Is It Wrong To Be Afraid of God?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
S

sassylady

Guest
#21
God is not angry with His people. Not always pleased with what we choose to do of course in some instances, but we were not created for His wrath. We do take the consequences of our actions when we refuse to obey. That does not mean He is angry with us.

I have a daughter who unfortunately due to the abuse of my ex husband, sees God as she saw her dad. One wrong move and you've had it. It has been many years of struggle for her to see God in a different way.

I often think we need to be more afraid of being away from God than of what we think we do wrong.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#22
God is not angry with His children. Christ came to bring peace between us and our Father. Only those who continue to resist the salvation offered in Christ need fear the wrath of God.

For the Christian fear of God is reverential trust not terror.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#23
i'm not afraid of God...He's my Dad. :)

i guess i was incredibly blessed with an earthly dad who was never the angry sort.
mind you, if we disobeyed we knew he wasn't happy about it, and there would be consequences,
but we still knew he loved us, no matter what.

so i thank our Father for my dad...miss him every day.

 
Sep 29, 2014
347
1
0
#24
God is not angry with His children.
You might try reading the Old Testament one of these days. Or, even the New Testament.

2 Chronicles 29:10: “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us”
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#25
You might try reading the Old Testament one of these days. Or, even the New Testament.

2 Chronicles 29:10: “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us”
Jamal, most respectfully i say the wrath due us for our sin was taken by the Lord Jesus...
all totally paid for by Him in what He did to save sinners like me.

see the first part of the verse you quoted...we are in Covenant with the Lord God,
provided fully by Him, minus our merit.
and in that blessed Covenant, God's fierce and righteous wrath has been turned away from us...


those in Christ have nothing to fear.
no wrath remains for God's own. ♥

 
M

MidniteWelder

Guest
#26
I have lived not in fear of animal, nature, or Man.
But the day I feared God... I was humbled.
If I had no reason to fear God, what would stop me.

Psalm 34

7The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
 
Sep 29, 2014
347
1
0
#27
There are numerous verses teaching the appropriateness of the fear God, for Christians. See my post #10 for a couple of examples. I know of no verses that teach anything to the contrary. That should settle this, for those of us who believe the Bible. BTW, it is fear of God that makes me want to get the Bible right, rather than to allow myself to impose something unbiblical on the Bible.






Jamal, most respectfully i say the wrath due us for our sin was taken by the Lord Jesus...
all totally paid for by Him in what He did to save sinners like me.

see the first part of the verse you quoted...we are in Covenant with the Lord God,
provided fully by Him, minus our merit.
and in that blessed Covenant, God's fierce and righteous wrath has been turned away from us...


those in Christ have nothing to fear.
no wrath remains for God's own. ♥

 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#28
There are numerous verses teaching the appropriateness of the fear God, for Christians. See my post #10 for a couple of examples. I know of no verses that teach anything to the contrary. That should settle this, for those of us who believe the Bible. BTW, it is fear of God that makes me want to get the Bible right, rather than to allow myself to impose something unbiblical on the Bible.

Perfect love casteth out fear. We fear God as in reverential trust we are not terrorized by God. Believers are not appointed unto wrath.
1 John 4:18

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 

LRG

Banned
Jun 14, 2014
312
2
0
#29
Yes, it is wrong to be afraid of God if you are a believer and belong to him. If you are not saved then you should be afraid of him because you are still under condemnation. But if you are in Christ Jesus then you are no longer under condemnation since you belong to him and have passed from death to life.

Fear involves punishment and there is no fear in love. God is love and being saved is a reconciled relationship with your creator. It is a love based relationship and not one based on fear. God is not an abusive parent. God works all things together for your good if you love him and belong to him. God wants what is best for you in the eternal sense and if need be he will discipline you to correct you but not punish you in the same sense as what the unbeliever will experience after the Great White Throne judgment.

So perhaps you are confusing human abusive parents with God. You should always respect God and his authority since he is the creator and you are just the creation but you should not fear God in the sense of impending doom and punishment. You have to love God and trust him and feel safe enough to want to draw near to him so he can draw near to you. How can you really trust God and love him on a deep level if you have this fear in the way?
 
Sep 29, 2014
347
1
0
#30
Nothing in that verse says Christians shouldn't have a fear of God, at least before your love is perfect. It's interesting that some Christians have almost a perverse fetish for insisting they're imperfect sinners, yet they'll still quote "Perfect love casts out fear" as justification for not fearing God. The only people in the Bible who are identified as having no fear of God are the wicked, e.g. Romans 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes" in regards to the unsaved or wicked. As for those belonging to God, 2 Corinthians 11 "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience." The righteous are never identified as having no fear of God.


Perfect love casteth out fear. We fear God as in reverential trust we are not terrorized by God. Believers are not appointed unto wrath.
1 John 4:18

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#31
There are numerous verses teaching the appropriateness of the fear God, for Christians. See my post #10 for a couple of examples. I know of no verses that teach anything to the contrary. That should settle this, for those of us who believe the Bible. BTW, it is fear of God that makes me want to get the Bible right, rather than to allow myself to impose something unbiblical on the Bible.

okaayyy...but i was responding to your quoting of 2 Chron 29:10

are you saying God's wrath resides on believers?
:confused:
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#33
God can be angry with his people.
Rom 5:9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

1 Thes 1:9-10
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

1 Thes 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

as believers, we ought to be very respectful of God's majesty, power, and holiness.
but please will you show me a NT verse that states God is angry with those in Christ?

thanks for your patience.


 
Sep 29, 2014
347
1
0
#34
"Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people" - Psalm 106:40a

There you have a verse that directly says God can be angry at his people. All those verses you quoted say is that Christians will be saved from God's final judgement, not that God isn't ever angry at his people.

Rom 5:9
Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

1 Thes 1:9-10
For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,
and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

1 Thes 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ

as believers, we ought to be very respectful of God's majesty, power, and holiness.
but please will you show me a NT verse that states God is angry with those in Christ?

thanks for your patience.


 

LRG

Banned
Jun 14, 2014
312
2
0
#35
"Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people" - Psalm 106:40a

There you have a verse that directly says God can be angry at his people. All those verses you quoted say is that Christians will be saved from God's final judgement, not that God isn't ever angry at his people.
You seem to be confusing fear as in fear of punishment as in Hell and fear as in reverence and respect as in understanding the relationship between the creator and the creation.

Old Testament verses don't apply since they are referring to Israel and the Old Covenant. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant.

Those that are bought by Christ's blood are considered children of God and have been reconciled to him. So it is a heavenly father and child relationship. God will discipline but it is done out of love. You can grieve the Holy Spirit but you are still saved and no longer under God's wrath. You are no longer God's enemy but his child.
 
M

MidniteWelder

Guest
#36
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear
...Then Grace my fears relieved.
 

MisterHarmony

Senior Member
Jan 31, 2014
129
2
0
#37
There is great value in fearing God. It strongly compels you to serve Him in love and obedience. Isn't it true Noah was filled with Divine fear so strong, he had the motivation to build the Ark. The fear of the Lord moves you to do works for His Glory. He is worthy to fear, He who loves the righteous and unrighteous.
 
Sep 29, 2014
347
1
0
#38
You seem to be confusing fear as in fear of punishment as in Hell and fear as in reverence and respect
I don't believe in redefining words just because the Bible says something I don't like or understand.

Old Testament verses don't apply since they are referring to Israel and the Old Covenant. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant.[/quote

The New Testament tells us over and over to fear God, and it doesn't mean Reverence and Respect. It's not reverence and respect to redefine words in the Bible. Or to wear blue jeans to church. So, I'm not even sure now these non-fearing God-fearing people are being fearful in the way of being reverentful and respectful. Love may be slow to anger, but love can still get angry.
 
P

pastac

Guest
#39
Yet you frequently impose your twisted views upon others who don't agree with your approach. How does that work really Jamal?
There are numerous verses teaching the appropriateness of the fear God, for Christians. See my post #10 for a couple of examples. I know of no verses that teach anything to the contrary. That should settle this, for those of us who believe the Bible. BTW, it is fear of God that makes me want to get the Bible right, rather than to allow myself to impose something unbiblical on the Bible.

 
P

pastac

Guest
#40
So let me get this right blue jeans at church is a sinful act of some sort? What am I missing. I surely don't want to imply. Be clear for me. Fearing God doesn't mean reverence or respect??
Jamal you have need to be taught instead of teaching you harp on theological training in a formal setting I sure would not want to attend your school of theology. I ask you to slow down and just look at your approach this is from a man who's zeal is sometimes misinterpreted as well but at least I can admit its zeal and enthusiasm and nothing more. In your case it seems to be something more. Speaking for God or our Lord means you speak with authority and that you consider who you are speaking to.
Meat is for them who eat meat! Most are not meat eaters and if so they are used to even that being chewed for them by someone. Just my observation after 20 years of ministry.
I don't believe in redefining words just because the Bible says something I don't like or understand.

Old Testament verses don't apply since they are referring to Israel and the Old Covenant. The New Covenant replaced the Old Covenant.[/quote

The New Testament tells us over and over to fear God, and it doesn't mean Reverence and Respect. It's not reverence and respect to redefine words in the Bible. Or to wear blue jeans to church. So, I'm not even sure now these non-fearing God-fearing people are being fearful in the way of being reverentful and respectful. Love may be slow to anger, but love can still get angry.
 
Last edited by a moderator: