Work out Salvation (fear)

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echo lightvalley
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Work out Salvation (fear)

Post #1

Post by echo lightvalley »

It seems to me, as one who has gone to church, listened to some sermons, listened to those who would be Christians, and tried to understand others, one point not much spoken about, certainly not to a great enough extent is the fear of God, we're urged, phil2-12, "therefore my beloved, as you have obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." has this really been done by church members? I think not, I hear a bit about the coming to God like a magical moment or something such like that, which is OK but surely it is not enough, one does have to learn the fear of the Lord and not write it off, God is love but in order to understand love you have to humble yourself and I don't think the humbling is much done until one has experienced the fear of God-- if a concept like hell is true, it is scary, no?
And to entertain it true, it is scary to think God is in charge of your fate, you are delivered by his right hand to one place or another seems clear enough;-- I mean has anyone loved God back? God loved us first and he hasn't saved us up to this moment because we loved him back but because of his long-suffering and abounding grace and mercy. Really, I think it is through the fear of the Lord one learns humility, and earns favour and more love from God--- why are we so quick to put ignorance by the fear of God, and say love wouldn't do the worst to us, and I love to think love won't, but how can one truly look at the world and not think, that, all in all, the judgement stands to fall on the world being dead in its sins, surely that is where the typical man of the world is, reason doesn't seem to move him towards salvation, what will move man to try and work out his salvation? I've been to my local church for a good few years, and all is unveiling as a shambles and phoney affair-- really where is the fear of God nowadays?

Tart
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Re: Work out Salvation (fear)

Post #2

Post by Tart »

[Replying to echo lightvalley]

Good question... I'd ask, what is the fear of God? What should we fear? Should we fear our sins? Should we fear our limitations? Should we fear his judgment? What should we fear?

echo lightvalley
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Re: Work out Salvation (fear)

Post #3

Post by echo lightvalley »

[Replying to Tart]

I think it is punishment we fear, yes there are lots of things we can fear, but we should fear God because he made us and he decides if we are to be punished or not, whether that would be a hot lake or not.
I suppose we should fear if the judgement is standing, Jn3:19, I mean, when we look at the world and surely how abominable man is, how could it not still be standing? And, yes, we should be careful not to judge others, I think we should be careful not to judge ourselves, though in some matters I am not sure if self-judgement can be avoided, but still we should discern and be able to recognize the obvious-- really, the post is just a concern of mine I raise. It has seemed to me, as teaching and preaching goes, that the fear of God is commonly interpreted just as respecting God but I think it is more than that.

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