since we are on the subject?

Question

* looks around for betti *

do you really believe that God would want followers out of fear ?
do you think God would want followers because it was a safer bet ?
shouldnt God be believed out of love and experiences that have led you to him ?

Pangel
I love you
just spread kindness in my name ok ?

Answer 1

agreed! God doesn't want us to believe in Him because of fear of Hell or something like that..


I hope you don't get upset that i have copied your avatar....I will change it next week. i will copy someone else. But i put a ''2'' so to distinguish from you,OK?
xxx
by
authentic clone..

Answer 2

When the scripture talks about "fearing God" it doesn't mean fear in a paranoia, panicky, 'I'm terrified of you God' way. It's talking about having a reverencial, and awesome respect fear. An earthly, small example of this would be the type of respect you have for a police officer when he pulls you over. You know he has authority & the ability to use force if necessary.

God wants us to fear Him in this way but also love Him. That's why He continually fills us up with His love. We cannot love God until we really have experienced His love!
http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=we+love+because+He+first+loved&qs_version=9

But I tell ya! I have never known a love like His before! Never! He loves me down to my very core and He knows me down to my very core! Deeper than anyone else could! I have come to know the truth in my personal experience that Jesus really is who He said He is and that He is the ONLY way to God. I know many people don't like that but it's true! And if you believe it, He will prove it too you in your experience! It's like Steve Camp sang, "There is a love that will not let me go!"

Some may come to Him out of fear of hell; others may come to Him when they see what Christ did for them on the cross. But the point is not how you get there but that you get there - that you come to Him through Christ. Once you're there and begin to experience life with Him, how you got there is quite secondary! The 'living water' He gives to you is soo Good! You're no longer concerned with the journey you took to get there. You're there and He's there and that's all that really matters!

Answer 3

You tell me:

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

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

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Answer 4

All who come to God in The Way He prescribes will receive His free gift of Salvation... the only fear involved is the fear within the seeker... too many can not overcome their own fear and do not continue to seek... that is why the so-called wager is not a part of The Salvation Message.

Answer 5

Fear of the unknown is a mental condition that can be induced in a person if, ( at an early age, and regularly afterwards) the fear is reinforced with adult complicity. This is a simple description of what we once called, brainwashing, the indoctrination of a mind with ideas and beliefs more acceptable to the prevailing ideology. Next week, delusion, addictive behaviour and Psychosis. Please mark this posting down, whether you understand it or not!

Answer 6

I agree with primoa197. I believe that when we first believe, we receive the Holy Spirit and He leads us to God. I think He teaches our heart in ways that we did not previously understand. Thing start to make sense that didn't before. I think people come to God out of love and not out of fear.

Answer 7

Hi Pangel-

1 Thessalonians 4:3a
" For this is the will of God, your sanctification...."
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance."

He is many things including a loving and merciful Father, a righteous judge, our redeemer, provider, deliverer, creator.

I can't speak for God other than what His Word says about Him. Personally I saw my need for a savior.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
We love, because He first loved us.
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar, for the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
1 John 4:18-21

I hope this helps to answer your questions.
Sincerely - Redeemed

Answer 8

Is following out of fear true belief? or is it just going through the motions of believing?

I feel that belief of a higher power should come from the heart, and Many times worshipping out of fear is not what we truly believe. But if we worship out of love then it is what we truly believe.
If God is all encompansing and can see everything then he/she will know weather we are truly practicing what is in our hearts and minds. or just going through the motions to conform to the beliefs and fears around us.

Answer 9

If he wants that, why does he keep threatening people?

If you saw a homeless person you might give him some money out of love for humanity and experience with the gifts that come from compassion.

If you saw a homeless person with a gun and he waved it around while asking for some money you would be more likely to give him money but it wouldn't be for love.

There is a reason "god fearing" is a well known term.

Answer 10

God cannot only be a God of love. He is also a just God. Love cannot be preached without judgment. He punishes people for there sins, and that is hell. But he showed his love by sending his son to die on the cross for our sins, so that we may spend eternity with him in paridise.