How can a person fear God?

Question

Whats there to be afraid of?

Answer 1

because it sends you to hell

Answer 2

I'm not "afraid" of electricity but when I have to do some wiring or fix something that might be (live) I have a deep respect for the power electricity has. It is in this way the believer fears God. A deep respect for His Almighty power and also as a child fears his father and knows he will be punished out of love if he say, runs in the street or something so it is with the child of God. Its not a bad fear but a childlike fear of an awesome God.

Answer 3

People fear god because religion is based on fear. Everyone is so afraid of the after life that they spend their days being someone that they are not or going to confession once a week to clean the slate.
I am amazed that there is actually an accepted saying "Put the fear of God in you", jeez, talk about being up front about it. I am a non believer, I do not fear the after life because I will be worm food.

Answer 4

I believe that, as far as Christianity is concerned, they mean a healthy fear -- like a son fears his father if he should do something he's not supposed to.

While I'm on the subject, you know how God is supposed to be this all loving being? If so, why is God's love (according to Christianity) conditional? God only loves you if haven't commited certain unforgivable sins?

I ask all parents this, could you ever stop loving your child?

I would hope your answer is 'no', because your love for them is unconditional. I would hope that God's love for HIS children would be the same OR BETTER than the love of a 'mere' human.

I don't believe that God should be feared, or that God's love for me is conditional. My God/dess loves me no matter what and will ALWAYS be there for me to guide me and protect me when things go awry. I don't believe that the Christian idea of God being vengeful and angry and jealous is correct. I believe God is peaceful, serene, and all-loving.

This makes me think of the Greek pantheon when gods were given human qualities. Christians frown upon that because God is not human, in any way --- yet aren't anger, jealousy, and vengefulness all human qualities?

Think.

Answer 5

It's sort of like the child-parent relationship. When my Sib's and I were young, Dad loved us kids...and we him, but we also feared him, because he wielded all the power [in our little world]. If we did wrong, we knew it, and the fear would rise up in us. We knew Dad would make us face up to our wrongdoing and spell out the consequences. Yet, if we obeyed the rules we had nothing to fear. That man at age 79 is still a beacon in my life today, I still love him deeply, and will never be able to repay the many ways in which he's been there for me when I needed him most. If we believe in God and knowingly choose to do wrong, we know there will be a time when we answer for that wrong; hence the fear. Those who repent, and try to walk uprightly in this life, find our fears to be quelled. Like a Dad [some of us call him "Father"], he will be there for us when we need him most!

Answer 6

I think of God in the same sense as an earthly judge. Both realize your only human and make mistakes and both are looking for you to acknowledge this so they care take mercy on you. But if you blame others or something else for the things you have done, neither one will have mercy. Because you apparently haven't learned anything. The earthly judge will put you in prison, God will put you in his prison(hell). The ones that should fear God are the ones that know in their heart they can't ever be honest with thyself so they won't ever be honest with anyone else either. Feeling as if they can do no wrong when we all sin.

Answer 7

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of YHWH/God means the hating of bad.

If we fear God we hate bad things. It would also be wise to fear negative judgment by God.

Hebrews 12:29 For our God is also a consuming fire.

Answer 8

Luke 12:4 - (Jesus speaking) - "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."

God has the power to eternally send you to Hell, apart from Him. No one else can do that. And for those that don't believe, despite the historical evidence that the Bible and Jesus' life is true, and turn away from everything, God will have no choice but to do so.

It's not hard to do...

Answer 9

It doesn't mean a morbid fear, it means a respectful fear. Wating to please him and being "afraid" when you displease him. Not afraid like God is going to hurt you. But that you disappointed him and you feel guilt. It's like that deep respect that some people these days still feel for their father. Fear of disappointing and of letting him down. Fear him because you honor him.

Answer 10

Its talking about a healthy fear, not one of terror. proverbs 8 :13 to hate what is bad is showing that we have fear of god. There are plenty of things to fear him for, like the fact he could destroy you any second if he wanted to for absolutely no reason, but he would never do that. He always gives off a warning first, gives you plenty of time then lays it down.

Answer 11

Read thru the Psalms, and some books of the Old Testament. If you don't fear Him, it's only because you don't know who He is! He is the Creator of everything! He is Mighty and Powerful, and anyone who has ever faced Him has fallen on their faces before Him. He is Holy. He has angels surrounding Him day and nite singing about His Holiness!
Get to know Him and you will have a healthy fear of Him, He is more Powerful than you could ever imagine, and He gives this Power to us thru the Holy Spirit, if we would but believe it.