On the fear of the God Whom we love

We are to love the Lord our God with all our being. How can we possibly do this if we are to live in fear and terror of Him?

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• allsaintsmonastery
• lazar
• puhalo
• Orthodoxy
• Fear
• Love
• Christianity

[AlRasuwl]

I'm sorry but discipline of my father which would involve a short sharp smack that would last only a few seconds is completely different from him setting me on fire, and not only that but refusing to let me die from my injuries and allowing me to continue burning for all eternity.

Talking as someone who has had my face burned by fire I can say that ANY entity that wishes to inflict this on someone even for a second is the most disgusting kind there is.

[allsaintsmonastery]

Of course, "hell" is neither a "place" nor an actual "fire." Such an idea is a product of Western thought. The "fire" is one's own conscience, not something created. The idea of an everlasting "fire" comes from the literalisation of a metaphor.

[cuttlefisch]

Vladika, how do you understand the texts in the Old Testament that speak of the "wrath" and "anger" of God?

[Uxoriouswidow]

As far as I've understood it as a Catholic, this is because these stories came from simpler times, when people misinterpreted natural events as divine portents. Rather than trulyt spiritual, they were often just highly superstitious.

[allsaintsmonastery]

A monk of Athos once told us that, as a young, educated monk, he went to an Elder and complained of finding "contradictions in Chrysostom." The Elder advised him to make a list of these, and then compare who Chrys. was speaking to in each occasions. The monk found that Chrys.spoke on one level and in one way to simple folk, and differently to educated. He then understood. Ch. could not address both audiences on the same level.

[allsaintsmonastery]

A council in Alexandria in the time of Antony the Great ruled that it is heretical to accept literally the anthropomoric descriptions of God found in the O.T. This is quite logical considering that it is only in Christ that we can actually know anything about God. However, eventually, we will do a broadcast about this.

[AlRasuwl]

Revelation 14:10

[MartinJWillett]

If people cannot be told the full truth they should be told that they are being told a simplified version. When I was taught chemistry at the age of fifteen my teacher clearly told me that much of what I was being taught was simplified because I would not be able to comprehend the full story. It seems that secular teachers are infinitely more moral in this regard than preachers who happily lie to people on the patronizing assumption that they can't handle the truth and wouldn't notice anyway.

[vanight]

Very good explanation... I think that un-healthy fear in the relationships with parents is in idea that has snowballed out of controlled as a result of Liberal parenting methods. Every generation seems to have gotten worse....

[johncrwarner]

Often those that talk of God being like this or God being like that are often projecting their own views onto God - I would like it to be like that - the more certainty they express that God would (to pick a ludicrous example) shop at this shop rather than another the more suspicious I certainly am.

[Uxoriouswidow]

I look forward to it.

[allsaintsmonastery]

The idea of "being in the hands of an angry God" was invented in the hearts of people who were themselves angry, bitter and malicious. No doubt many such anthropomoric descriptions of God in the Old Testament arose in the same manner.