"According to the bible, either life overwhelms you and we call that fear. Or God overwhelms you and we call that faith. In the end only faith is the answer to fear."
OldAdam, take heart, Jesus talks about faith like a mustard seed (very small), not like a coconut. Because a tiny bit of faith goes a long way, when it's in someone faithful and good.
Isn't the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? And hasn't that spawned a large amount of Christians feeling that being afraid of God is a good thing?
Hi James,
I wasn't arguing that fear was a good thing. In fact one of my favourite verses is "Perfect love drives out all fear." (1 John 4:18). When we realise the unconditional love Jesus offers we don't need to fear anymore.
Si Hollett
James, I think you referring to me - on no grounds is being afraid a good thing - I was trying to get a response to that verse (well verses) that talk about the fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, as to how it fits with this (AFAICS, fear is the beginning of wisdom, not actually wisdom) and then made a comment about it how that verse has been misused.
As you might be able to see from the words used (I don't presume that my meaning is very legible or intelligible - this is me making clear my intentions that were likely not expressed well), my second question is rather loaded in favour of it not being a good thing. Coupled with the first question, it's kind-of-masked.
Things are so much better in speech where you can hear tone and so on.
I have faith, but not very much.
I know it's a sin to fear (to not trust God), but hey...I'm a full blown sinner, and I fear much.
I sure hope He'll forgive that, too!
Indeed OldAdam,
simul fidelis et timere
(thank you Google Translate)
OldAdam, take heart, Jesus talks about faith like a mustard seed (very small), not like a coconut. Because a tiny bit of faith goes a long way, when it's in someone faithful and good.
Isn't the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? And hasn't that spawned a large amount of Christians feeling that being afraid of God is a good thing?
On what grounds is being afraid a good thing?
Hi James,
I wasn't arguing that fear was a good thing. In fact one of my favourite verses is "Perfect love drives out all fear." (1 John 4:18). When we realise the unconditional love Jesus offers we don't need to fear anymore.
James, I think you referring to me - on no grounds is being afraid a good thing - I was trying to get a response to that verse (well verses) that talk about the fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, as to how it fits with this (AFAICS, fear is the beginning of wisdom, not actually wisdom) and then made a comment about it how that verse has been misused.
As you might be able to see from the words used (I don't presume that my meaning is very legible or intelligible - this is me making clear my intentions that were likely not expressed well), my second question is rather loaded in favour of it not being a good thing. Coupled with the first question, it's kind-of-masked.
Things are so much better in speech where you can hear tone and so on.