God is the source of all things. the source of reality.
you may have noticed that reality has some rules to it.
you naturally fear things like gravity and fire. because when you don't follow the rules around these things, you suffer immediately.
but when you break the laws of God, the mechanism is not so apparent from the human perspective. you can cause yourself immense suffering by not knowing the laws of God.
from God's perspective, it is a little like holding your hand to a hot element. except when you do that physically, the cause and effect of your suffering is readily apparent.
when you are developed in God, you develop 'eyes to see'. internalize the laws of God, and you will be able to see and avoid your suffering from an infinitely greater distance. as well as to see and attain a better and better life.
that is the fear of God. if you offend His person, you may indefinitely postpone the bliss that is rightfully yours. avoid endless suffering by following the laws of God.
If by "Christians," you mean followers of Christ and His teachings as God and Creator then fearing God is a command that means reverence and living in a state of understanding our position relative to His. God is a loving, patient, merciful and meek God who loves and cares for those who accept His Son Jesus and what He did on the Cross. We understand what we deserve (hell) and that God paid our sin debt through Jesus' sacrifice. In this understanding we fear God, knowing He had the only power to send us to hell, but in His love, He provided a way for us to be brought back into His fold. Praise God!
However, God is also a Consuming Fire, Holy, Righteous and His judgements are perfect. For those who do not accept His Son Jesus, the future should be one of fear and terror knowing that only God has the power to control your destiny and based on His Holy Judgements and what Jesus said in His Word (Matthew 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Those who do not accept God's provision for Salvation will reap the just reward for their choice...If one chooses not to accept their Creator's provision and come into His presence based on the method He chooses as a Holy God, then one is, by default choosing to come into His presence based on their own good works and will therefore be judged by a Holy God based on that basis that THEY CHOSE. If one has transgressed the known will of God at even one small point, then based on the Holiness of God, you cannot stand before Him. The separation from God is the result and this is indeed hell...separation from God.
So yes...if one does NOT have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the belief therein, then fearing God means just that...feeling terror in your soul at the thought of coming under the just judgement of God Almighty.
Why do I need to fear god? I embrace god and do not fear men. Am I doing it wrong christians?
The "fear" in the LORD in my definition is Reverence in His power.
https://www.gotquestions.org/fear-God.html
Great answer and thank you for that. It’s an interesting distinction and choice of words personally
You're welcome and I think you might enjoy reading the text in that link if you haven't already.
I was just about to post this verse:) think it shows how powerful God is, what he could do...
And it's also from the common material between Matthew and Luke; AKA the Q-Source😇
Also, did you make the image? I would like to make some Pepe memes, and this is really good.
God is the source of all things. the source of reality.
you may have noticed that reality has some rules to it.
you naturally fear things like gravity and fire. because when you don't follow the rules around these things, you suffer immediately.
but when you break the laws of God, the mechanism is not so apparent from the human perspective. you can cause yourself immense suffering by not knowing the laws of God.
from God's perspective, it is a little like holding your hand to a hot element. except when you do that physically, the cause and effect of your suffering is readily apparent.
when you are developed in God, you develop 'eyes to see'. internalize the laws of God, and you will be able to see and avoid your suffering from an infinitely greater distance. as well as to see and attain a better and better life.
that is the fear of God. if you offend His person, you may indefinitely postpone the bliss that is rightfully yours. avoid endless suffering by following the laws of God.
thank you, very well written words of truth.
The gear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom.
If by "Christians," you mean followers of Christ and His teachings as God and Creator then fearing God is a command that means reverence and living in a state of understanding our position relative to His. God is a loving, patient, merciful and meek God who loves and cares for those who accept His Son Jesus and what He did on the Cross. We understand what we deserve (hell) and that God paid our sin debt through Jesus' sacrifice. In this understanding we fear God, knowing He had the only power to send us to hell, but in His love, He provided a way for us to be brought back into His fold. Praise God!
However, God is also a Consuming Fire, Holy, Righteous and His judgements are perfect. For those who do not accept His Son Jesus, the future should be one of fear and terror knowing that only God has the power to control your destiny and based on His Holy Judgements and what Jesus said in His Word (Matthew 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Those who do not accept God's provision for Salvation will reap the just reward for their choice...If one chooses not to accept their Creator's provision and come into His presence based on the method He chooses as a Holy God, then one is, by default choosing to come into His presence based on their own good works and will therefore be judged by a Holy God based on that basis that THEY CHOSE. If one has transgressed the known will of God at even one small point, then based on the Holiness of God, you cannot stand before Him. The separation from God is the result and this is indeed hell...separation from God.
So yes...if one does NOT have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the belief therein, then fearing God means just that...feeling terror in your soul at the thought of coming under the just judgement of God Almighty.