fear and love (Jesus, sin, bible, Commandment, God)

[whereismynotecard]

Originally Posted by hero

how is it that we are to fear and love God?

I don't fear or love that guy...

[Troublemane]

I think God must be feared, in the sense that it/he/she is by far the most powerful being imaginable, and can look through you and see your tiniest flaws ( I know, had it happen once )
Not fear in a terrifying way, its more like as another poster said ---out of awe and respect.

Its the love thing thats more difficult. How do you love a being that is so powerful, so remote it seems impossible to ever even know it? For me its the mystery of life that provides the love part--likening life to a constant, ongoing story that we are writing together. And God is there as kind of the super-moderator (lol) to make sure the story doesnt get out of control and wreck everything. So the love is really an assurance that no matter what happens everything will be OK.

[Michel07]

Originally Posted by whereismynotecard

I don't fear or love that guy...

What do you mean guy? God is not a guy. God is. Much greater than guy."

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by hero

how is it that we are to fear and love God?

I think for some people god is an idea that has no terrain. Thus, for those people, to fear or love god is for them to fear or love a mere idea.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by Michel07

What do you mean guy? God is not a guy. God is. Much greater than guy."

You gots your language, she gots hers.

[+Xausted]

Originally Posted by Michel07

What do you mean guy? God is not a guy. God is. Much greater than guy."

to you, yes. to others, maybe not so much

[PureX]

Originally Posted by hero

how is it that we are to fear and love God?

We fear whatever we don't understand. This is natural for us as we humans survive and thrive by our ability to figure out how things work. Anything we can't figure out presents a threat to us.

Yet at the same time, we have learned that our lives will be much happier and more meaningful if we can learn to love. Not just each other, but ourselves, our planet, our existence, and "God", which is the over-arching representation of all these, and of our own ignorance too, which we fear.

So we find ourselves confronted with somewhat of a contradiction in that we desire to love that which we naturally fear. And it takes a special act of faith to overcome this.

[Charity]

Originally Posted by Michel07

I also see the fear aspect as a healthy and respectful fear for that which is not just man but God who is Holy.
Conversely Jesus did say " Do not fear man who can only kill the body and do no more harm..."
We have a tendency to fear death but what great power is greater than death's power ? God's power. Gotta love it but respect it too. God is Love and Love is power.

I agree with you....The Fear of God is a reverence. He wants us to do this because we love him, honor him, and respect Him. I think you said it quite wellWhen we have children we want them to respect us as their superior and wise parents that we should be....but at the same time we want that time of closeness and love when we wrap them in our arms and comfort and encourage them. That's Agape love. Blessings on your insight........ Charity