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I may not be like most Christians when I say I do not fear God. I am not sure were the idea comes from but I guess there are several passages in the scriptures to support such an assumption. God is love and I think children need to learn to love God not to fear Him. One way to do this is to make sure your children understand God will not punish them if they misbehave but they punish themselves by separating themselves from God. If they allow their egos to control their lives they will always be striving and never be arriving spiritually. Parents can facilitate their children's loving relationship with God by spanking them when they forget to follow His rules. We are all instruments of God's love and were their is Love fear can never exist.
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I remember there being a Sunday School lesson or 2 about the fear of God sometime last year I think. I really don't remember enough about it to tell you too much tho. But one thing I do remember is the teacher saying that the fear of God is not a bad thing, and that there is a big difference between fearing God and being afraid of God.
Sorry that I cant really say more than that. Maybe someone else knows more about it than me. I guess I should try to pay more attention in class
Maybe my ADHD was acting up that day
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Some people fear God because they think He will punish you if you're bad. I think God is only Love and Good and bad things happen for a reason. And that reason being to advance you spiritually and bring you closer to Him. God does not make mistakes!
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I think it's too bad that some people associate the fear of God with fear of punishment. These people are then left with a negative view of God and prevents them from coming closer to Him. Brandon's teacher was right - there is a big difference between fearing God and being afraid of God.
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I have a reverence for G-d, but I do not fear G-d. Then again, I am rather fatalistic, so I figure G-d is going to do what G-d is going to do and all I can do is try to live a good life and hope for the best. I'm not a Christian though. I am Jewish and our faith does not subscribe to the idea of original sin.
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I strive to live a fearless life. This means making choices knowing the outcome will always bring me closer to God. I think my greatest spiritual learning moments have been when I have been able to suppress my ego and live a life directed by my heart's desires. I will always make mistakes but I will never regret the lessons I have learned from them.
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I think this commentary makes some sense of what the "fear of God" is supposed to mean:
What does it mean to fear God?
One key point is made here, and it made me draw a parallel to our relationships with our children (or in the case of our Junior Members, kids' relationships with their parents):
Quote:So it's clear from these passages, that fearing God is good because it saves us from caving into our own sinful nature. That's why hearing someone is God-fearing actually makes us trust that person more. If they fear God, they are more likely to keep their word and treat others with kindness. In fact, Romans 3, a classic chapter on sin, says that our chief sin is that we "have no fear of God at all" (Romans 3:18).
How many kids seem to have no respect for authority? How many of them face no consequences for their misdeeds? How does the lack of those consequences in their lives affect their development as human beings? Those of us who view ourselves as "children of God" should trust and obey him because of our belief that he truly knows what is best for us. The same can be said for (good) parents and their children. Kids should trust and obey their parents for the same reason.
A great many liberties have been taken with translations of God's Word into various languages. I don't really believe the word "fear" in this case means that we should be "afraid" of our heavenly Father. We may, however, fear the consequences of our negative actions (just as our kids would do well to fear the possibility of a spanking for misbehavior).
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I guess over coming fear is a knowing there is Good in everything, even if your choices lead to negative consequences. The kind of life I would fear the most is one where on my death bed I suddenly realized I had not lived life to the fullest. Taking risks is not just a part of the journey, it is inevitable and essential if we are to find Heaven on earth.
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