What does it mean to fear God?

[SoldierforChrist]

Ok, here is the answer to what you are all disscussing. Fear can mean, and does mean both being afraid, or reverencing and honoring Him. It all depends on your spiritual situation as to which applies to you. If you are out of Gods will and living in sin, or if you are not saved, then yes, you should be afraid of him because he has the power to cast your soul into hell if you aren't saved, and to chasten you if you are living in sin.
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.
However, if you are saved and walking close to God then you have nothing to fear, but you only honour and reverence Him. I can give verses on both, but many already have.

 

[Christina]

You've stated my exact point Soldierforchrist I could not agree more.

 

[Jordan]

(Christina;59977)
You've stated my exact point Soldierforchrist I could not agree more.
It's a beautiful thing that people agree with not only with each other, but also agree with Him and His Truth.

 

[SoldierforChrist]

(Christina;59977)
You've stated my exact point Soldierforchrist I could not agree more.
(Jordan)
It's a beautiful thing that people agree with not only with each other, but also agree with Him and His Truth.
Well great!

I am glad to find someone on here who has most of the same beliefs I have. We tend to agree alot.

 

[Christina]

God only has one truth when it is discovered Christians should have no disagreements its only when we start getting tangled in mens teachings, ideas of men we have disagreement. So it will be until the return of our Father then all things will be set right.

 

[Jordan]

(Christina;59984)
God only has one truth when it is discovered Christians should have no disagreements its only when we start getting tangled in mens teachings, ideas of men we have disagreement. So it will be until the return of our Father then all things will be set right.
I am 100% in agreement with you Christina.

No new thing under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

 

[tomwebster]

(SoldierforChrist;59973)
Well thats a strong statment to make. Saying you don't fear God is the sign of a fool. I know what you mean by that statement, but still, I would never let the words "I don't fear God" leave my lips when reffering to myself.

However, if you are saved and walking close to God then you have nothing to fear
So I will say it again than, I have no reason to fear God. He loves me and knows me, I love Him and know Him

 

[Follower]

Those who do not fear God embrace all manner of sin and become blind to their own folly. Fear is a virtue. In our pagan country, fear is considered a vice. The opposite of fear is not love, it's foolishness. We live in a foolish country where "phobos" is used as an insult, as in "homophobe". You would do better to fear God more than men.

 

[Christina]

Again the Word can equally mean Revere look it up if thats your opinion fine but that all it is. I revere my Father and therefore follow him and his Laws and ways because I love him and want to please him not because Im terrified of him. I follow him out of Love and Reverance not fear Should I stray into sin and falling away then I might fear him because I know the penalty for unrepented sinbut the saved have no reason to fear him that is what Gods Word teaches.You are assuming the Word means the same for the saved and unsaved that is your error in my opinion Fear changes to Revere when you become a New Person in Christ.

 

[tim_from_pa]

Whenever I read the OT, fearing God is in the context of keeping His Commandments. In the NT, love is the fulfillment of the Law, as one who loves (and this is God's love by His Spirit, not man's) fulfills the Law and will naturally emulate it. Here's a typical example of an OT passage:Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. (Deut 6:1-2)It shows a definite admission of Lordship and willing to submit to the Almighty.Of course the difference between the OT Law and the age of grace (as it is called) is that the Old Testament there was no Holy Spirit given yet, and people were told to be righteous by their own flesh nature. That is not salvation. Of course Israel proven it could not be done. In this age, we have the Spirit to keep God's commandments. The standard has not changed, just the power for doing so which is the difference between the OT and NT. Even in this age, the church is merely the firstfruits, the few called and chosen by God to rule and reign with Christ, and their purpose is to rule and teach in the millennium when there will be a greater pouring of the Spirit and salvation offered to all.

 

[tomwebster]

(Follower;60000)
Those who do not fear God embrace all manner of sin and become blind to their own folly ....
What a line of ----! You do as you wish. Learn the languages.

 

[SoldierforChrist]

(tomwebster;60055)
What a line of ----! You do as you wish. Learn the languages.
Please define "----!"...
James 3:10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Proverbs 29:24Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

Psalm 59:12For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.

Psalm 10:7His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

 

[tomwebster]

(SoldierforChrist;60098)
Please define "----!"...
Any cursing there is in your mind.

 

[SoldierforChrist]

(tomwebster;60099)
Any cursing there is in your mind.
1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from all appearance of evil.

 

[Follower]

(SoldierforChrist;60098)
Please define "----!"...
You know what he meant. The droppings of animals.I'd prefer to know what he meant by his other line, "Learn the languages." Actually, not.

 

[tomwebster]

(Follower;60105)
You know what he meant. The droppings of animals.I'd prefer to know what he meant by his other line, "Learn the languages." Actually, not.
I mean Greek and Hebrew so one can truly study Scripture, at least a working knowledge of the languages.

 

[tomwebster]

(SoldierforChrist;60102)
1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from all appearance of evil.
When someone puts a load of junk on here I will call them on it. That's all I'm gonna say.

 

[Follower]

(tomwebster;60106)
I mean Greek and Hebrew so one can truly study Scripture, at least a working knowledge of the languages.
The next time you decide to castigate someone for not knowing Greek and Hebrew, you might bother yourself with explaining what it is that you know that the next fellow doesn't know. To make matters worse, your strange reply came to a comment where Greek and Hebrew aren't relevant.

 

[tomwebster]

(Follower;60108)
.....
Most often when the word "fear" is used in connection to God in Scripture it is best translated as "revere." The word "revere" has a far greater meaning than "fear." There is absolutely no reason to fear God if you have accepted Christ as your Savior and Lord. There is always a reason to "REVERE" God.

 

[tomwebster]

(Follower;60108)
...To make matters worse, your strange reply came to a comment where Greek and Hebrew aren't relevant.
The discussion here has been about "fearing God," and it has been backed up by using the Bible, an English Bible likely. But the Scriptures were written in Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek, not English. If one really wants to study Scripture with understanding, it might be beneficial to have some knowledge of the languages of the Scripture which again are Hebrew, Chaldee, and Greek. If one does not have the ability, time, etc to learn these languages they should at least have the tools to get into them.