If God is Love, then Why are we supposed to Fear it?

Question

Is God Schizoid?

When did Fear get defined as Respect?

What was profane?

Answer 1

What a question!
Well, because, (atleast as I see it,) by saying we should fear God a Religious Leader, if he so wishes, is able to gain Power over us!
It seems to me that the greatest ambition of Mankind is to have power over others, and one of the best ways to do so is through religion. This, I believe, is because Religion deals with the Unknown and with After-Life, both of which are precisely what most of us fear and dread, together with illness. Therefore we are easily made victims to those who appear to have the Answers! And that is why it is very difficult and even dangerous to talk about these things unless we are people of great wisdom.
Well, in order at least to answer this question as I see it, but with no desire to upset anyone, I have to admit that I personally am inclined to believe that the Biblical God was most likely to have been a superior Being from the Universe who had power over the Earth at that time and over our Solar system or part of the Galaxy? However this Being does not seem to me to have been exactly what could be called a God of Love. Instead, from what we are told, "He" used Wonders and powerful physical methods in order to control us. Nonetheless this Prince of the Skies must have been concerned for us because "He" gave us Laws in order to guide us to live better and more peaceful lives, with respect for the lives and property of others, which, unfortunately for many of us, even those today who profess to follow those Laws and expound them, nevertheless seem quite happy to ignore, or manipulate to their own ends.
Furthermore, without any show of conscience, these same people seem to be quite able to do terrible, violent acts in order to destroy and kill other Humans in the name of God and their religion!
The only explanation I can give myself for this peculiar attitude and lack of Love towards our Human Brotherhood is that the "God" these people follow is for them a God of War and Vengeance, the Whip and the Sword! What is more, I suppose by their actions children are brought up to believe in hate and revenge, with evidently no mention being made that a true God must be a God of Love., who created with Love the most wonderful and incredible World and Universe, and whose Spirit must be present in every cell and molecule of the Creation, in whatever form it takes. Furthermore "He" can not be a material Being. That would be so say that "God" was all in one place at one time. It does not make sense. Although no one could ever hope to explain, let alone understand, what is "God" one can only think that "He" must be everywhere and in everything, both in the visible and the invisible, within Time and beyond Time, endless and Eternal and all-loving that he should have wanted to bring everything into existance, don`t you think?
Perhaps if all of us could believe that everything was created by and through Love, by a "God" of Love which as such we have no reason to fear, surely we would not wish to destroy any part of it, but only give thanks constantly for having been allowed to live in what should be a truly Beautiful World of Peace which deserves our love and respect.

Answer 2

I think that in "todays" language the word would not be fear but respect. You don't want fear from your children you want respect. God's wants a respect that is stronger than what you have for your parents. We have been taught through the years to question authority. But with God you are to have the respect that you don't question what He is telling you. You don't question His Authority. I have never liked the words "fear God" For I know I have a loving and right God. If I am punished in the end I know it is deserved so that was a choice I made. I have been told what I need to do and if I choose to ignore it then, I have no right to fear the punishment I have asked for it. If I do right by God's law then I also have no fear, He has already promised to care for me on earth and after.

Answer 3

Can you imagine say the power a great world leader would have? Such as a King? Now think of being the king's child? Would you talk back to your father the King? When he called for you, would you blow him off? Would you like it when people from foreign nations mock and ridicule your father the King? For Christians, this is how we see God; a King, THE King in fact over all nations. We love Him, and we understand how He only needs to speak and His will is done. We respect that power; we admire and stand in awe of His ability to create the universe, yet still care enough about our tiny, petty problems to take time to listen to us; and even most important, help us! We love Him and fear Him, because we have a mature grasp of the complexities of both emotions.

Answer 4

In most instances, fear toward God means to revere Him. Matt 10:28, "...fear him WHICH IS ABLE to destroy both sould and body in hell". Revere Him because He is able but He says in verses 29-31, that He knows when a sparrow falls and has the hairs of our head numbered. "FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE, ye are of more value than many sparrows". Many fail to point out this Love but use a small part of God's word to scare people. God's fire doesn't torment but rather, it cleanses as gold refined. Satan is the tormentor. God does discipline and that does hurt but it brings us to repentance as a little child.

Answer 5

Well when some babies come out of the womb all deformed and have no idea they are alive, but have to live in a bed and fed through a tube for the rest of their existence (Because G wanted it that way) Or when a kid gets abducted by a pedophile and suffers excruciating pain and trauma for days before the guy cuts the kid up and feeds it to pigs (Because G wanted it that way) Or loosing your whole family in a fire (Because G wanted it that way) need I go on?!!!

Answer 6

For the unbeliever, the fear of God is to fear the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer's fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this, "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." This reverence and awe is exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.

Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…” Until we understand who God is, and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is – that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12,20-21 records, "Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen." The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and yes, loving Him.

Many have the tendency of minimizing the fear of God for believers to “respecting” Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A Biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin, and fearing His judgment on sin – even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. As children, the fear of discipline from our parents prevented, hopefully, some evil actions. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore, seek to live our lives in such a way that pleases Him.

Believers are not to be “scared” of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having such a reverence for Him, that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives. The fear of God is respecting Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.

Answer 7

Those are two different gods. I like the love one better than the fear one.

Answer 8

You can ask a question without being profane you know.

The more correct rendering of that word fear is Respect...
you need to get some!

Answer 9

Fear in terms of respect.

Answer 10

Not scary fear but fear as in respect. He loves us but he is also a parent and as this person said 'he would whip our but if we get out of line'