because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Gen. 3:10).
The first mention of fear in the Bible is in the context of man being afraid of God. I want you to think about that. The very first phobia in recorded history was Theophobia – the fear of God. That’s actually a word – Theophobia. You can look it up in a medical dictionary. It means “a morbid fear of God.”
Man, almost from the very beginning of his existence, has suffered from Theophobia. And I would suggest that virtually every fear we have – not all, but most of them – are connected to this overriding, overwhelming, fear of God. Most fear is based on ignorance. I am afraid of what I don’t know, what I don’t understand. So then, if I don’t know God, and I don’t understand God, and religion feeds me a steady diet of untruths and half-truths about God that plays to my fears, then of course I will be afraid of God. This fear either makes me run away and hide from God, or it makes me try to appease God. For example, maybe I will go to church because I think it makes God happy for me to go to church.
You really need to see that a religious person trying to please God is just as ignorant as a “sinner” trying to hide from God. Neither one of them have a right understanding of God. Everything they do is based on fear. One refuses to go to church because he’s afraid of God. The other goes to church because he’s afraid of God. Isn’t it interesting how fear can drive people to do the exact opposite things!
God does not lead us according to our fears. How easy it is to justify our fears under the pretext that, “This is how we feel led.” Are you really sure about that? Many times we aren’t led by God, we are led by our fears. Take, as an example, someone who has the revelation of Christ, they have a revelation of the Body of Christ, the Church that Jesus is building, but they continue to stay where they are, even though it is all dead to them. What is their reasoning? “Well, I’m afraid. Where will I go? What will I do for fellowship? What will all my friends think?” The pastor finds out about it and says you need to have a spiritual covering, and the wolves like to prey on the isolated sheep, and if you don’t stay in church the devil’s going to get you and God’s going to be unhappy, etc. etc. And then they rationalize it by saying God wants them to stay where they are and “be a light in a dark place” and bloom where they’re planted and all that nonsense. I’m not saying that can’t happen. I’m saying, is it really God who wants you to stay where you are, or are you just giving in to fear?
God has not given us the spirit of fear. That’s the point – not whether it’s right or wrong to stay or to go, but rather, what is driving you? What’s motivating you? What’s controlling you?
The Bible says that “God is love.” It also says that “Perfect love casts out fear.” God is perfect, and God is perfect love. So love, not fear, should characterize our friendship with God. We are to be motivated by love, not by fear. Let’s take daily devotions for example. A lot of people will pray or read the Bible for a few minutes at the beginning of their day. A lot of people do not, and feel guilty for not doing it. I want you to begin to examine your motivation for doing something. Ask yourself why? Keep going deeper and deeper with this questioning. It isn’t what you do or don’t do, it’s your reason for doing it. It is very easy for a spiritual thing to turn into a religious thing. Then, if we don’t have our morning prayer time, we are irritable and angry the rest of the day. Or, we feel guilty if we don’t do it. Or, we do it, and feel good about doing it, and like to think about how we are more spiritual than those who don’t do it. It’s very easy to slip into something other than love. You begin to pray out of fear of what might happen if you don’t. I would suggest that is the wrong motivation for praying.
Whether you pray, or read the Bible, there is only one motivation. I love God and I want to know Him better. That’s it. I’m not afraid of what might happen if I don’t do something. I’m not trying to earn His approval. I know He loves me the same whether I pray or not. But you see, you come to a more accurate knowing of God, and you’re able to let go of those unreasonable fears about God. Depending on your religious background it could take a long time to undo all that disinformation about God. That’s OK, it’s part of the learning process.
But I believe this is the key to overcoming all fear and worry – getting over our Theophobia, our fear of God. Once you know that God is one your side, once you know He isn’t out to hit your over the head every time you make a mistake, you are well on your way to overcoming the fear of everything else.
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I knew I had it back in my “Catholic” days, when I pictured God as having a big hammer, ready to strike me at a moment’s notice.(Nothing against my Catholic brothers and sisters- just telling of my personal way of thinking).
But then I listened to your tape on Fear and Worry. You gave an example of theophobia, as praying for safety every time I left the driveway. I realized, I still do have it!
Now, where to go from here…?
it’s very true that i as a believer of almost 15 years(i am now 38 yrs.old)and i develop this “fear of GOD”during my catholic days.they teach you that you must fear of GOD because HE will be angry to you and punish you if you do not pray,if you do not attend services,if you do not read the bible etc.my view of GOD is HE is very strict GOD.but i really thank GOD that i found this teachings of yours.GOD BLESS TO YOUR MINISTRY…
The problem with love gospels is they only tell you half the story, what about God’s wrath and judgement? In the Old and New Testaments time and time again we’re told to fear God, if God’s word tell us to fear Him, we should fear Him. After all, as it is stated fears keep us from doing things, the fear of God will keep us from falling into temptation and sin because we understand the consequence. Love of God is understood, He loved us so much that He went to the cross for us so that we could be reconciled to Him, but don’t discount the fear of God, especially when the scriptures repeatedly say to fear God.
Let us hear the end of all: fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole DUTY of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
I think you’re confusing “fear of God” (reverence and respect) with “being afraid of God.” God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear.
You obviously have not read the OT, but I am sure you know that.
You obviously have only read it in King Jim’s Version, hence your confusion over the difference between fear and reverence, which is understandable, but no longer excusable.
It has been stated the fear of God will keep one from temptation. However, for me, the love for God takes me away from temptation in that I my heart’s desire is wanting to not grieve Him or hurt my relationship with Him. That relationship is more important than anything the world has to offer.
A few mis spelled words here and there, but we get it.. He is a mighty God for sure
and in His anger we do fear Him but He also gives us mercy and abundant love. For instance, in the Bible I read in Revelation 14: 8-12 because I understand this to mean
many people all over the world do worship God on a Sunday in some church building
and that is because the Catholic church has commanded it (Follow Sunday law) and it is not from God to keep this day of worship, only Saturday. Starting from chapter 8 it reads how Catholic religion made it into law and yet, most or all people reject Saturday and observe Sunday! That’s a lot of people God will send to the lake of fire for keeping Sunday as their day of worship according to the verses above in the Bible.
Hey Linda, what words are misspelled?
And are you serious about God sending people to the lake of fire based on what day they worship on? I didn’t realize all the Christians in the New Testament who gathered on the first day of the week were disobeying God. But I can’t tell from your comment if you really think this or are being facetious.
Your revelations on Embracing the Cross has influenced/changed me deeper than anyone’s, but I’ve been taught and believe through many scriptures and Godly teachers regarding this God of love, to have more than respect/reverence, but a genuine fear of Him. “Love and Grace was behind every judgment to bring us to fear and stay under His Hand. We can know all the sweet fellowship, deliverance, and power of God and still not be afraid.”
2 Samuel 6:1-9
I guess the fear of God motivates me more than I realize, after reading today’s Infinite Supply, but like Queen Esther, I know the King loves me, but that love is not taken for granted!
How does a “genuine fear” of God agree with 1 John 4:18? “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has to do with punishment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.” If you have a reason to be afraid of God then something is wrong. I have reverence and respect and humility towards God, but I could not use fear as an adjective to describe this love relationship. Fear is for people who don’t know Him and cannot relate to Him. It sounds like the residue of religion rather than the fruit of perfection in love.
Chip, I have to agree with you. To fear God is to reverence Him, not be afraid of Him. He is a Mighty King, sovereign over all things, therefore we should honor and reverence Him. Why should we as believers be afraid of Him since He is the One Who sent His Son to bring us back into fellowship with Himself? Why should we fear the Day of Judgment, since we will be standing before Yeshua, the One Who has redeemed us, to be rewarded not punished, for the things we have done for Him? Paul wrote that it is the goodness (grace, kindness) of God, not His wrath, which leads us to repentance. I think many fear or are afraid of God too much and love Him so little.
The way I like to think of what “fear of the Lord” means is to be so in love with God that any behaviors or attitudes that would disappoint or break the heart of God would produce fear in me. Not fear of what God would do to me but fear of producing sadness in God’s heart. If you are a parent and walked into the room where your child is at and when they saw you, they ran into the corner and crouched down trembling and cowering with fear of you, what would your reaction be? Would you be happy that your child knows who’s boss? I doubt it. The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear. So we need to rethink what fear of the Lord means and does NOT mean. To me it’s more about having a healthy reverence and respect for the almighty sovereign God who we love rather than having a fearful dread of God for what he could do to us.
Thank you Daniel, that expresses the idea very nicely. It seems a lot of people in the Bible (or even today) have loved the Lord imperfectly. Fear is the residue of Religion; Love is the fragrance of Relationship.
You brothren and sisters what Chip is telling us is not fom his soul and flesh. It is a deep revealation of Christ. What we are living currently is wong for me. We need to love Him if we really want to abide His words. Love is the greatest thing. But for the religious people this doesn’t work. Brothren, the fear that we have experienced in our life, does it produce fruit or does it help us to keep His words. I really doubt, it rather pushes and separeted us from Him.
Let’s love Him and we can easily undestand what Chip is telling us.
May God blesss you Chip.
Thank you for reading. Someone on my Facebook page commented that fear is based on lies, and we have been lied to from the beginning. I take that to mean “lied to about God.” Adam hid from God because sin made him afraid of God; there is no evidence that Adam was afraid of God until sin entered.
I’ve read… but… I’m still confused by what I’ve been taught about the need to have the dread {crainte} of God.
With verses such Hebrew 10:31 « It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. » ; Hebrew 12:29 « For our God is a consuming fire » ; Luke 12:5 « But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. »
Yes… I was always divided between my fear of God and my great love for Him… But fear wears out our… has exhausted my energy… and yet… what an incredible sweetness God has when He gives me the grace to touch me…. So love vs fear…
And there must be other verses… like for example when David speaks of God’s immense compassions… in 1 Chronicles 21:13 « And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man. »