Fear

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LEPIDUS

Senior Member
May 15, 2012
457
10
18
#1
Why does God want us to fear him ?
 
Jun 26, 2014
1,011
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#2
Why does God want us to fear him ?
Because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. If you don't have a fearful respect for someone you won't be moved to learn from them nor will you follow their lead.
 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#3
Fear of God is also often thought of as so one dimensional. A long time ago, meditating on fear of God and wondering why people think it's, as if, "Better watch it! God will get you!" of our loving Father, it dawned on me fear of God is more recognizing His magnificence, huge respect, to see His glory and you want to drop to the ground in awe, His holiness, that He created this entire universe at will, can create a man and a woman, raise the dead, amazing works of the impossible to man, that He is from eternity: these things are awesome to contemplate. So fear of God isn't to me some notion of be frightened, walk on eggs, lest this capricious God get angry, fearing His wrath, it's more seeing how fearfully wonderful He is and how small we really are, how much we have to learn from Him, profound humility. To me, it's not He's a scary Big Guy sort of fear, as, also, I love and trust Him. Fear your own sin, if you want something to run from! In the following verse, neither was David saying he was scary frightened by the way he was made,

Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
 
M

MidniteWelder

Guest
#5
Fear comes from knowing the possible punishment.
1 John 4
[SUP]18 [/SUP]There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
2 Cor 5:11
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade others; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

There is terror in the Lord, we know this because he has displayed it, as well as he disciplines those he loves.
Who hasn't experiences the Lords guiding hand just like a parent who keeps a child from being spoiled.
Many people I feel take these things as argument within themselves saying yes but God loves us
so why should we fear him.
I believe such people still take the bible to please themselves when we all could better understand...
~the bible was given to us not so much to see what we can take of it
~but more to teach us instead how to please the Lord and how we are to love God in return.

1 John 5:3
[SUP]3 [/SUP]In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

~When we Love God in this way, not seeking to use God to please ourselves but to please him first, the fear of punishment goes away,
~either that or we humbly accept that we reap what we sow.
 
Jun 4, 2014
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#6
1 Corinthians 3


3*And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

2*I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3*For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

4*For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The fear of God is the BEGINNING of wisdom. That means one is but a babe in Christ. Perfect love casts out fear!
 
K

Kaycie

Guest
#7
He wants us to fear to disobey Him. One because it keeps us spiritually safe to obey Him, and two it is the truth- the results of not obeying Him are something to be feared.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#8
Isaiah 41

10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
13,098
113
#9
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, not the end of it :)
 
S

sassylady

Guest
#11
I think it is more of a fear of being away from Him rather than a fear of Him. We are certainly more apt to sin when we stray from Him.
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
11,363
185
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#13
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Word for fear...

H3372
ירא
yârê'
yaw-ray'
A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten: - affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

To morally revere God but it also means to fear Him. Why?

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

We should hold God in deep respect and awe. We should also fear to disobey Him.
 
Mar 4, 2013
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#14
Why does God want us to fear him ?
I take the fear of the Lord as a daily comparison to the Word of God.
Philippians 2:1-5
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded , having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind .
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Romans 4:13-16
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void , and the promise made of none effect :
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is , there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid : yea, we establish the law.

Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid : for if there had been a law given which could have given life , verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear , lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it .
 
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oldthennew

Guest
#15
one of the scriptures that comes to mind for us is -
'Behold, the goodness and the severity of God....

an Holy scolding will definitely put a real fear in anyone who
is a member of The Body of Christ.

my wife and I must confess, we have been severely
scolded for un-becoming behavior, but we were eventually
thankful for His correction for we realized that this was yet
another way for Him to show and prove His unfathomable love
for His children.
this loving but severe correction wrought an extremely respectful fear
inside of our minds and hearts and Spirits for our Father in Heaven and
needless to say, the new path that He was opening before us was very
appealing.

looking back over the years, it's so wonderful and comforting that our Father
always knows just how much severity or gentleness each of us requires
for Him to obtain His desired results.

it makes us appreciate Him so much and feel that He truly is
the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
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#16
Because it is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction Proverbs 1:7......it is the beginning point in our walk with God....

Jesus told his disciples who they should FEAR because he can kill and cast into hell.....

Fear is the beginning and this is then molded into LOVE over time as our reason for service.....
 

LEPIDUS

Senior Member
May 15, 2012
457
10
18
#17
Why does God want us to fear him ?
Exodus 20:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

So the fear of God is to keep us from sinning, and how do we know what sin is? The Ten Commandments let us know what sin is.

 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#18
Exodus 20:

18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

So the fear of God is to keep us from sinning, and how do we know what sin is? The Ten Commandments let us know what sin is.
So, is your reason for not sinning for fear of God, that He will go "Old Testament" on you? Just because you fear consequences? Is this the mind God wants of us? Is it possible to not will to sin for reasons unrelated to fear, for the offensiveness of sin, because you find the devil offensive and all the sleazy things he's up to, because you respect and admire the holiness of God, wish to be more like God, who is worthy?
 
T

The_highwayman

Guest
#19
Why does God want us to fear him ?
Proverbs gives us great reasons to Fear the Lord:
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 1:29
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 2:5
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 10:27
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 14:26
In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 14:27
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 15:16
Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 15:33
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 16:6
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 19:23
The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 22:4
By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 23:17
Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations

Proverbs 29:25
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
 

LEPIDUS

Senior Member
May 15, 2012
457
10
18
#20
So, is your reason for not sinning for fear of God, that He will go "Old Testament" on you? Just because you fear consequences? Is this the mind God wants of us? Is it possible to not will to sin for reasons unrelated to fear, for the offensiveness of sin, because you find the devil offensive and all the sleazy things he's up to, because you respect and admire the holiness of God, wish to be more like God, who is worthy?
This is my reply to a question someone made in another thread I made.

I try not to sin out of respect to God, I try to keep his commandments because I want to be obedient to his word, I am not trying to be saved by them anyone who tries will fail horribly.
I am not terrified of God, I am in awe of him, his majestic being for lack of better words. I fear him out of respect and due to that fear I try not to sin.