Is fear of G-d an essential first step toward faith and love of G-d?

[meltzerboy]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

 

[Linusthe2nd]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

I suppose it could but it is more likely to come into play after one has faith. But if you define fear as being fearful of offending one you love, like your mother, then that could be a motivating factor to live properly.

Eastern Cult Religions don’t really believe in God, so neither kind of fear, servile or love, could not enter in.

Linus2nd

Linus2nd

 

[Elostirion]

Is Fear of God always the fear of his justice? Or fear of his love? Fear of disappointing him?
I remember reading that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all understanding but I am not sure what this means.

 

[jmjconder]

Short answer NO! Faith is a gift that is offered freely - the question is are you (we) disposed to it?

Please reference Fr John Hardon’s definition of faith - he is ALWAYS a trusted source.

FAITH. The acceptance of the word of another, trusting that one knows what the other is saying and is honest in telling the truth. The basic motive of all faith is the authority (or right to be believed) of someone who is speaking. This authority is an adequate knowledge of what he or she is talking about, and integrity in not wanting to deceive. It is called divine faith when the one believed is God, and human faith when the persons believed are human beings. (Etym. Latin fides, belief; habit of faith; object of faith.)

 

[jmcrae]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

“Fear” in the sense that a little child “fears” his parents - not that he actually thinks they would ever do anything to hurt him, but that he is devastated when he knows he has disappointed them, and when he sees that they are angry with something he has done.

It is that same deep desire to please God that is the beginning of wisdom.

 

[Carlan]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

Meltzerboy,I believe God is always there offering us actual grace, but until we acknowledge our fear of the the wrong we are doing, the wrong that we know and fear hurts and offends the almighty one, ourselves and the ones around us,and turn to Him and accept that.Faith is not activated until then when sanctifying grace is given and love beginss to help us to grow in holiness.
Oh dear, I do hope I have made sense, I’m really not all that good at this.,
Peace, Carlan

 

[R_C]

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

Fear of G-d for us is not a servile fear - it is not fear of being struck by a mighty master - but filial fear - that which the child has when he looks up to his dad and is in awe at his greatness and wishes to never disappoint him. It is not fear of being hurt by the Father, but rather - as odd as it may sound - fear of hurting the Father.

Such fear is not necessarily for all a first step - love is the first step for many, and it certainly was the main motor of my heart embracing G-d. Fear (or, rather, Awe of the Lord) may rather be a fruit of love.

 

[AbideWithMe]

Fear of G-d for us is not a servile fear - it is not fear of being struck by a mighty master - but filial fear - that which the child has when he looks up to his dad and is in awe at his greatness and wishes to never disappoint him. It is not fear of being hurt by the Father, but rather - as odd as it may sound - fear of hurting the Father.

Such fear is not necessarily for all a first step - love is the first step for many, and it certainly was the main motor of my heart embracing G-d. Fear (or, rather, Awe of the Lord) may rather be a fruit of love.

I would say the same thing. I learned “fear” (not fear to save my own skin, but an inkling of how great is the reverence due God) as a later step. The threat of damnation, frankly, just made me rebellious when I was younger. Maybe my parents shouldn’t have let me watch so much Monty Python.

 

[meltzerboy]

Thank you all for your interesting and informative replies to my question.

 

[Country_Gal]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

I think “fear”, in this case, equates to awe of how powerful and mighty God is, and how great his wrath can be. It is similar to a 2 yr old child learning to respect his parents and be guided by them. Fear of a swat on the bottom, or that they will not be there for them, causes the child to desire and sometimes fear their parents. That leads, eventually, to a more mature relationship. But fear is a primal emotion that does motivate people to grow.

 

[Carlan]

Thank you all for your interesting and informative replies to my question.

Meltzer, I was wondering about your thoughts , would you like to share with us?
Peace, Carlan

 

[fhansen]

Psalms and proverbs tells us that fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom. IMO that means that to recognize God as existing and as being vastly superior to us is the first appropriate attitude for a human; humility before God is right and just. But as we grow in the knowledge of God trust and love grow as well and, while fear abates as a result of that knowledge, awe only continues to grow.

 

[Carlan]

Psalms and proverbs tells us that fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom. IMO that means that to recognize God as existing and as being vastly superior to us is the first appropriate attitude for a human; humility before God is right and just.

But as we grow in the knowledge of God trust and love grow as well and, while fear abates as a result of that knowledge, awe only continues to grow.

I like that! Peace, Carlan

 

[Nom_the_Wise]

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

No one taught me the Fear of God; I learned that on my own which might be a strange thing to say. When I was a kid, I used to pretend I was an angel. I have clear memories of this. Now I’ve learned that we aren’t even supposed to ask our guardian angel’s name (which I did once, too, and believed that I received an answer) because it’s “dangerous” to know too much about angels or attempt to communicate with them directly (Enochian magic is, of course, based on summoning angels whether good or bad, the summoner is never in control of that ).

I spent my childhood and adolescent with the understanding that God is my friend. I went to a LaSallian Christian Brothers High School that carried on that trend by preaching that Christ is our “brother” and we were encouraged to pray to him that way. And then, one of my first “real” spiritual experiences with God/Jesus was through the hippie musical “Godspell” where I played guitar (and being able to play guitar loudly as an “expression of faith” was a new and welcome experience for me).

But then I got older, and I’ve learned the Fear of God. I learned that Amy Grant’s song “El Shaddai” eek was actually pretty careless in its use of several of the “unutterable” names of God, but I think that song was just symptomatic of a time (60s/70s) that tried to humanize the God experience and actually move away from Fear (If you’ve never heard the song, here is a youtube video that gives the lyrics as well: youtube.com/watch?v=yibk4P8IlxA).

I think the biggest problem with approaching God without Fear is this sense that God is always on my side and won’t really punish me because he loves me. Sin suddenly becomes more and more arbitrary which endangers the soul without a healthy Fear of God, fear also being synonymous with deep reverence and respect. We know God is merciful, but God is also just.

You spell God “G-d” which is actually a level of “Fear of G-d” which I haven’t yet reached. I understand the practice overall, but I’ve always thought of the term “God” as a job title rather than a name. I am more hesitant of using the more specific names of God (like the title of Amy Grant’s song which I wrote above )

 

[Pugsly]

The Fear of the Lord is a basic (the most basic) recognition of how things are.

There is a God…who is far greater than I…therefore I should primarily approach reality with this Faith as a baseline.

 

[meltzerboy]

Meltzer, I was wondering about your thoughts , would you like to share with us?
Peace, Carlan

Carlan, I tend to think that, for some, fear, in the way defined here, is a necessary first step toward “knowing” G-d, while for others this may not be the case. I’ve observed more of the former than the latter.

 

[bsroufek]

“The fear of God is the **beginning **of wisdom.”

 

[openmind77]

It seems that in Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Islam, fear of G-d plays an important role in faith and love, whether that fear concerns punishment here on Earth, spending eternity in Hell or a long time in Purgatory, or the annihilation of one’s soul and oblivion. AFAIK, the same kind of fear is not present in many of the Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, but perhaps I’m wrong about this since reincarnation plays a prominent role.

My question is do you think fear of G-d plays an essential role as a first step toward faith and love? Can one properly love G-d and have faith in Him without fearing Him? And should fear be only a first step toward faith and love?

You are right to say that Hinduism does not teach you to fear God and Hindus in general are not very worried about going to hell or the annihilation of their soul (there is no eternal Hell in any case).

But this is not say that Hindu Gods are all that benign. Another name for Shiva (who I believe is the Hindu equivalent of the Christian Father) is Bhairav - which means the one who instills fear or the terrifying one. Although the appearance of Shiva is terrifying, his hand is always shown raised with an open palm - this is the ‘do-not-be-afraid’ sign (abhayadan in sanskrit). Bhairav is Shiva in his destructive aspect. Kali is similarly very fearsome and scary.

However, Hinduism always emphasizes that the Gods in their fearsome aspect are actually destroying your ignorance and your ego, never your soul or your ‘real’ self.

 

[Nael]

Carlan, I tend to think that, for some, fear, in the way defined here, is a necessary first step toward “knowing” G-d, while for others this may not be the case. I’ve observed more of the former than the latter.

Don’t you think that it’s necessary to believe in God’s justice first in order to fear Him? If so then fear is not the first step for most people, and therefore the process of knowing God involves a much deeper “first step”.

 

[Semangelof]

I think the word “fear” in “fear of God” is a very broad term with multiple connotations.

The first recorded instance of a literal “Fear of God” was in Genesis.

Genesis 3:8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Before Sin there was no reason to literally fear God because God was not set against us. Upon the first sin we became separated from God and at odds against Him. A very real fear entered the scene.

I believe that sin is the only cause for a literal fear of God. If your sins are forgiven then there should be no room for a literal fear, for there is no knife set against you. When Jesus died, the curtain separating God from us was torn in two. Through the living sacrifice of the Lamb our sins are forgiven. God is no longer set against us, there is no reason for a literal fear for our lives, no reason to hide from Him. We have a relationship of trust and faith again.

I think one of the most appropriate connotations of “fear of God” is a respect of his status and potential. “He is not a tame Lion”, there is a great deal of love toward the lion but also a healthy respect on account that He is a lion of tremendous power.