Why or why not? Do you follow your religion because of a fear of His reaction to the negative, or because you genuinely love Him?
2007-02-20 05:45:13 · 22 answers · asked by lotusmoon01 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Does God threaten to you? Is hell a possibility?
If it is even the remotest possibility that there is a differentiation between those who love God and those who do not, then fear plays a role, and probably a major role.
If fear plays any role, how can love be pure? Children may love their parents, even when they punish them, but in adolescence they rebel. They stop doing what they were told, and then they become mature enough to make their own decisions. After that, the love can also mature, because there is no more threat.
Unless the threats and abuse were so severe, the children can not forgive their parents. Eternal punishment for minor infractions against unreasonable rules, even when threatened, is abusive.
The God of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is all about rules and punishment. Love would save people from suffering. And in reality, we are the only ones who can free ourselves from that.
2007-02-20 06:05:19 · answer #1 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Both. We should love God, of course, he created us and is worthy of our praise. A fear of God is a positive thing as well; if we fear the wrath of God and what he will do to those of us who do not repent of our sins and follow Jesus Christ we have more motivation to try and save the souls of others. So many Christians have started holding onto the popular myth that God is all love and nothing more. Read your Bible's, it is the unaltered truth. If God is all love that means that unremorseful murders will escape punishment on judgment day. If you are asking this question because you are concerned about your salvation, you need not look beyond the ten commandments. Have you ever lied (even once)? Ever stolen anything (the value is irrelevant)? Committed adultery? Jesus said whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart-Matt 5:28, or killed someone? God considers considers hatred to be murder according to 1 John 3:15. Have you loved God above all else? Be honest. Based on these where will you end up? Luckily for Christians Jesus took our punishment for us so we don't have to suffer in hell. All we have to do is accept his gift of salvation and tell others about it.
2007-02-20 14:05:57 · answer #2 · answered by stakekawa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the most part I follow God because of love. However, there are things in the Old Testament that have scared me. But, God has a plan and we just don't always understand things. We don't have to understand everything because God's ways are higher than our ways. God wants His children to love Him. He wants to take care of us. I find the older I get the more I love Him.
2007-02-20 13:52:26 · answer #3 · answered by angel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God is not meant to be feared but to be loved. People who follow God out of a fear do not really know the God that they are worshiping.
Sin comes at a price. The price for sin is death. Someone had to pay that price, so instead of us dying to pay for sin he sent his son to die once for all. Understanding that we don't deserve his grace and forgiveness is what should drive us to serve him. How could you want to turn your back on a God that loves you completely, and died so that you could live? He doesn't want fear, he wants a relationship with you.
email me for more info: stitch604@yahoo.com
2007-02-20 13:52:16 · answer #4 · answered by stitch604 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe if there is truly a god then god would love us for who we are his creation, and would not want us to fear him but love him and to be happy and live in peace but unfortunately to certain religions god should be feared and worshiped as slaves.
2007-02-20 14:00:26 · answer #5 · answered by sassy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was brought up to love Jesus, but from I've heard that Catholics are taught to fear god (correct me if I am wrong). I guess it depends on what religion you are brought up with.
I don't follow a religion; I consider myself with no religion, and I would rather learn about them rather than to follow.
2007-02-20 13:50:43 · answer #6 · answered by Blanca 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fear of God means profound awe and reverence.
This is one problem with taking scripture literally when the meanings of words aren’t even understood.
2007-02-20 13:50:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically both, but for me love over powers fear.
2007-02-20 13:53:36 · answer #8 · answered by ♫O Praise Him♫ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Feared, since you will abuse the ones you love but not the ones you fear.
2007-02-20 13:49:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
both...God is to be loved above all else and feared not in the respect as you may think but in the respect that He is all powerful and should be respected for who he is.....He is a God of Love and will judge His creation in love....just as your parents do...they love you but don't let you get away with things that aren't right......
2007-02-20 13:50:24 · answer #10 · answered by shiningon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋