Posted by Alex Caughey on February 25, 2018, 8:56 pm
With such thoughts in your mind, now that you have resolved to love Him and please Him with all your strength, your only fear should be to fear God too much and to place too little confidence in Him. ~Alphonsus Liguori
Biblical language often, not always makes use of the word "fear" to instil love of God.
Our love of another can never be the result of fear, or coercive practices that threaten punishment.
Love of God, or another human person is never realised through fear rather of a desire, and a willingness to embrace the object of our love.
Fear opposes all that is the manifestation of goodness in our life, inviting us to love, and trust Him that He may love us when returning our love.
Love of God, and another human person is our free choice to reflect the invitation of Our Father to love Him, through love our neighbour.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
end
Wishful thinking
Posted by Faz on February 26, 2018, 12:16 pm, in reply to "Love conquers all"
It would be great to think that the pervasive evocation of fear, part of my religious experience as a child, was a thing of the past, but that would be wishful thinking.
Re: Wishful thinking
Posted by Alex Caughey on February 26, 2018, 5:07 pm, in reply to "Wishful thinking"
Hi Faz,
Fear is an instinct that can also have a positive influence for it alerts our senses when danger stalks us, enabling us to escape from all that fear encourages us to avoid....
...nevertheless, fear used to twist, and subvert the mind of a child can suppress our instinct to love, to trust, and to embrace all that gives our life meaningful encouragement, to live in freedom from fear of the unknown.
1 John 4
Love Comes from God
…17 In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because He first loved us.…
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Re: Wishful thinking
Posted by pip on February 26, 2018, 10:32 pm, in reply to "Re: Wishful thinking"
Hi Alex, I don’t want to put the fear into you but when I went to copy 1John 4, it threw up some of your computer info, private perhaps...I just wanted to copy and paste from your post and add my blurb to the topic...
There are only a few people that I can think of that had that perfect “Love”. And today many would label them as lunatics. St Francis was one, he was classed as a madman..but his love was perfect. He is one of my favourite saints...how does one just give up everything to belong to that recipe of perfect love...just to abandon the basic needs of food, water, shelter, clothing is fear enough.
Cheers
--Previous Message-- : Hi Faz, : : Fear is an instinct that can also have a : positive influence for it alerts our senses : when danger stalks us, enabling us to escape : from all that fear encourages us to : avoid.... : : ...nevertheless, fear used to twist, and : subvert the mind of a child can suppress our : instinct to love, to trust, and to embrace : all that gives our life meaningful : encouragement, to live in freedom from fear : of the unknown. : : 1 John 4 : : Love Comes from God : : …17 In this way, love has been perfected : among us, so that we may have confidence on : the day of judgment; for in this world we : are just like Him. 18 There is no fear in : love, but perfect love drives out fear, : because fear involves punishment . The one : who fears has not been perfected in love. 19 : We love because He first loved us.… : : end : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Re: Wishful thinking
Posted by Alex Caughey on February 27, 2018, 12:26 am, in reply to "Re: Wishful thinking"
Hi pip,
That our life is a journey of self discovery it is transparent to me that most of us will have to live with our flaws, indiscretions, and lack of pure love...until we draw our dying breath.
There is joy when we recognise that we are as flawed as the next person, encouraging us to try better to improve on the person we were this morning.