Question of the Week: Worldly Fear or Godly Fear?

by Anne Lang Bundy

Image source: science.howstuffworks

What is the difference between worldly fear and godly fear?
~ Russell Holloway, Blog Host
from the post Love is greater than fear

The short answer might be that worldly fear is motivated by self-protective pride and lust (a wide variety of self-indulgences), while godly fear is motivated by godly love. The Bible says that even Jesus experienced godly fear:

... in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
~ Hebrews 5:7-8 (NKJV)

If my love for another is self-centered, I recognize their potential to hurt me and am likely to limit myself to "safe" expressions of love which cater to the other person and still protect myself.

When my love is other-centered, I see the potential of my weaknesses to do injury to the one I love and have genuine fear of doing so. I am willing, if necessary, to both experience and cause pain if I am assured that doing so gives my loved one what is truly needed. The other-centered love—agape love—which accompanies godly fear values the relationship built up by reciprocal love and seeks to receive it. But agape love is stronger than my desire to experience temporal comfort or pleasure.

Godly fear only begins with the self-protective recognition that my heavenly Father's necessary discipline involves the training and correction which can be painful, and therefore attempts behavior to avoid discipline. (What athlete expects to excel without disciplined training that involves pain and correction?)

Godly fear holds a love for God that understands the injury to Him my sin has caused. Godly fear calls to mind the sufferings of Jesus on my behalf and has a heart which desires to cause Him no more pain.

For all that is in the world—
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life
—is not of the Father but is of the world.
~ 1 John 2:16 (NKJV)

The worldly fear which does not come from God also involves love—disproportionate love for self above love for God and others. Pride wishes self to be built up rather than use the power of God to edify others and exalt God. Lust for personal and temporal gratification does not possess the sound mind which sees the broader perspective of what provides lasting and unified peace among self, God, and others.

You may recall the verse about God offering not worldly fear, but rather power, love and a sound mind. The next verse explains what's also included:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.
~ 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (NKJV)

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What questions do you have about Christianity or the Bible? You're invited to leave them in the comments below (anonymous questions welcome), or email buildingHisbody [plus] @ gmail.com.

© 2011 Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.

Make love not porn (Revisited)

Today is the one year anniversary of the Port Orange Counseling Prayer Circle as well as Bullets & Butterflies. This is the last re-post of 2009 favorites. Thank you everyone. We need your prayers. People in the community need your prayers ... and we are praying for you.

Make love not porn

Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer sex raises some pretty good questions” - Woody Allen

Although I enjoy folk-rock duos like the Indigo Girls, I saw them on a hot summer day at Nashville River Stages back in 1998, there are about twelve good reasons why I would make a poor feminist.

One feminist campaign I do agree with is the Make Love Not Porn effort that exists to draw attention to some of the unintended consequences of pornography.

Apparently Christians are not the only group concerned with the unreasonable expectations pornography puts on intimate relationships.

Therapists are usually desensitized to talking about sex. If anyone here decides to google Make Love Not Porn, know that campaign material is explicit, even vulgar by some standards, so foretold is forewarned. It is the message I agree with, not always the delivery.

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There is abundant literature on the subject, but it boils down to this: The regular use of pornography often erodes a persons enjoyment of real sex, it also erodes a persons ability to be emotionally intimate with their spouse during lovemaking, and not surprisingly porn use can progress to full-blown addiction.

Why is emotional intimacy so important?

One Christian writer, Philip Yancey I think, speculated that emotional intimacy is sacred because it is a peek into what all relationships will be like in the next life.

In Heaven we will be secure enough to make ourselves emotionally vulnerable to each other and, “pass through each others souls.” We will utterly and completely know each other.

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Is that why sexual intimacy is sacred? Because the emotional intimacy that can be experienced during lovemaking foreshadows the emotional intimacy we will experience with each other in our second lives?

Something to think about.

Porn is the theft of intimacy. Lovemaking, in the way God intended, is real.

Love is real. Porn is fake.

Confession

One of my primary concerns hiking up Cascade Mountain in the Adirondacks this weekend was to figure out a way to have my picture taken so that I didn't look too fat

Yes. I admit it. I confess to you brothers and sisters, I’m incredibly vain, painfully so at times.

When I’m not snatching a second look at my waistline in a hallway mirror, a preoccupation of mine, I'm looking for food. – I see it. I eat it. I mourn. I eat again. It’s a worn out familiar cycle.

After a long ascent to the top of Cascade Mountain, looking out toward the breathtaking countryside surrounding Lake Placid, I was so happy it was cold. ‘Now I can put on a jacket,’ I told myself. Jackets cover offending waistlines! A person can look slim in the right jacket!

I ripped my red North Face rain-jacket out of my backpack. Whipped it on over my head. “Hey McCrory, can you take my picture,” I yelled to my hiking partner. Click! Picture taken. Mission accomplished.

On the flight home, just a few hours ago, I asked myself, where does this vanity come from? What am I trying to accomplish? – And, ultimately, when I trace it back, step-by-step, I’d have to admit that it's a lack of faith that drives my vanity. A lack of faith in the knowledge that God loves me. A lack of faith in the belief that our Father’s affirmation is all I ultimately need.

We are relational beings. We were not created to walk with God or experience life on earth alone. However, at times I still make the mistake and believe human admiration can somehow replace love that emanates from our God. It is disordered love in one of its saddest forms.

God loves you and me, despite what we look like, despite the crazy things we did in the past ... and, despite what other people might think about us.

He is an amazing Father who cares about you so much and longs for a relationship with you …

If you see me at the YMCA, I’ll just be trying to lose a few pounds, exercise is still a good thing. But, if you catch me standing in front of a mirror, kind of puffing out my chest and flexing my biceps, you have permission to slap me on the back of the head and remind me that God really does love me.