The fear of God

It is good to fear God and even to tell Him so.

As a father pities His children, so God pities those who fear Him.

"As compassionate as a father is toward his children, so compassionate is Jehovah toward those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:13,14)

No, this is not just learn as rote dogma. It is personal experience. It is always good to be completely honest with God.

I have both told God that I didn't fear Him at times, therefore many of my persistent failures.

And I have also told Him that I DID fear Him at other times.

It is good to be HONEST with God about your feelings.
And there is a time, I think, to admit that you have some fear of Him.

Are you kidding? God can fine tune your circumstances to bring out for you to see what is really in your heart more than anyone else alive.

But I have always cherished this passage -

"For He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust."

@sonship said
It is good to fear God and even to tell Him so.

As a father pities His children, so God pities those who fear Him.

"As compassionate as a father is toward his children, so compassionate is Jehovah toward those who fear Him.

For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:13,14)

No, this is not just learn as rote dogma. It is persona ...[text shortened]... lways cherished this passage -

"For He knows our frame. He remembers that we are dust."

Again, a child should never fear a parent.

@Ghost-of-a-Duke

Again, a child should never fear a parent.

This might be a discussion on the fine points of child psychology.

But I remember the first time I observed my young child consciously try to HIDE something from me that she didn't want me to know she had taken.
Her conscience clearly convicted her with a sense of fear.

I think the little child whom of course I loved dearly, was fearing consequences from her parent, of doing a bad thing, and being caught.

Now as a parent, I do not claim to be perfect.
I was a failing parent at times, frail, human, and a sinful one at that.

So noticing that my child had a sensation of fear of being caught by me is not a boasting of me being a perfect human being, qualified to carry out infallible actions towards my children.

I am a fallen and imperfect parent. But God is the perfect Source and Father above which a greater does not exist.

But God the Creator designed the entire parent / child dynamic. And God is perfect. I am not worthy always of fear. But God is worthy of all honor and even healthy fear, as long as there is an opposition party against His will.

The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil - Proverbs 8:13

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. Psalm 19:9

Barnes' notes on the Bible makes this comment on Psalm 19 - clean and forever -

Is clean - The word used here - טהור ṭâhôr - means properly clear, pure, in a physical sense, as opposed to filthy, soiled; then, in a ceremonial sense, as opposed to that which is profane or common Leviticus 13:17, and then, in a moral sense, as a clean heart, etc., Psalm 12:6; Psalm 51:10. It is also applied to pure gold, Exodus 25:11. The sense here is, that there is nothing in it that tends to corrupt the morals, or defile the soul. Everything connected with it is of a pure or holy tendency, adapted to cleanse the soul and to make it holy.

Enduring for ever - Standing to all eternity. Not temporary; not decaying; not destined to pass away. It stands firm now, and it will stand firm for ever. That is, the law of God, considered as adapted to make the heart holy and pure, is eternal. What it is now it will always be. What its teaching is now it will continue to be forever.

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/psalms/19-9.htm

@kellyjay said
I don't think walking in the fear of the Lord is like having to run away of a mad dog, or seeing a deadly snake draw near. It is more like working on a high power line knowing the amount of voltage can kill, so you do what needs done, the exact way it needs done to complete your task and remain safe. It is a healthy respect towards God, perfect love does remove all fear, I w ...[text shortened]... built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

So are you saying that fear is the wrong word? It seems like the wrong word to me. Respect does seem more like the concept you're looking for. I cannot love someone I do not respect. I can respect someone I do not love, though. So maybe even respect is the wrong word.

@suzianne said
So are you saying that fear is the wrong word? It seems like the wrong word to me. Respect does seem more like the concept you're looking for. I cannot love someone I do not respect. I can respect someone I do not love, though. So maybe even respect is the wrong word.

I think we are on the same page it’s just difficult to articulate.

@kellyjay said
I think we are on the same page it’s just difficult to articulate.

What seems clear to me, though, is that love for God should cancel any "fear" of Him.

Perhaps a fear of God is a fear that we do not love Him enough, and that we may be held somewhat "not good enough" because of this? I'm not sure, because God did so love us that He sent His Son to redeem us from our sin.

@suzianne said
What seems clear to me, though, is that love for God should cancel any "fear" of Him.

Perhaps a fear of God is a fear that we do not love Him enough, and that we may be held somewhat "not good enough" because of this? I'm not sure, because God did so love us that He sent His Son to redeem us from our sin.

Agreed. I hope sonship reflects on that.

@suzianne said
What seems clear to me, though, is that love for God should cancel any "fear" of Him.

Perhaps a fear of God is a fear that we do not love Him enough, and that we may be held somewhat "not good enough" because of this? I'm not sure, because God did so love us that He sent His Son to redeem us from our sin.

This sound like typical church nonsense. People use the expression 'love of God' without understanding. A man can profess love for God all he likes but it is only when he understands it like this and practices it then he truly loves God

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 John 5:3 KJV)

Those who keep the commandments are the ones who love God

Then this is what casts out fear. Jesus said to his disciples that they have nothing to fear, not even death. Only those who are truly in Christ, who abide in Christ, not with their mouth but by doing and keeping the commandments, it is those who have nothing to fear. All other should live in fear of God.

@suzianne said
What seems clear to me, though, is that love for God should cancel any "fear" of Him.

Perhaps a fear of God is a fear that we do not love Him enough, and that we may be held somewhat "not good enough" because of this? I'm not sure, because God did so love us that He sent His Son to redeem us from our sin.

That is different to comprehend a love and forgiveness so completely taking out our sins by His grace. He is so worthy of our thanksgiving and praise!

@suzianne said
So are you saying that fear is the wrong word? It seems like the wrong word to me. Respect does seem more like the concept you're looking for. I cannot love someone I do not respect. I can respect someone I do not love, though. So maybe even respect is the wrong word.

No KellyJay likes to use “FEAR”, in fact he used “terror” the other day when talking about God.

His god is a “terrorist” out of his own mouth!

@rajk999 said
This sound like typical church nonsense. People use the expression 'love of God' without understanding. A man can profess love for God all he likes but it is only when he understands it like this and practices it then he truly loves God

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 John 5:3 KJV)

[b] Those wh ...[text shortened]... eping the commandments, it is those who have nothing to fear. All other should live in fear of God.

You're talking to the wrong end of the table.

@suzianne said
You're talking to the wrong end of the table.

I dont think so. What you said about the showing love for God, in no way resembles my post.

I have been a Christian for some decades. I would like to testify just from my own exeperience.

The fear of God is good. But it is not enough to furnish complete incentive for one to live unto God righteously. You may be motivated positively to be un-defiled from sins and wrong doings because of a healthy fear of the Lord. But usually will do the job of motivating you all the time.

Something else is needed because sometimes you will just want to do wrong and don't care about anything else. Sinning is temporarily enjoyable.

Touching the Lord Spirit Himself, musing on His word, kind of praying in a kind of continuous breathing like fellowship is needed.

The fear of God is clean and right. It is in my experience that it cannot be the only motivation needed to live godly. I don't think that the fear of God is the only needed incentive to live an upright life. Nor does it alone supply the power to do so.

Fellowship with the available and living Jesus Christ is more effective. You have to learn that it is more enjoyable to be in communion with God then anything else.

@sonship said
I have been a Christian for some decades. I would like to testify just from my own exeperience.

The fear of God is good. But it is not enough to furnish complete incentive for one to live unto God righteously. You may be motivated positively to be un-defiled from sins and wrong doings because of a healthy fear of the Lord. But usually will do the job of motivating you a ...[text shortened]... fective. You have to learn that it is more enjoyable to be in communion with God then anything else.

Without a fear of God, would you lack the motivation to live godly?