Hello and welcome to Time for Reflections.
One sentence that is often found in the Bible is about the fear of God. It’s often mentioned and refers to submission to God, and the fear of judgement and punishment and going to hell. A fear of God’s omnipotence and power. But is that really what fear of God should mean? Fearing punishment.
Let me give you a test.
Can you search in the Bible anywhere where Jesus says I have come to punish you for your sins.
Don’t bother looking for it. You will not find it because Jesus never said that He has come in order for us to be punished.
In fact in the Gospel of John Chapter 12 Verse 47 He says “anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I have not come to judge the world but to save the world”.
Jesus came on earth to forgive our sins and to bring us back towards God because our sin moved us away from God.
In the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 12 Verse 7, after an argument with the Pharisees, He says to them, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”. Jesus has mercy on us and realises that as humans we are liable to sin. And He came to forgive sins.
In fact not just to forgive sins. But, if I could quote the Gospel of John Chapter 10 Verse 10 He says, “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full”.
God wants us to enjoy this life, not to endure it and to see Him as a punishing God Who expects us to obey Him or else.
He has given us the freedom to do as we wish.
God love us and He invites us to love Him back and to obey Him. Or indeed, not to love Him, and not to obey Him, and to deny Him even.
If we are to fear God, it should not be a fear born out of retribution or punishment that may come. It should be because we fear hurting Him. We fear disappointing Him by our behaviour and by our failures.
Our fear – if fear is the word – should be a fear born out of love and respect for Him, and for what He has done for us and continues to do for us.
Our obedience should be freely given as an act of love and not the result of fear.
Thank you for listening. God bless.
Thank you very much for listening to Time for Reflections. This is Vic Moubarak saying bye bye for now and God bless.
...I'm not sure that fear is the correct word.
ReplyDeleteI understand what you're saying Tom. But there are those (in the past as well as today) who "fear" God in the sense that they fear the alternative - unless they obey they will go to hell.
DeleteThus the fear is one of punishment. They obey the Commandments, they pray and read the Bible, they go to church etc. because they don't want to go to hell; rather than wanting to do these things because they love, honour and respect God. To some extent, priests and preachers have encouraged this attitude in the past by preaching hell and damnation rather than love and forgiveness. "I desire mercy, not sacrifice."
God bless.
Hi Victor I believe that to fear means to respect in the scriptures. When we are spoken to daily through God's Word regarding situations we may find ourselves in, then we must act upon what we are being shown to resolve the situation and not just read it. We are told to love God and love one another and the love spoken here includes many things, one being kindness.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, specifically in the past, to fear God meant exactly that. People feared Him because they feared the alternative. The Bible, especially the Old Testament, is full of examples of people being thumped on the head for displeasing God. Christ has described hell as being a fiery furnace; so people were brought up from childhood to fear God or else the devil will poke them into hell with his big fork.
DeleteIn modern times, (whenever that started), the notion has grown that God is a loving and forgiving God. I tend to agree with this; and Christ mentions it often. However, some people have taken this too far and believe He is a soft touch and they can do what they want and they'll be forgiven. Church attendance, (in the UK), is down to less than 5% of the population and less than 50% claim to be Christian.
People forget that as well as being loving and merciful, God is also just. He is not fooled by people's behaviour. He does not need to send them to hell; they are blindly walking there themselves.
God bless you, Brenda. Thank you for your comment with which I agree.
I agree Victor regarding the way we can be brought up and taught, whether by parents, schools or churches. I loved the fact that when me and my siblings used to argue and say to our father 'Dad, dad, who is right?' he always used to say 'Let's see what the Lord says'. Then he would look into the scriptures and always find words to answer our question.
DeleteIt is good when parents teach their children using the Bible. It sets a good example and encourage them as they grow up.
DeleteGod bless, Brenda.
Amen
ReplyDeleteGod bless, Christine.
DeleteNot in fear of God but in AWE!!! If I wasn't for my salvation I sure would fear God though.
ReplyDeleteGood point Happyone. God bless.
DeleteI've known many people who have spoken of a fear-based relationship with God. Fortunately, most of them have come to believe in a loving God.
ReplyDeleteI agree Kathy. That's the point I was making.
DeleteGod bless always.
My parents never spoke to this directly, but I strongly suspect they (like their parents) believed God could be wrathful if provoked. Nowadays, modernization of the written Word (to suit some people's own beliefs) has that pendulum swinging in the opposite direction. Me? Like that old song lyric, I'm grateful "to be stuck in the middle with you."
ReplyDeleteStuck in the middle with you - Stealers Wheel - 1972. Played often on my radio show.
DeleteThe problem is, whilst God is indeed loving, caring and merciful; He is no fool either. Today's generations seem to be pushing His patience to a wrathful state judging from the way the world is. They're excluding God from every aspect of their lives; and He is withdrawing gently and allowing humanity to get on with it. But He's still in control!
God bless, Mevely.
Going to a parochial school, they put the fear of God in you. Kids were scared and afraid of what could happen if you did anything wrong. Definitely not a nice image of a loving God. I still can remember a priest telling us we could go to hell if we don't follow God and his rules. Not a nice way to learn about God.
ReplyDeleteYes, I remember Bill. We were frightened and had to learn the Catechism by heart.
DeleteGod bless.
We need to remember that we should fear God, not because of possible retribution, but simply because He is God and we are not. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Victor!
Yes I agree. Although sadly today people treat God as an equal and analyse Him as if He were an insect under the microscope.
DeleteGod bless, Martha.
Reverent respect is how i think of holy fear.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Mimi.
DeleteGod bless.
Exodus was a great movie! We'll watch it. Coming from the Midwest Illinois farmland, our church was down on about a God to fear. When I went to college, I was so confused: God who scares the daylights out of me or the God who loves me more than I can fathom. You said it well.
ReplyDeleteThe Exodus tune was always used at the beginning and end of my radio program "Time for Reflections".
DeleteYou are right, in the past the teaching was about a severe punishing God; then (in the New Testament) Christ teaches about a loving caring God.
God bless, Susan.