Fear
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Fearing God is, as it seems, a peculiarly difficult and at odds with our times type of thing. It appears - and I may be entirely wrong on this count - that the liberal expansion of the 1960's and the mantra's of all-you-need-is-love and such, made the idea of love desireable in a way different to earlier generations. Generally speaking anyway. Of course, to many love is love and it is all fairly simplistic and effortless with little distinction between the values of Eros, Philadelphia and Agape. Even so. Though a person may not be a Christian nor indeed particularly spiritually oriented they will often admit to seeing some level of meaning in the instruction to love thy neighbour. Contrary to this, the idea of fearing God gains no approval, makes peoples skin crawl and is, by and large, a no-go zone: vanity knows where it's not welcome.
So, what does it mean to fear God?
Well, what would it be to have to give account of oneself to God?
How could I? What would I say? Forgive me for I am a miserable sinner? I know not what I do? I lack all inner command? I am weak and have ever failed to remember myself, to be present to your presence? My will is crabbed and doddery when faced with temptations of lust and desire? What can I say? I walked in darkness. I lacked self-restraint. Nothing excuses what I became here in the flesh - no matter how grand a dream I may have envisioned before bursting through the waters of my mothers womb: the sheer weight of flesh upon my soul so pinned me to the floor, glued me to the tinsel attractions of the world, that it took half a lifetime just to open my eyes to the Truth of Thy Word. I cannot account for myself, I am condemned - not merely by acts committed in my name but by the thoughts to which I gave myself. Carried away in sin, a great lacuna of conscience, it is too terrible and adamic, nothing, no words of mine can release me. So God save me.
Fearing God is, as it seems, a peculiarly difficult and at odds with our times type of thing. It appears - and I may be entirely wrong on this count - that the liberal expansion of the 1960's and the mantra's of all-you-need-is-love and such, made the idea of love desireable in a way different to earlier generations. Generally speaking anyway. Of course, to many love is love and it is all fairly simplistic and effortless with little distinction between the values of Eros, Philadelphia and Agape. Even so. Though a person may not be a Christian nor indeed particularly spiritually oriented they will often admit to seeing some level of meaning in the instruction to love thy neighbour. Contrary to this, the idea of fearing God gains no approval, makes peoples skin crawl and is, by and large, a no-go zone: vanity knows where it's not welcome.
So, what does it mean to fear God?
Well, what would it be to have to give account of oneself to God?
How could I? What would I say? Forgive me for I am a miserable sinner? I know not what I do? I lack all inner command? I am weak and have ever failed to remember myself, to be present to your presence? My will is crabbed and doddery when faced with temptations of lust and desire? What can I say? I walked in darkness. I lacked self-restraint. Nothing excuses what I became here in the flesh - no matter how grand a dream I may have envisioned before bursting through the waters of my mothers womb: the sheer weight of flesh upon my soul so pinned me to the floor, glued me to the tinsel attractions of the world, that it took half a lifetime just to open my eyes to the Truth of Thy Word. I cannot account for myself, I am condemned - not merely by acts committed in my name but by the thoughts to which I gave myself. Carried away in sin, a great lacuna of conscience, it is too terrible and adamic, nothing, no words of mine can release me. So God save me.
posted by + at 00:29
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