My problem now is being among a group of people where this is not largely felt or treasured, and learning how to live in love toward them, and move them toward what Solomon calls ‘the beginning of wisdom’. I also think, based on my theology, that I might be more in support of the idea of fearing than the Lord, than actually fearing him, because I so slightly understand it myself.

I would probably be inclined to agree with you, but add that they do this for a good reason. Calvinism gets our eyes off of ourselves and our needs, and it tends to cause sound views of God and man to form in our lives. It brings to the table the reality that religion is not about us, but about God, and He is the focus of our worship. Where I would agree with you, however, is that sometimes Calvinist churches are bent on ‘protecting’ this view of fear against those who over-emphasis love.

You can fear without loving,
but you cannot love without fearing.

The default position of humanity should be fearing. Those who know him and have been adopted by him only can love him, but their love may not leave fear behind. I do think Jerry Bridges’ distinction between servile and filial fear is important to grasp as well. We don’t fear God because horror awaits those who have offended holiness. We fear him as children. And only good children fear.

Jesus gave us the commandment to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. He didn’t say Fear me and Bow…. BUT if we do love him and truly know him we joyfully bow and are naturally inclined to fear God because of our love for him! Reformed theology has obviously shaped the church in many powerful ways, which is another reason why I hold to it dearly… But my fear is that we try fight the ‘American Church’ on what it does wrong and we end up going to far and missing the point. Too many times we make movements, denominations, and trends our enemy when we know that the battle is not against the flesh and blood!

Live the Word
Matt

By the way…You have won over another faithful blogger. I have read through your blog and I really enjoyed it! I am excited about your future posts and interaction…

Live the Word
Matt

Matt, Tim,

Thinking about this issue more, I believe there is a slight misconception in our thinking when we consider how ‘mean’ God was in the OT (fear) and how ‘nice’ Jesus is in the NT (love). I believe, of course, that God’s nature did not change, but that He simply revealed Himself in different ways at different times. Thus, adding the two together gives us the full picture. However, the disconnect in the NT comes when we look at Jesus’ humanity alone. Jesus was clearly meek and lowly before His reurrection (in His humanity), but what of the picture John gives us in Revelation?? John, who was used to being around Jesus, fell as though dead when He appeared in His glory, and the picture that John gives us of that event is anything but meek and lowly.

So we must understand that Jesus was meek and lowly in His humanity, but that He is now ruling and reigning, and the OT picture of God has been restored to Him.

That ought to cause some fear, like it did with John, but of course we can balance that with the fact that He is our high priest, He intercedes with us, and He is aquainted with our weaknesses.