what i mean is that a lot of the time we interpret all the stuf about the fear of God in terms of Punishment and anger... and those are good terms...
but picture the anger of God at evil as a freight train. and Jesus as getting us safely off the tracks and telling us to step where he steps as he takes us out of the train yard...
In this relationship, the wrath of God is REAL, and the fear of the trains is only mitigated by the presence and trustworthiness of Jesus...
So we don't walk in fear, yet we do walk in obedience, unafraid of the DANGER that is very REAL and active around us...
So while a christian doesn't walk in fear, per se, they do tremble to think what if Jesus wasn't here...
and they take pains to see that they walk in His way, following his instructions and present example, in the Scriptures and the voice of the Holy Spirit...
So Danger is real, and God is dangerous.
It's also like a KING and his son or daughter. Kings are dangerous. Their wrath is like a lion's! They kill. They can destroy life and banish people. Kings are terrible.
And God is a king. But the king's son doesn't fear him, although the king is fearsome. Why? a relationship of sonship.
Could a king's son get the hatchet? Wouldn't want to see it, and it has happened many times with unjust kings, but a good king could conceivably give his kid a death sentence...
but it would take some horrendous evil... so kings are dangerous. only relationship can secure us.
God IS love. Period. All that he does is done in, by, love, Himself...
Like when Jesus personified Way, Truth, and Life, God (of whom Jesus is the perfect view) is LOVE.
Many of us have trouble integrating what we feel to be polar opposites in the grace and wrath of God.
Blessing on that trouble... but understanding Father is our great joy and boast in this sojourn! Look at Jeremiah 9:23 where it says that!
We truly can understand that grace and wrath are not separate at all, but both expressions of the great personality of our Father!
We may be horrified at the extent of His wrath, and we may dare to be stunned at the depths of His love, but they are both from Him.
He is good. He is love. and he is God.
Fearing him is a doorway to wisdom. That is, knowing how dangerous He is will calm our hearts at the myriad lesser fears that surround us.
A person captivated with the grace of God in Christ is not cowed by the majesty and danger of Father, the King of the ages. They are lifted by relief, being secure in the rescue that Jesus has wrought in his own flesh on the cross...
what do you mean?
ReplyDeletewhat i mean is that a lot of the time we interpret all the stuf about the fear of God in terms of Punishment and anger... and those are good terms...
ReplyDeletebut picture the anger of God at evil as a freight train. and Jesus as getting us safely off the tracks and telling us to step where he steps as he takes us out of the train yard...
In this relationship, the wrath of God is REAL, and the fear of the trains is only mitigated by the presence and trustworthiness of Jesus...
So we don't walk in fear, yet we do walk in obedience, unafraid of the DANGER that is very REAL and active around us...
So while a christian doesn't walk in fear, per se, they do tremble to think what if Jesus wasn't here...
and they take pains to see that they walk in His way, following his instructions and present example, in the Scriptures and the voice of the Holy Spirit...
So Danger is real, and God is dangerous.
It's also like a KING and his son or daughter. Kings are dangerous. Their wrath is like a lion's! They kill. They can destroy life and banish people. Kings are terrible.
And God is a king. But the king's son doesn't fear him, although the king is fearsome. Why? a relationship of sonship.
Could a king's son get the hatchet? Wouldn't want to see it, and it has happened many times with unjust kings, but a good king could conceivably give his kid a death sentence...
but it would take some horrendous evil...
so kings are dangerous. only relationship can secure us.
some more thoughts.
what if His wrath is part of His love. If God is love, then His anger must be a part of His love too, even if I don't understand it.
ReplyDeleteGod IS love. Period. All that he does is done in, by, love, Himself...
ReplyDeleteLike when Jesus personified Way, Truth, and Life, God (of whom Jesus is the perfect view) is LOVE.
Many of us have trouble integrating what we feel to be polar opposites in the grace and wrath of God.
Blessing on that trouble... but understanding Father is our great joy and boast in this sojourn! Look at Jeremiah 9:23 where it says that!
We truly can understand that grace and wrath are not separate at all, but both expressions of the great personality of our Father!
We may be horrified at the extent of His wrath, and we may dare to be stunned at the depths of His love, but they are both from Him.
He is good. He is love. and he is God.
Fearing him is a doorway to wisdom. That is, knowing how dangerous He is will calm our hearts at the myriad lesser fears that surround us.
A person captivated with the grace of God in Christ is not cowed by the majesty and danger of Father, the King of the ages. They are lifted by relief, being secure in the rescue that Jesus has wrought in his own flesh on the cross...
"Fear not...I have inscribed you on my palms..."
Isaiah's scroll...