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Maggie 3 · Feb 5, 2009, 10:56 AM

What is your understanding of the word fear in the bible?

Here are two verses that I been looking at, what is your understanding about them?

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear,because fear involves
torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." I John 4:18

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind."
2Timothy 1:7

Maggie 3

arcura · Feb 5, 2009, 01:58 PM

Maggie 3,
To me biblical fear means respect in many instances such as to fear God, that is to res[ect Him.
Bur in some case, depending on the verse it means fright such as "there is no fright in love", and "For God has not given us a spirit of fright".
Peace and kindness,
Fred

450donn · Feb 6, 2009, 04:16 PM

I think the reference is to fear for your soul. If your heart is not right, then you have fear that God will judge you and not find you worthy.

savedsinner7 · Feb 6, 2009, 06:34 PM

It depends on what you're afraid of. I have encountered many things that I've been afraid of: failing, what others think of me, not being forgiven, falling, dying, getting sick, not having enough, etc. All of these fears are rooted in a lack of trust and belief in my God. If I really believe He is Who He Says He Is, then I won't have fear. When my heart is right with Him and I believe His Word, and I don't listen to the lie of the enemy, then there is no fear in me because I believe I am who He says I am, and have what He says I have. Fear is because I don't allow Him access to certain parts of my life and hang on to those parts for my own.

arcura · Feb 6, 2009, 06:47 PM

savedsinner7,
That is something to think about.
Thanks.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

savedsinner7 · Feb 6, 2009, 06:48 PM

Just my experience and the Holy Spirit's prompting. You're welcome.

Maggie 3 · Feb 6, 2009, 08:38 PM

Thank you for all the good answers. I believe there are lots of people with fears
And maybe we can help.

Blessings, Maggie 3

verbattered52 · Feb 6, 2009, 09:05 PM

I have a problem understanding this, too. How does one fear God, and believe God is love at the same time? If we are not expected to be perfect, but according to the Bible, simply believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and we do believe, what is there to fear? Not being able to maintain blind faith or a childlike faith?

arcura · Feb 6, 2009, 09:06 PM

Maggie 3,
You're very welcome.
Peace and kindness.
Fred

arcura · Feb 6, 2009, 09:15 PM

verbattered52,
Fear of God means to respect him not to live in terror.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

verbattered52 · Feb 7, 2009, 08:39 AM

Thank you, Fred.

savedsinner7 · Feb 7, 2009, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by verbattered52

I have a problem understanding this, too. How does one fear God, and believe God is love at the same time? If we are not expected to be perfect, but according to the Bible, simply believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and we do believe, what is there to fear? Not being able to maintain blind faith or a childlike faith?

Fear of the LORD is total and awesome respect for Who He Is. It is when we wait in expectation for Him to Come, it is when we tremble at the awesome and Mighty power of Who He Is. Fear of the LORD is when we will do whatever He asks of us because we know that He is the One Who Holds the Power to judge. It is when we want to please Him rather than pleasing the others in our lives. It is when we look first to Him to guide us. The faith that Jesus asks of us is the faith that says "even though I can't see how this will work out, I will trust You to work it out for me." It's the faith that says "even though I don't have the money for a transmission for my car, I believe You will provide." It's the faith that doesn't look at the wind and the waves around us but looks to the Face of Our Maker to seek the answers.

arcura · Feb 7, 2009, 04:00 PM

savedsinner7
That is very good.
I agree.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

verbattered52 · Feb 7, 2009, 08:46 PM

We are children of God, correct? I never wanted my child to do my bidding out of fear.

arcura · Feb 7, 2009, 08:55 PM

verbattered52,
So your child dies not fear your displeasure and perhaps punishement if he/she does wrong?
Hmmmm.
Put biblical fear of God is deep respect for Him.
So does your child respect you?
Peace and kindness,
Fred

savedsinner7 · Feb 7, 2009, 09:03 PM

Fear of the LORD is not afraid kind of fear, it is honoring respectful awe.

arcura · Feb 7, 2009, 09:24 PM

savedsinner7,
Yes that is what I have been trying to get clear here.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

jakester · Feb 8, 2009, 07:33 AM

Verbattered -

The fear of the Lord is a concept that is talked about over and over again throughout the bible. When it is mentioned, it is mentioned along with the fear of man. There is a phenomenon in life that a believer in God faces and that phenomenon is, when the time for choosing what I know is good and acceptable in the eyes of God comes, will I choose it over what the good and acceptable thing in the eyes of man is?

Let me give you an example from scripture. Remember in Daniel when Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego were ordered to bow down and worship the golden idol. When the music sounded, everyone bowed down except for them. The king's astrologers told the king they did not worship and the king brought them before him to question them as to why. They responded "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." They had an understanding and respect for God that compelled them to defy the king's order even if it meant their death. Let's talk about this a little more.

It is not an automatic thing for a believer to respond the way these men did when confronted with a dire set of cirumstances. A believer goes through times of testing and growing in which he learns that following God's will is the only right thing to do because he respect's God's will over the will of others. That is the essential tension in view when we talk about the fear of God vs the fear of man. Will we choose to follow God in a given situation where our moral commitments are at risk of being compromised, or will we compromise and follow the will of man? If we learn to choose to follow God even when doing so is unpopular or in the case of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, potentially life-threatening, then we have learned to fear God.

Now, we can easily find examples in life that are much less drastic than the one in Daniel. I heard a story of a circuit judge who was being asked to compromise his commitment to a certain law. The circumstance he was in was such that he risked the respect of his peers and perhaps even his career. He struggled with this for a couple of days but he decided that breaking this law was against what he thought God's will was. So he decidedly took a stand against his peers. He was the recipient of death threats; his peers ostracized him. But he did not lose his job. Even though it was an extremely painful and disheartening experience, he believed he was doing the right thing by God. Ultimately, he feared God and not man.

Verbattered, I hope this is clear and that this can give you something to hang your hat on as it relates to the fear of God.

arcura · Feb 8, 2009, 04:09 PM

jakester,
That was very good and thought provoking.
Thanks,
Fred

verbattered52 · Feb 8, 2009, 09:24 PM

Fear definition is to feel awe towards; to venerate. To hold in awe is defined as To inspire fear and reverence.
To control by inspiring dread.

That is not my God. The bible is not meant to be taken literally.