The Fear of the Lord

[Episkopos]

"The fear of God and the peace proceeding from the love of God need to coexist in the believer's heart because the peace of God by itself cannot induce repentance in the sinner's heart and thus, no salvation. And on the other hand, the fear of God without His love creates despair.Therefore, a pious and blessed life comes from a life where the fear of God and His love are in a constant and permanent interaction producing a good fruit thereof."

Act_9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, AND in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

 

[justaname]

Amen!

 

[aspen]

Fear means 'awe'

 

[Episkopos]

Fear means 'awe'

It means to tremble...with fear.

 

[Prentis]

Psalm 119:120
My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.

 

[HammerStone]

Fear and awe were almost mutually inclusive - awesome has been degraded to a lesser term, but awe meant you were struck with awe - speechless, aware of your own limitations when compared with the event or thing, etc.

The Bible is full of paradoxes and I think this is a key to beginning to try and understand God. You have to rectify verses like I John 4:8 NIV with Matthew 10:28. I don't think God is asking for total fear like what a horror movie elicits, but a reverence of God that embodies trembling at his power AND getting lost in his love.

 

[Episkopos]

Fear and awe were almost mutually inclusive - awesome has been degraded to a lesser term, but awe meant you were struck with awe - speechless, aware of your own limitations when compared with the event or thing, etc.

The Bible is full of paradoxes and I think this is a key to beginning to try and understand God. You have to rectify verses like I John 4:8 NIV with Matthew 10:28. I don't think God is asking for total fear like what a horror movie elicits, but a reverence of God that embodies trembling at his power AND getting lost in his love.

A paradox to be sure. The very greatness of God....together with His eternal judgments affecting us completely means we literaly tremble at His words.

 

[justaname]

Upon the appearance of an angel the shepherds in Matthew were " sore afraid". Moses was afraid along with the Exodus generation upont receiving the law. Couples with the fact that God is the final judge in the outcome of our soul I fear the Lord.

 

[prism]

The thought that God Incarnate would die for us His ungrateful creatures makes me tremble when I grumble to do a little extra when called upon.

 

[Episkopos]

The thought that God Incarnate would die for us His ungrateful creatures makes me tremble when I grumble to do a little extra when called upon.

So true! The fear of the Lord brings us back to our senses.

 

[Episkopos]

1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

Christianity is all too often associated with smugness, pride and even arrogance. It is as if Christians had some special favour bestowed on them so that they could indulge the temptation to snub their noses at others.

But the opposite is true...God has no favourites and judges ONLY by what we do and how we think. God will judge us objectively...and HARDER than the world around us...because WE should know better. We MUST become as holy in our conduct as Jesus otherwise we are frustrating the purpose and grace of God.