[Pastor Ralph]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

[Commissioned]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how?
The fear of God is indeed healthy. Having the fear of God helps us to live our lives before him with thankfulness, in service, and with reverence.

When does fear of God become unhealthy?
The fear of God becomes unhealthy when you see Him only as a God who pours out judgement and not as a just God who loves us with an everlasting love.

How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?
1 John 4:18 tells us that, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 'Perfect love' that's the love that springs forth in our heart when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This love draws us to God and compels us. Our fear of God is a strengthen because we love him.

[Tabatha]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

( Quote ) REVERENCE. Two nouns express this attitude. " Reverence" ( eulabeia ) is "a cautious taking hold and careful and respectful handling: hence piety of a devout and circumspect character, " This is joined with another word, "Awe" ( NIV, NRSV ) or " Godly fear " ( KJV< deos ) , " fear, awe "... " apprehension of danger, " as in a forest.

( Exxodus 20: 20 ) Throughout the bible we find this phrase, " Do not be afraid <" God wasn't trying to scare the people. He was allowing His mighty power so the Israelites would know He was the true God and would therefore obey Him. If they would do this , He would make His power available to them. God wants us to follow Him out of love rather than fear. To over come fear, we must think more about His love. " Perfect love cast out all fear ( 1 John 4: 18 )

Fear of God becomes unhealthy when we lose respect for God and don't accept Him as the creator of all things. When we think of Him as the " Man upstairs " or the big guy in the sky" Or use His name in vain. "

( 1 John 4: 18 ) If ever we are afraid of the future, eternity, or God's judgement, we can remind ourselves of God's love. We know that He loves us perfectly ( Romans 8: 39, 39 ) We can resolve our fears first by focusing on His immeasurable love for us, and then by allowing Him to love others through us. His love will quiet your fears and give you confidence.

God's love is the source of all human love, and it spreads like fire, in loving His children, God kindles a flame in the hearts, in turn, they love others, who are warmed by God's love through them.

[charisbarak]

Fear of God is healthy. It is the fear--the awe & respect that He deserves.

It becomes unhealthy when we fear--terror--of Him or to not respect His holiness & power.

Fear, in I John 4:18, is not love--fear (terror) has to do with punishment & unbelief. Perfect love drives out fear (terror).

[masika]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?
The fear is God is healthy because, It shows that we are recognizing God's attributes; He is Holy, Almighty, Righteous, Pure, All-knowing, All-Powerful, and All-Wise. When we regard God correctly, we gain a clearer Picture of ourselves; sinful, weak, frail, and needy. When we recognize who God Is and who we are, we will fall at His feet in humble respect. Only then Will He show us how to choose His ways.

[PCHRIS]

Fear of God is definetly healthy - Ps 111.10a - the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom; Ps 34.8-9 - Oh taste and see the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who trusts in Him. Oh fear the Lord, you his saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

It can become unhealthy when we paint the wrong picture of Him. We must remember that our Heavenly Father is love, holy, right and just.

1John 4.18 describes love without fear because fear has torment, he that fears is not made perfect in love. v19 is also a key here - 'we love Him, because He first loved us'.

The phrase "feared God" described a believer in Yahweh. That is, those took obedience seriously and feared the consequences of rebellion.

[June]

Fearing God keeps us obedient in our Christian walk, we get knowledge of what God requires and how He honors us. God is LOVE and only disciplines to make us stronger in our walk and to keep us close to Him.
Obsessiveness is unhealthy.
Fear has to do with punishment. God is perfect love.
Faith and love go together.

[JustJeff]

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:" (Prov 9:10) A healthy fear of God is to respect Him and His might and to maintain your integrity before Him for fear of hurting Him. We should indeed be mindful of His power in order to keep ourselves under subjection.
While we should be aware of the consequences of sin, we shouldn't look at the Lord as some terrible dictator. He is a loving Father who gives His children great freedom to live as they choose. He doesn't intend for Christians to lock themselves up in a closet for fear of His wrath. God wants us to grow up and in order to do that we have to make mistakes and, hopefully, learn from them.
When we truly walk in love of God we are in His will, all fear is gone.

[PATJOE]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

The fear of God that is aligned with awe -- being so very impressed and thankful for the wonders, power and love of God is healthy. Those who feel terrorized by God are not in a healthy spiritual state because they do not know the love of God, or understand the sacrifice of Jesus and the meaning of His resurrection. It is all so far from being terrorizing -- it is receiving a tremendous love that we cannot fully comprehend, from God, but receive and accept it (along with His mercy and forgiveness) with reverence and awe. In 1 John 4:18, when we know the love of God, there is no fear in love. To receive His perfect love, is to cast out fear. If we fear with terror, we are not made perfect in love, or in other words if we lack the true understanding of Jesus and the Cross, we cannot be made perfect. This was all done for us by the One who first loved us, and taught us how to love Him and fear (respect with awe) Him.

[Loisb]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

1) Yes, the fear of God is healthy because our fear should be of thankfulness, service and reverence. We know that he doesn't want us to be so afraid of him that we won't come to him; and that whatever mistakes we make, we know that he is a loving and forgiving God.

2) The fear of God is unhealthy whenever we are so afraid that if we do make a mistake, he will always judge us harshly. We shouldn't forget that he is a just and understanding God. Thank God he is a forgiving God and as long as you repent, he will forgive and give you another chance.

3) God has perfect love for us and knowing this assures us that we don't have to fear God in an unhealthy way. Our faith in God's promises gives us the confidence that we don't have to fear.

[AngelOnLine]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy?
A reverent fear is healthy. Our fear of God should not be a terror filled fear.

If so, how?
We should fear God in that we are obedient and follow His commands because we know that is what He requires of us. We do this out of reverent or Godly fear, not a trembling fear.

When does fear of God become unhealthy?
Fear becomes unhealthy when instead of seeing a Loving and Merciful God, we see Him only as a God sitting on His Mighty Throne passing judgment on us.

How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?
1 John 4:18 describes love without fear. God’s love drives out fear.

[Patricia A]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

25See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a consuming fire.

Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how?

· We are to reverence Him, respect Him, acknowledging how great God is and we are submitted to his rulership. In the same way child would in relation to their parent[s]. God can be gracious or if we are in rebellion and lose our view of fear he can also judge. The fear of God is having an awesome reverence that can only come from knowing Him by experiencing His presence and seeing His work in our lives. When God's awesome holiness is understood one cannot help react in the fear of God.

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When does fear of God become unhealthy?

• You have not received a spirit of slavery and fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption as children; for the whole creation will be set free from its bondage to destruction into the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:15, 21)

Fear and anger are the two most negative forces working against us. Jesus gives us victory over both of them. Fear of God becomes unhealthy when we do not know the love of Jesus as our Father and know Him only as a Judge.

How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?


18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. ESV
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• The love of God in Christ, in the hearts of Christians from the Spirit of adoption, is the great proof of conversion.

[Craig]

A fear of God is healthy when it is based on awe, respect and love. A fear of God is unhealthy when a person is always looking over his/her shoulder in fear of God's punishment. Always viewing God as someone to be afraid of. No love is involved in this kind of view of God.

Fear, as in respect and awe, of God and what He is and Has done for me inspires me to love Him. I am not in fear of God's punishment. I know He loves me and I am well and secure in His love for me.

[s8nfighter]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire."
Fear of God is healthy. The same fear that compels us to obey our parents should compel us to be obedient to God. It is a fear that produces love, trust, respect, honor, and obedience toward God.

The law of Moses which could be shaken and therefore not perfect made no allowance for forgiveness, only sacrifice. The kingdom which we inheirit is made perfect in us if we live in Christ. How do we know if Christ lives in us as He lives in the Father? 1 John 4:12 "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit." (NIV)

Love has no sacrifice, because in perfect love there is no sin. But in our incompleteness and because God is perfect there is forgiveness. In that forgiveness we are made complete only through Christ. And this cannot be shaken: God loves us and in the same way he loves us we should love one another because no one can say, "I love the Creator but hate the creation."

Jesus sums up Hebrews 12 and 1 John 4 this way, "Matt. 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.""

Darrell

[Ms CJ]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

Is a fear of God healthy?

* Yes

If so, how?

* It teaches us to respect and get Him holy, as we should strive to be holy

When does fear of God become unhealthy?

* When we continue to sin and refuse to turn from sin in our lives and He uses
His uses His word that is instruction to discipline us.

How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?

* We aren't to live in terror of God, for that kind of fear is the opposite of faith
and perfect love cast fear and keeps us in faith

[Stan]

Q5. (Hebrews 12:25-29) Is a fear of God healthy? If so, how? When does fear of God become unhealthy? How does the fear of God fit with 1 John 4:18?
Yes, Jesus said fear not those who can kill the body then after that nothing, but rather fear Him hope can kill the body then cast the soul into hell. We need a judgemental fear of God, only in the sense that if we rufuse to believe in His Son and in His grace and mercy then our souls will live in ever lasting torment. We should be in awe of a Holy God who loves us so much that He would let His only Son suffer death for our sins. A God who made all things including us and only wants us to love Him and show that love to others.

Fear of God becomes unhealthy when it keeps us from worshiping Him and refusing to love those around us as He has commanded us to do. When that fear controls your decisions and desire to obey the true and living God then it's un healthy.

1 John:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

This is the Awe that I spoke of where there is a love for God there can be no fear because we know that we are love and have no reason to fear God because of the promises that He has made to us.

[Nancy D.]

Fear of God is healthy when it is associated with awe and reverence for who and what He stands for in all the world.

It is unhealthy if it is with the attitude of being afraid of Him and His power to punish you or allow something in your life that you are afraid of. If your obedience is not out of love, but fear...it may be unhealthy.

Perfect Love overcomes fear and since God is HOly and is LoVE I think our relationship in unity of LoVE is what makes our fear ...reverence and with deep love....and we relate with HIM with respect .

[Nancy D.]

Fear of God is healthy when it is associated with awe and reverence for who and what He stands for in all the world.

It is unhealthy if it is with the attitude of being afraid of Him and His power to punish you or allow something in your life that you are afraid of. If your obedience is not out of love, but fear...it may be unhealthy.

Perfect Love overcomes fear and since God is HOly and is LoVE I think our relationship in unity of LoVE is what makes our fear ...reverence and with deep love....and we relate with HIM with respect .

[linda bass]

A fear of God is healthy because it causes us to give Him the glory and respect He deserves.
A fear of God becomes unhealthy when we see Him only as a God of Judgment only and not also as a God of mercy.
We aren't to live in fear of God. That type of fear is the opposite of faith.

[Jewell]

We should have a respectful fear of God knowing that rebellion can lead to eternity away from Him. A fear of God becomes unhealthy when it is the only reason we obey - our obedience must include love.