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Fear The Lord

Dragonfly

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Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?
 
God the abuser. This country was founded on that principle. Puritanical garbage is what the people of the new land aspired to. That’s why they hated Catholics. Catholics didn’t fear god. They just had to confess to him once a week or two. Of course, failure to confess led to bad things from sky daddy, but you had time. Deathbed confessions are still all the rage in JesusLand.
 
God the abuser. This country was founded on that principle. Puritanical garbage is what the people of the new land aspired to. That’s why they hated Catholics. Catholics didn’t fear god. They just had to confess to him once a week or two. Of course, failure to confess led to bad things from sky daddy, but you had time. Deathbed confessions are still all the rage in JesusLand.

that sounds like fearing god to me
 
I don't fear imaginary things. My greatest fear is of people. People use the concept of fear of god to wield influence over the fearful.
 
that sounds like fearing god to me

I guess you missed the irony-based joke in that post. :roll:

That's ok. My humor often aims high. :)
 
Calvinism - you gotta love it.
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?

From Merriam-Webster:

Definition of God-fearing
: having a reverent feeling toward God : devout

First Known Use of God-fearing
1548, in the meaning defined above God-fearing | Definition of God-fearing by Merriam-Webster
 
What is the fear of Jehovah that we should have?

The Bible shows that there is a proper fear and an improper fear. Thus, fear may be wholesome and cause the individual to proceed with due caution in the face of danger, thereby averting disaster, or it may be morbid, destroying hope and weakening a person’s nervous stamina, even to the point of bringing about death. The fear of God is healthful; it is an awe and a profound reverence for the Creator and a wholesome dread of displeasing him. This fear of incurring his displeasure is a result of appreciation of his loving-kindness and goodness together with the realization that he is the Supreme Judge and the Almighty, who has the power to inflict punishment or death upon those who disobey him.​—See AWE; DREAD.

The proper fear of Jehovah God is essential to those who would serve him. This profound fear of Jehovah is “the beginning of wisdom” (Ps 111:10), “the start of wisdom.” (Pr 9:10) It is not a morbid fear that tears down; “the fear of Jehovah is pure.” (Ps 19:9) This fear is defined thus at Proverbs 8:13: “The fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad.” It will prevent one from following a bad course, for “in the fear of Jehovah one turns away from bad.”​—Pr 16:6.

Adam and Eve failed to exercise a proper, healthful fear of God and therefore they disobeyed him. This produced in them a painful fear or terror, which caused them to hide from God’s presence. Adam said: “Your voice I heard in the garden, but I was afraid.” (Ge 3:10) Adam’s son Cain felt a similar fear after murdering his brother Abel, and this fear may have been a contributing factor in his deciding to build a city.​—Ge 4:13-17.


At Hebrews 12:28 Christians are instructed to have godly fear: “Let us continue to have undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably render God sacred service with godly fear and awe.” An angel in midheaven, having everlasting good news to declare, opened his declaration with the words: “Fear God and give him glory.” (Re 14:6, 7) Jesus contrasted the wholesome fear of God with fear of man, saying, as recorded at Matthew 10:28: “Do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be in fear of him that can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” At Revelation 2:10 he also counsels Christians: “Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer.” Real love for Jehovah expels the cowardly fear of man that leads to compromise.

Proper fear does, however, include due respect for secular authority, because the Christian knows that just punishment from the authority for a crime would be an indirect expression of God’s anger.​—Ro 13:3-7.

Jesus predicted that at “the conclusion of the system of things” a climate of fear would cover the earth. He said that there would be “fearful sights” and that men would “become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” (Lu 21:11, 26) While people in general would be affected in this way, servants of God should follow the principle expressed at Isaiah 8:12: “The object of their fear you men must not fear.” The apostle Paul explains: “For God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind.”​—2Ti 1:7.

The wise man, after making a careful study of mankind as well as man’s occupations and calamitous experiences, said: “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man.”​—Ec 12:13.

Fear — Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

"Don't be afraid of those who kill the body but can't kill the soul. Instead, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell." - Matthew 10:28

Are you beginning to get a clue now?
 
Proverbs 14:26-27
In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.

Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psalms 33:8 - Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

Luke 1:50 - And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation.

Psalms 34:9 - O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for [there is] no want to them that fear him.


Fear seems to be a theme.
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?

This has liberal/Demo written all over it. You 'll find out when breathing your last breath.

Quoting

God the abuser. This country was founded on that principle. Puritanical garbage is what the people of the new land aspired to. That’s why they hated Catholics. Catholics didn’t fear god. They just had to confess to him once a week or two. Of course, failure to confess led to bad things from sky daddy, but you had time. Deathbed confessions are still all the rage in JesusLand.

fence straddler humor.
 
This has liberal/Demo written all over it.

When you automatically bring politics into topics like this, you lay such a weak and pathetic hand of cards on the table it's beyond sad. :roll:
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?

Fear of God means fear of our own unworthiness; the worry that, in our sinful condition, we would be driven away by the presence of God. Think of the sense of foreboding that a student feels, when setting out to understand a difficult and complicated matter. It is his own limited intelligence, not the subject matter, that is the cause. Likewise, fear of God is caused by our own lack of holiness, not by God (though it is, of course, a correct response to our situation).
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?


You've had the response that fear speaks to respect, and I agree...though fearing a being that is infinitely more power, smarter, etc, than you is a pretty normal reaction.

I guess I think of it like the relationship I had with my Dad when I was young. I loved him, we had a great time, went fishing, played games, he taught me stuff, he picked me up when I scraped my knee, he kissed me goodnight, he laughed with me about silly things...but, if he got a particular tone in his voice, I knew it was serious business time, and the memory of times when I'd been "corrected" (I'm 41, so I still got spanked as a kid...lol) in the past, so I'd smarten up. I loved my Dad, love him still, but I also feared my Dad.

I guess that's why I don't think this is too controversial...
 
Fear of God means fear of our own unworthiness; the worry that, in our sinful condition, we would be driven away by the presence of God. Think of the sense of foreboding that a student feels, when setting out to understand a difficult and complicated matter. It is his own limited intelligence, not the subject matter, that is the cause. Likewise, fear of God is caused by our own lack of holiness, not by God (though it is, of course, a correct response to our situation).

Speak for yourself please.
 
You've had the response that fear speaks to respect, and I agree...though fearing a being that is infinitely more power, smarter, etc, than you is a pretty normal reaction.

I guess I think of it like the relationship I had with my Dad when I was young. I loved him, we had a great time, went fishing, played games, he taught me stuff, he picked me up when I scraped my knee, he kissed me goodnight, he laughed with me about silly things...but, if he got a particular tone in his voice, I knew it was serious business time, and the memory of times when I'd been "corrected" (I'm 41, so I still got spanked as a kid...lol) in the past, so I'd smarten up. I loved my Dad, love him still, but I also feared my Dad.

I guess that's why I don't think this is too controversial...

If you're a parent, would you want your children to fear you?
 
Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?



Your concept of love is quite limited. Don't you fear losing someone you're supposed to love?

Throughout the Old Testament, God had shown His never-ending love by enduring the countless of times He's been rejected by His chosen people. This chosen people were supposed to be the ones to usher in the peoples of the world - and bring them to God.
But they kept committing idolatry! God had compared the pains of idolatry to the pains one feels when his spouse commits adultery (comparing it to a relationship that we understand very well).

God had shown His love for us by suffering and dying for us, that we may have the chance at eternal life with Him.

He makes overtures to have us come to Him.

But if one so set in his ways in rejecting God - He may just let him go and give him up to his sins.
The person will be lost forever.



When God let go - we'll be lost forever.
Losing God, is what we have to fear.





If you're a parent, would you want your children to fear you?

That's why there is the Parable of The Prodigal Son.
That Parable is the gist of the Gospel, really.

I look back and see myself as a prodigal son.
God had stood aside as I had my worldly adventures - and looking back, I now see the many times He had helped me out of unpleasant situations (one or two, even dangerous), and saved me from myself.
He guided me back (and I am only too grateful for that). I now feel fulfilled.
At times I can only marvel at this inner peaceful calm that I feel. I found my rest.

He's done the same to countless sinners like me. He'll do the same to others.
Like a Father to a long-lost son, awaiting and eagerly welcoming of his return.
 
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Fear.

A strong and very powerful emotion.

Why would "god" want, require, desire, or need anyone to "fear him"?

What's this whole "fear" thing?

Think of the strongest love you have for anybody in your life. Do you also "fear them"?

Isn't the concept of love, devotion, acceptance, and praise almost directly opposing to the concept of fear?

Should fear even be a part of anything at all related to "god"?


Stop resisting Him, Dragonfly.

With all your various threads you've created.....I can't help but sense that there is a restlessness
about you. I wouldn't be surprised if He's poking at you, to get your attention.

Stop.
Be still.
Lower your pride.
Meet with Him.
 
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Stop resisting Him, Dragonfly.

With all your various threads you've created.....I can't help but sense that there is a restlessness
about you. I wouldn't be surprised if He's poking at you, to get your attention.

Stop.
Be still.
Lower your pride.
Meet with Him.

:lamo


:lol:
 
I fear the zealots who follow gods more than I fear the god that does not exist. - Calamity 2019
 
Throughout the Old Testament, God had shown His never-ending love

You mean like when he floods the planet and kills every single living land-bound animal on the planet except for those on an Ark?
Curious, what exactly did the deer, cows, horses, cats, dogs, squirrels and other mammals do to piss god off so much that he'd destroy all them too?


You got a strange idea of "never-ending love".
 
If you're a parent, would you want your children to fear you?

Sometimes...but the more important question is why would I want my child to fear me. Fear is a very powerful emotion, in terms of being a motivator. It doesn't require a lot of thought, it drives action, when action is required. For example, if my toddler is playing by the street (I'm speaking in hypotheticals, I generally don't let my kid play by the street), and I see a car coming as his ball gets away on them, I want him to fear the consequences of not heeding my warning, to where he immediately steps back from the street. I don't want a "But, daddy!", I don't want a negotiation, I want an immediate response that matches what I want to happen, because I see a danger he doesn't. Fear works great in that moment, because it cuts through, creates an impression, and drives an action like no other emotion.

Of course, I don't want him to be afraid of me all the time, that would by abusive, and he doesn't, not even close. Most days there is zero time spent being afraid of his father. But on a couple occasions, his fear of his mother and father saved his life...as has the fear of pretty much every kid's mother and father.

If you would call this something other than fear, then I would suggest there's a better word for fear, in the context of "fear of the Lord", as well. It's an old expression, holding different implications than the fear we think about today.
 
You mean like when he floods the planet and kills every single living land-bound animal on the planet except for those on an Ark?
Curious, what exactly did the deer, cows, horses, cats, dogs, squirrels and other mammals do to piss god off so much that he'd destroy all them too?


You got a strange idea of "never-ending love".

godvsatan.jpg
 

That chart is not accurate...when the flood came, who really killed all those people? Satan, because every one of those people had the chance to save themselves, all they had to do was listen to what Noah was telling them...instead they remained obstinate and stubborn, like Satan...and died...same with Sodom and Gomorrah...same with every other destruction God has brought on the wicked...all because they WOULD NOT LISTEN...just like today...Jehovah God always...ALWAYS gives a warning before He destroys anyone for their wickedness, He gives them the opportunity to listen and turn around...He destroys no one without giving them a chance 1st to change...
 
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