Jesus' Gospel of Fear

[James_Newman]

Matthew 10:28
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus affirmed that we should fear God, and not men. Why should we fear God? Because He is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.

Matthew 5:29-30
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

 

[Tom Butler]

I think there are two kinds of fear of God. One is akin to reverence and awe. The other is akin to the fear we have punishment from Dad when we mess up.

I'm afraid a problem in some modern churches is that we have too little of either.

God is all-loving, all-forgiving, and all-fuzzball who desires the best for us, and has a wonderful plan for our lives, wants us to be happy, healthy and rich, but is powerless to do anything we won't let him do.

He is, to many, just the big Dude.