kind of fear. It's hard to explain. It's not a "bad" kind of fear leading to resentment and hatred. It's a kind of fear leading to awe and respect and love.

[Kusanagi]

Myself, I dont fear God. I just repect God :).

[sidh]

I think that we shouldn't fear God. He is God of love that is unconditional and has no boundaries. He has given to us His only son, Jesus, who gave His life to save us and He wishes to live through us. How could we fear such loving, wonderful, merciful and forgiving God?

But here, that doesn't mean that if I don't fear God, I don't respect Him. Not at all! It's just that God gave to me the most wonderful thing that I could ever get- His unconditional love. And I love Him back with my whole heart. I don't fear Him, but I respect Him because I love Him. And respect born from love is so much more real than respect that has its source in fear.

[Tenorvoice]

Fear of God is more like respect than being afraid of HIm.

The way that I look at it is this way. I feared my dad growing up. Not because I was afraid of being beaten or anything like that. I just had a great amount of respect for him and I still do to this day.

We must know that God LOVES us first and formost. He wants the best for us in our lives. If we only give it to Him for Him to have control over.

Try and look at your life as being a story, with you being the main character. Now what would happen if the main character tried to write the story him/herself? The story would make no sence. But if you give the Story back to God to write, He has the most exciting twists and turns instore for you, and if you let Him keep writing it each and every day there is no telling where it may lead you.

[twistedsketch]

These responses are all very good.

Say you ran into King Kong. Would you be afraid? You should be. But then you find out he likes you and wants to be your friend. You'll feel relief, but you'd still "fear" him enough to not knowingly make him go berserk.

If we all could see God, we'd be very afraid. In fact, the first thing God's angels, who are much lesser beings than God, had to tell people when they appeared to them in Scripture was "Do not be afraid." When you consider how holy and powerful God is, how could you not fear Him. But what makes grace so awesome is that He desires not to pulverize us, but to have a friendship with us. And when you consider we don't even deserve it, and all that suffering Jesus had to do, that is nothing to take lightly.

[Firebird73]

I have never feared God. Why fear your parent?

[Tenorvoice]

If we all could see God, we'd be very afraid. In fact, the first thing God's angels, who are much lesser beings than God, had to tell people when they appeared to them in Scripture was "Do not be afraid." When you consider how holy and powerful God is, how could you not fear Him. But what makes grace so awesome is that He desires not to pulverize us, but to have a friendship with us. And when you consider we don't even deserve it, and all that suffering Jesus had to do, that is nothing to take lightly.

I hinted on this some a few weeks ago. Here is the post that I put in a few other forums.

Do NOT Fear...


Do not be afraid



Does anyone here realize how many time this phrase is repeated in the Bible?

I was doing a word search tonight, and wanted to share this with everyone.

"Do not be afraid"

The NIV 65 times, and 46 in the NASB

and "Do not fear"

NASB 57 times, and the NIV 18 times.

Do you think that God is trying to tell us something here? Like Do not be afraid, for He is in control of our lives?

I like to tie it into this excert from Scripture myself:

Mt 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?

Mt 6:28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

[growingupinhim]

the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..
most of the world today does not fear God at all, but thumb thier nose at him.
once you grow in the Lord you will see it is important to keep on the righteous path..less you need to brought back..by him.

[Simonline]

Proverbs 8:13The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Deuteronomy 5:29O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

This verse was part of my readings today. I just wondered how we define our fear of God, is it more than a healthy respect? What does it mean to fear God?

The fear of the Lord, which is the begining of wisdom, is that awesome respect that keeps one on one's toes and motivates one to obedience. It has nothing to do with the kind of fear that petrifies, since 'perfect love casts out all [petrifying] fear'.

Simonline.