Why is God to be feared?
There are many places in the Bible where someone mentions "the fear of God". This always confused me, because when I read the word "fear", I think of things that are undesirable or frightening, things I would try to avoid. However, in the Bible, the context always suggests the fear of God to be a good thing. If you want to inspire trust and love among the followers of God, why encourage fear of him?
Research into this phrase revealed that "fear of God" has a different meaning then the way we typically think of fear. The Macmillan Dictionary of the Bible explains that through fear, humans would build a stronger trust with God, as they would know he would protect them from their fears. Therefore, the "fear of God" is actually meant as the love one feels towards God. (Macmilllan)
"Fear." Macmillan Dictionary of the Bible. London: Collins, 2002. Credo Reference. Web. 3 Feb 2015
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