Should a Christian fear God?

[TonyChanYT]

Yes, Proverbs 9:

10a The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.

Luke 12:

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.

Do not fear men, demons, or Satan.

5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Fear God with respect to His authority. This is a healthy fear. But wait, Jesus continues:

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

As Christians, don't be afraid of any circumstances. The Almighty God is in control.

1 John 4:

18 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.

There are healthy and unhealthy fears. As Christians, focus on love, not the unhealthy fear.

 

[Windmillcharge]

What is meant by fear?

There is the healthy fear of something that is dangerous.
There is the healthy spiritual fear is perfect Holiness.
There is the fear that is actually respect and awe.

You know a Christian should know and experience these fears at different times and for different reasons.
We have a unique relationship with an Awesome , Holy, God and it is clear that often we take God for granted, treat him as a sugar daddy or a benevolent grandfather, rather than what he is.

How often do any of us spend more than two sentences praising God?
Take a look at the amazing prayers in the O T, see how they praise and worship our God and see if in public prayer one can imitate them

 

[DJT_47]

Ecclesiastes 12:13

13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

 

[Taken]

Yes, Proverbs 9:


Luke 12:


Do not fear men, demons, or Satan.


Fear God with respect to His authority. This is a healthy fear. But wait, Jesus continues:


As Christians, don't be afraid of any circumstances. The Almighty God is in control.

1 John 4:


There are healthy and unhealthy fears. As Christians, focus on love, not the unhealthy fear.

Correct…
FEAR has duel meanings.
To be AFRAID…
To REVERE…

Men can KILL the body, and do no more.
God can KILL the body, and the SOUL.

Wisdom is NOT being AFRAID of God.
Wisdom IS REVERING God.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[MatthewG]

Bumping thread.

 

[BlessedPeace]

Fear?No.
Respect?Yes.

 

[gpresdo]

The KJV says...fear God. Lets' hear from some .....of what that means?

 

[Lambano]

I am grateful to Rabbi Abraham Heschel for providing this insight: In his book, God in Search of Man, Rabbi Heschel commented on Proverbs 1:7 ("The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom") that the Hebrew word here is יִרְאַת ("yirah"), which carries shades of meaning which include awe, reverence, fascination, wonder, and yes, real fear as is appropriate when in the presence of a being who is infinitely more powerful than any human authority.

Awe. Reverence. Fascination. Wonder. Fear. I think what God wants is, with Trust, for the fear to transform into Love.

Unfortunately, my dog chewed up the book and I never got to finish it.

 

[TonyChanYT]

The KJV says...fear God. Lets' hear from some .....of what that means?

Can you quote the specific verse?

 

[gpresdo]

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14King James Version. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

There are others...google.

 

[Jack]

Philippians 2
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

 

[TonyChanYT]

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14King James Version. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

There are others...google.

Brown-Driver-Briggs
1 fear, be afraid
2 stand in awe of
3 fear, reverence, honour

 

[Jack]

2 Kings 17
They did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions to kill them!

 

[BlessedPeace]

I am grateful to Rabbi Abraham Heschel for providing this insight: In his book, God in Search of Man, Rabbi Heschel commented on Proverbs 1:7 ("The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom") that the Hebrew word here is יִרְאַת ("yirah"), which carries shades of meaning which include awe, reverence, fascination, wonder, and yes, real fear as is appropriate when in the presence of a being who is infinitely more powerful than any human authority.

Awe. Reverence. Fascination. Wonder. Fear. I think what God wants is, with Trust, for the fear to transform into Love.

Unfortunately, my dog chewed up the book and I never got to finish it.

Does this help?

https://www.wrssjcc.org/resources/Documents/God%20in%20Search%20of%20Man%20by%20Abraham%20Joshua%20Heschel%20A.pdf

 

[Lambano]

Thank you, Blessed Peace. That was a wonderful reminder!

"The beginning of awe is wonder, and the beginning of wisdom is awe.... There is thus only one way to wisdom: awe. Forfeit your sense of awe, let your conceit diminish your ability to revere, and the universe becomes a marketplace to you. Wisdom comes from awe, not shrewdness. It is evoked not in moments of calculation but in moments of being in rapport with the mystery of reality. The greatest insights happen to us in moments of awe." - Rabbi Heschel

 

[Jack]

There is thus only one way to wisdom: awe.

Should we believe you or Jesus?

Proverbs 9
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

 

[Lambano]

The rabbi reminded me (thank you again, @BlessedPeace) that God wants us to:

"Seek ye the LORD while He may be found." (Isaiah 55:6, among many others)

and the greatest commandment of all is:

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 4:5, quoted by Jesus in Mark 12:30 with synoptic parallels in Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27.)

Fear makes us hide from God, not seek Him. To do what He wants, to seek His face and love Him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, we have to overcome our fear. (1 John 4:18, quoted in the OP.)

 

[Jack]

Fear makes us hide from God, not seek Him.

You just called Jesus a LIAR!

Proverbs 9
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

 

[Lambano]

Should we believe you or Jesus?

Proverbs 9
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

Same Hebrew word, יִרְאַת. Awe. Reverence. Piety. As well as real fear.

If you want to remain in fear your entire life, you will never get beyond the beginning of wisdom. You will not seek God's face or love Him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. And in wanting to keep everybody else in fear, "you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."

 

[Jack]

Weren't you paying attention in post #8? Same Hebrew word, יִרְאַת. Awe. Reverence. Piety. As well as real fear.

If you want to remain in fear your entire life, you will never get beyond the beginning of wisdom. You will not seek God's face or love Him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. And in wanting to keep everybody else in fear, "you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in."

You're not a Hebrew expert! Stop trying to rewrite our Bible like Satan and JW's!