Love not Fear

[Darkness]

The Old Testament tells us to fear God. How do you reconcile this with John's words, "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."

 

[gnostic]

There are messages of "love" of God in, like say Psalms and elsewhere, but the fear of God do stands out far more in the OT than love.

The fear of punishment is what happened in this life, not the eternal punishment in hell, like in the New Testament.

 

[Omnipresent Truth]

This is my first post outwith my introduction but it's already one close to my heart.

IMO there is no fear regarding 'God'. If there is fear then there is no faith. Simple really.
I feel faith is the act of putting ones well being into the hands of another without doubt of harm. If one even considers harm then faith is compromised, thus resulting in fear of harm. This leads to the law of attraction but thats another debate

 

[Ever learning]

This is my first post outwith my introduction but it's already one close to my heart.

IMO there is no fear regarding 'God'. If there is fear then there is no faith. Simple really.
I feel faith is the act of putting ones well being into the hands of another without doubt of harm. If one even considers harm then faith is compromised, thus resulting in fear of harm. This leads to the law of attraction but thats another debate

I agree and i dont think that you can love something or someone if you fear it.

 

[Scott1]

Fear of the Lord simply means reverence for God... it's the Hebrew term for religion.

 

[Bathsheba]

Fear of the Lord simply means reverence for God... it's the Hebrew term for religion.

I recall hearing this way back when.

The language can be tricky indeed.

Set me straight, do you use the word 'fear' as in "Work out your own salvation with trembling and fear" differently (not pertaining to reverence)?

 

[gnostic]

Fear of the Lord simply means reverence for God... it's the Hebrew term for religion.

If it was "reverence", then the English translation would indicate "reverence", not "fear". Even the modern translation don't say reverence, when it write fear.

So largely, it is just Christian interpretation rather than the wording of the texts.

The use of gospels and letters also indicate that people converted, not out of love, but the fear of hell and eternal damnation. Either you obey or you're being punishment.

In many ways, the Christian concept of punishment is far crueler than the Jewish one. With the Jewish one, God punished you on earth, but when you are dead, that's the end of the matters, because there is no punishment in hell. The Christians believe on the other hand, that anyone who don't believe is punished for all eternity.

If that's the case, then fear is greater factor for belief in Christianity than Judaism.

Beside that all that. There are Hebrew words for reverence, and they are not interchangeable with fear; the words look nothing alike.

 

[Omnipresent Truth]

Fear isn't even comparable with reverence. It's two different verbs altogether.

 

[jamaesi]

As Scott said, it's not fear, it's reverence, respect. I do not fear my G-d. I respect G-d for all that G-d has done and all that G-d is, I have great reverence for G-d, I love G-d. I worship my G-d because I love G-d.


There's two things I want to share. Both are from Rabia al-Barsi.

This is a poem, a prayer, a writing, depending on who you ask...

O my Lord, if I worship you from fear of hell,
burn me in hell.
If I worship you from hope of Paradise,
bar me from its gates.
But if I worship you for yourself alone,
grant me then the beauty of your Face.

The other is a story, Rabia was seen running through the streets of Basra. In one hand, she carried a torch. In the other, she held a bucket of water. When asked about what she was doing she said that she wanted to put out the fires of hell and burn down the riches of paradise to remove those veils, so people could see G-d without fear of punishment or hope of reward. Without those, no one would worship G-d, but G-d is alone worthy of worship without immediate need or want or motive.

 

[methylatedghosts]

To me, fear is the opposite of love.

Love cannot grow in an environment of fear. You see this in children who have been brought up in an environment ruled by fear and punishment and abuse. In this situation the children begin by fearing the parent(s) and eventually rebel and end up hating the parent(s) and they are further driven away from the parents. (This is true to several people I know)

In a household of love the children love their parents and vice versa and it shows. I feel that a relationship with God can only do the same. Fear of God doesn't produce a good relationship compared with Love of God.

Love and fear cannot be combined.

 

[gnostic]

So is the fear of hell or fear of punishment or fear of god not a factor in Christian faith? If not so, then why do the Jesus, disciples, and priests use over the centuries in their teachings?

It is quite to me that they use fear as method of conversion.

Jesus taught in Matthew 10:28

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

...and Luke 12:5:

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.

It clearly say that God would and could destroy the soul or cast you to hell.

Is that "reverence" or is that "fear" that Jesus speaks of?