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I guess you've never been in a rollercoaster ride?
Although to most hard-core adrenaline junkies a rollercoaster is a poor substitute for the real thing. I mean most adrenaline junkies love the adrenaline and respect the fear, cause the fear is what keeps them cautious, thus alive.
I can't think of a Western religious belief that doesn't 'fear' God in some sense or another.
To hypothesize and say that I got whisked away to heaven one day, I don't think I'd be fearful of god even though most of my life has been spent denying his actual existence. Personally, I label it right up there with UFO's. If I were taken aboard a UFO, I might actually be more apt to fear for my well being because they would be creatures of this universe (however godlike in appearance or abilities) and thus prone to materialistic evil behaviors. No, if I met a god I don't think I'd have anything to fear. It's only something that people in this part of the world have culturally instilled in their children... i.e.- "Fear God for he is more powerful and he CAN do things to your soul that are horrible." The great thing is I don't HAVE to believe in god, and if I did I don't have to prescribe to the same ideals of a god that everyone else does. I can make him however friendly or unfriendly I want to and I think it's pretty obvious that people do this all the time. Check out the heaven and hell thread sometime and you'll see all sorts of different descriptions of what hell is like. Some people throw a little 'fire and brimstone' in there, some people throw a little 'darkness for eternity' with a dash of 'emptiness' in there as well.
Personally, I think the fear of a supernatural being is what keeps people believing in the first place. Again, to me, it's kind of like why people "were communists" in the USSR during the days of Stalin. It was absolute terror.
Ummm, I don't think anyone read my last post carefully.
The word "Fear" doesn't belong in the phrase. If you love God and walk in his ways, then you shouldn't have to fear him.
Yet, there are many Christians who do, indeed, fear him. They do love him, and try very hard to live in his ways, yet they are constantly afraid that they have missed the mark, in one form or another. They are continually wrapped in fear. In my earlier post, about my great-grandmother, she wasn't afraid of actually losing her salvation, (that I'm aware of), but she certainly felt that God had punished her, over something as silly as shoes. Yet, she earnestly believed it, bless her heart. There are actual denominations out there who believe that a Christian can lose their salvation. Born again one day, lose it the next. I've often thought that if their Creator couldn't hold onto them better than that, perhaps they should look for another.
I agree that it has to do with having respect and reverence for God. I believe that it is acknowledging God's sovereignty and position as God and involves seeking to do His will in the lives of those who profess Him. The apostle John speaks of those abiding in the love of God, having no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear, fear in this respect meaning to be terrified or afraid. John 4. God bless.
I agree, the word "Reverence" is more approrpriate than "Fear".
As a child fears his loving parents ... so "fear" has a greater legacy with our Heavenly father, then to just be "afraid". As we mature in our understanding about relationships we move from "milk"(OT covenant) to "meat"
(NT covenant)... Abba would be closer to daddy than to father, which denotes a close loving union forged from respect.
Who would not want that? with God? I do... and knowing my obediance(submission) represents a faithful expression of love to God (reverance)... this obedience is the conduit for a closer relationship with Him, made possible by Jesus.
Through my many travels as a military spouse (now retired), I have come across many people who described themselves as "God fearing Christians". My question is.... why is there a fear of God? I am not Christian or associated to any organized religion so I am confused. I have been told and have read that God is loving and forgiving. Why are some fearful? If anyone could answer this it would make me a bit wiser. LOL!!
The reason we fear is based on the scripture that is written in Luke 12 "4: And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5: But 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.
The person who can kill the body is those on earth. The one who can kill you and cast you into hell is God. Alot of people think that it is the Devil but his power has been taken by Jesus Christ, for it is written "he hath the keys of hell and death".
The person who can kill the body is those on earth. The one who can kill you and cast you into hell is God. Alot of people think that it is the Devil but his power has been taken by Jesus Christ, for it is written "he hath the keys of hell and death".
Ahh, but most Christians will tell you that it is not God who does the casting; that one puts himself there, through rejection of Christ. Nevermind that the scripture says that one can't even come to God, unless he is first drawn to him, by him. And, that the ability to believe comes from him, in the first place. Things can get a little sticky...
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I mean most adrenaline junkies love the adrenaline and respect the fear, cause the fear is what keeps them cautious, thus alive.
I've often thought that if their Creator couldn't hold onto them better than that, perhaps they should look for another.
