I have questions...(LONG)

[devolve]

I grew up a Southern Baptist preachers son. I am 28 years old. When I moved out of my dads house at 16 I started my rebellion. I have turned my back on God and church for 12 years. I ended up a musician on the road for a number of years around all the wrong people and "things". I am now a "retired" sober drummer. I am out of the music business 100% and around "normal" people everyday. Well for the last 6 months or so I have caught my self praying for people. I also have been having a lot of "spiritual" thoughts in my head. So I decided to sit down and try an figure out what is going on and what I really believe. As a kid I studied the bible very intently and tried to prove it wrong to my dad. So I know what the bible says and I know what I was taught. But I have a problem with "fearing God". The following is something I wrote down the other night as the thoughts were going through my head.

Why are we taught all of our lives to fear god? If we live our lives in a state of fear it will alter our actions. Then we are not living life as we should be. We are living life with a silent direction that we dont need. We are told to make wise choises in life to please god. If I need to please
something I fear then I am not living life the way i should. We are told to pray for gods will in our lives. If we are supposed to make our own decisions in life why do we need gods will? Its like we are being told to listen for what god wants you to do and do it because you fear him. Are we to intent on finding out what we "should" be doing with our lives that we miss what we were put here to do?

--cjc--

 

[gordon 2]

Dear devolve,

You post is an excellent example of what can happen to our understanding when the bible is taken too literally and elements, perhaps taken out of context.

The fear of God in my view is not to be taken literally but rather what I read of it is "fear that you don't pay attention or try to cultivate a relationship with God and know his will and live your life in what is the alternative. The alternative is to be feared. Therefore, this means fear what can happen when you don't know God or his will. Again it does not mean to fear God.

Knowing God's will does not mean you are a robot or that you are to follow every rule in the Testaments etc. Jesus makes all this misunderstanding easy. All we need to know is what He, Jesus meant by the Kingdom and know what are its rules. Now these rules are no burden. They set slaves free, they permit you to be an original person and a creative person. Much of the rules of the road with Jesus and God the father are about love and justice. It is about loving individuals and groups that are difficult to like. It means loving your enemy, criminals, and individuals that desire your downfall. It is about forgiveness, tolerance and being positive.

The alternatives are lives half lived in the crushing shadows of hate, depression, insecurity and with dimed vision.

When I read the expression "fearing God" in my christian context, it means fearing that part of God's creation where listening they do not hear, seeing they do not see or where individual and groups forgo man's intimate spiritual relationships with the devine and lend themselves to the lords of the flies.

I would venture that God does not disapprove of music and musicians, not even the musician's lifestyle. I bet he loves them and it, the whole lot. I bet he loves artists for their creative, original works...their gifts.

Gordo

 

[Vernon Holt]

Don't get hung up on what you believe to be the meaning of fear as it is generally defined.

To FEAR God in a scriptural sense is to be striken with awe upon coming to the realization of how great and awsome God truly is.

The idea of being afraid of God who is worthy of our worship and honor and praise is totally in opposition to how God is presented in Holy Scripture.

Why would you fear a God who personifies perfect love, Grace, patience, and long suffering to usward??

We are taught to honor God with our service, and lift him up with our worship, honor, and obedience. To be literally in fear (as normally defined) of him would be clearly out of context.

Now, it should be said that the unbeliever has every reason to shudder at the thought of God's eternal punishment in the lake of fire. In this sense, your version of fear is warranted. Scripture says of God: "Vengence is mine, I will repay saith the Lord". there are serious risks associated with rejecting God. Think on these things.

 

[Dudley Do-Wrong]

I believe the word "fear, in this content, is taken out of context. Does that make sense? The best definition I have heard to the meaning of "fear of God", is "to stand in AWE of Him". I can't add to that.

 

[devolve]

I understand all of your points. Thank you.
Right now I need to take sometime and search what I am feeling. I am very un-easy with life right now. I feel as if I am on the edge of feeling something big, but dont know which way to go. Its been a long time since I have had to deal with anything of this nature. It feels all new to me. I guess I will ask you guys to keep me in your thoughts as I deal with this. Only I am able to figure this out for my self.

--cjc--

 

[PWalls]

I agree that the fear of the Lord means to respect and revere the Lord.

However, I think there is fear in the literal sense as well. I don't fear for my salvation, but I do fear the Lord's conviction/punishment for sinning. That fear has kept me out of trouble many times. We know the Lord will punish us when we do wrong in His sight. I think the loss of that fear or at least the desensitizing of it that has happened is a large part of the moral decap problems that we have now.

So, I love and respect and revere the Lord. I also fear His judgement of and punishment of my earthly actions.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Devolve,
Good for you to delve. Many wander through life content to not care one way or the other.

The only 'fear' I have of God is that I am not worthy of His love. Period. I gave up trying to understand the details around a lot of spiritual issues. I'm incapable. But thankfully, I don't need to understand them. I know the Truth. The rest can be interesting and supportive and the pursuit of a greater understanding is admirable, but never let the details bog you down. To twist a phrase, "The devil is in the details."

Glad you are listening to the whisper within.

 

[FESTUSHAGGIN]

the way i look at it is when your young and you are growing up under your parents roof. if you do something wrong you have to pay the consequences. the fear of those consequences keeps some people from doing them. and the ones that choose not to fear the consequences usually end up paying them, and worse punishment down the road. God is no different. he is like our parent. he guides us tells us what we should do but it is ultimately up to us to decide if we believe what they told us is true. it is up to us as children to decided whether we fear the consequences of our actions. if you do fear then you will be discouraged from doing something that will get you in trouble. if you dont fear them then you will ultimately pay the price. even god will not get through to everyone on this planet. there are people who no matter what he does in their life they will never believe and follow him. and one day they will be severly punished for it. i pray that you find the answers you are looking for. but i can tell you know amount of thinking will give you any answers that you seek. the only way you will find them is in prayer. god bless

 

[devolve]

FESTUSHAGGIN,

By the way, nice signature.....DAC

 

[FESTUSHAGGIN]

FESTUSHAGGIN,

By the way, nice signature.....DAC

much obliged

 

[SmokyMtnSmoke]

"Fear" referenced

From Strong's Hebrew Concordance

"pachad" in Hebrew translated .......

http://www.htmlbible.com/sacrednamebiblecom/kjvstrongs/FRMCONHEB634.htm#S6342



afraid
Job 23:15, Psa 27:1, Prov 3:24, Isa 12:2, Isa 19:17, Isa 33:14, Jer 36:16, Jer 36:24, Micah 7:17

awe
Psa 119:161

fear
Deu 28:66, Deu 28:67, Psa 14:5, Psa 53:5, Isa 19:16, Isa 44:8, Isa 44:11, Isa 60:5, Jer 33:9, Hos 3:5

feared
Job 3:25, Psa 78:53, Isa 51:13

feareth
Prov 28:14

shake
Job 4:14

-----------------------------------------
Or depending on inflection...

http://www.htmlbible.com/sacrednamebiblecom/kjvstrongs/FRMCONHEB634.htm#S6343

dread
Exo 15:16, Deu 2:25, Job 13:11

dreadful
Job 15:21

fear
Gen 31:42, Gen 31:53, Deu 11:25, Deu 28:67, 1 Sam 11:7, 1 Chr 14:17, 2 Chr 14:14, 2 Chr 17:10, 2 Chr 19:7, 2 Chr 20:29, Est 8:17, Est 9:2, Est 9:3, Job 4:14, Job 21:9, Job 22:10, Job 25:2, Job 39:16, Job 39:22, Psa 31:11, Psa 36:1, Psa 53:5, Psa 64:1, Psa 105:38, Psa 119:120, Prov 1:26, Prov 1:27, Prov 1:33, Prov 3:25, S of Solomon 3:8, Isa 2:10, Isa 2:19, Isa 2:21, Isa 24:17, Isa 24:18, Jer 30:5, Jer 48:43, Jer 48:44, Jer 49:5, Lam 3:47

great
Psa 14:5, Psa 53:5

greatly
Job 3:25

terror
Job 31:23, Psa 91:5

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Follow the quiet spirit within. Happy reading.