Split: One... Fear of hell as motivation for serving God?

[GoldenEagle]

This is a slit thread from:

 

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That is not really an adequate analogy. It doesn't really compare, because many don't see going to hell as an immediate consequence.  There are who people don't think they are dying tomorrow.  And because they love sin more than they fear God, and they feel no immediate alarm. 

 

And even if someone is scared into living right, it doesn't mean that they a follower of Jesus.  If the motivation for living right is fear that I have to earn God's favor by right livig in order to go to heaven, my faith is placed in my own ability to obey God and not in the grace offered by God as a result of Jesus' finished work on the cross.

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

 

 

This underlined is exactly the point brother. Earning God's favor by right living... Placing our faith in our own ability to obey God instead of trusting God's grace... A dangerous place to be. Very well put.  

 

Eph 2:8-10

 ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

 

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

Edited November 16, 2013 by GoldenEagle
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[Guest man]

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

[GoldenEagle]

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

The passage in context... Interesting brother.

Is this passage focusing only on fear or also on the value God places on the Believer?

Mathew 10:27-31

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

[Guest shiloh357]

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

There two different connotations for fear presented in that verse.  We are told not to be afraid of those who kill the body.  But the fear mentioned in the second half is speaking of reverence for God.  We are not being told to be afraid of or to live terrified of God, but to live in godly fear or reverence for Him.

[Guest Butero]

 

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

There two different connotations for fear presented in that verse.  We are told not to be afraid of those who kill the body.  But the fear mentioned in the second half is speaking of reverence for God.  We are not being told to be afraid of or to live terrified of God, but to live in godly fear or reverence for Him.

 

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus and the warning about how it would be better to lose a hand or an eye than to enter into hell promotes fear.  I would call that hell, fire and brimstone preaching. 

[Guest man]

 

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

The passage in context... Interesting brother.

Is this passage focusing only on fear or also on the value God places on the Believer?

Mathew 10:27-31

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

 

 

Verses 29,30 and 31 do not cancel out verse 28. If fear is not an impediment to sin, why did the Lord say what He said in verse 28?

[Guest shiloh357]

 

 

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

The passage in context... Interesting brother.

Is this passage focusing only on fear or also on the value God places on the Believer?

Mathew 10:27-31

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

 

 

Verses 29,30 and 31 do not cancel out verse 28. If fear is not an impediment to sin, why did the Lord say what He said in verse 28?

 

He said that we are to reverence God.  The Bible never calls us His disciples to live terrified of Him that He might send us to hell.  He is telling us that we need not fear or live in terror of those who can kill our body, but rather live in godly fear and reverence of our Father who watches over and takes care of us even in the midst of persecution. 

 

The ONLY true impediment to sin is being filled with and led by the Holy Spirit   Paul says in Galatians 5 that if we are led by the Spirit we will not gratify the lusts of the flesh.  That is how we overcome sin.

[Guest man]

 

 

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

The passage in context... Interesting brother.

Is this passage focusing only on fear or also on the value God places on the Believer?

Mathew 10:27-31

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

 

 

Verses 29,30 and 31 do not cancel out verse 28. If fear is not an impediment to sin, why did the Lord say what He said in verse 28?

 

[GoldenEagle]

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible never presents fear of hell as the the motivation for serving God.

I find this interesting and agree in bold. I'd be interested to see possible passages that would contradict this statement.

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

The passage in context... Interesting brother.

Is this passage focusing only on fear or also on the value God places on the Believer?

Mathew 10:27-31

²⁷ “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

 

 

Verses 29,30 and 31 do not cancel out verse 28. If fear is not an impediment to sin, why did the Lord say what He said in verse 28?

 

 

 

I think Shiloh made the distinction quite well...

 

 

 

There two different connotations for fear presented in that verse.  We are told not to be afraid of those who kill the body.  But the fear mentioned in the second half is speaking of reverence for God.  We are not being told to be afraid of or to live terrified of God, but to live in godly fear or reverence for Him.

 

[Guest man]

 

I think Shiloh made the distinction quite well...

 

 

 

There two different connotations for fear presented in that verse.  We are told not to be afraid of those who kill the body.  But the fear mentioned in the second half is speaking of reverence for God.  We are not being told to be afraid of or to live terrified of God, but to live in godly fear or reverence for Him.

 

 

 

 

Are those connotations real or imagined?

 

 

Matthew 10

28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

 

There is nothing in that verse to indicate a difference in the meaning of the word "fear".

 

"Do not fear those...But rather fear Him..."  Same meaning.

 

What is your reasoning for believing the meanings are different?

 

And please don't take offense, but I'm asking you, not shiloh.