!!!What is Fear???

[bbyrd009]

here's one for you i bet no one can provide an all-inclusive definition of "fear" that cant be pretty easily challenged.

So what is fear?

 

[justbyfaith]

2Co 5:10, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2Co 5:11, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

 

[Philip James]

here's one for you i bet no one can provide an all-inclusive definition of "fear" that cant be pretty easily challenged.

So what is fear?

Hi bbyrd,

That's a funny thing about the English language. The same word can have multiple different meanings and which idea being expressed can only be defined by the context in which it is being used.

Peace!

 

[Agios]

here's one for you i bet no one can provide an all-inclusive definition of "fear" that cant be pretty easily challenged.

So what is fear?

Here is the Biblical definition of fear in Greek, you could challenge it, by why would you?

phobos: panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror
Original Word: φόβος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: phobos
Phonetic Spelling: (fob'-os)
Definition: panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror
Usage: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect.
HELPS Word-studies
5401 phóbos (from phebomai, "to flee, withdraw") – fear (from Homer about 900 bc on) 5401 (phóbos) meant withdrawal, fleeing because feeling inadequate (without sufficient resources, Abbott-Smith).

Fear (5401 /phóbos) is commonly used in Scripture – sometimes positively (in relation to God) but more often negatively of withdrawing from the Lord (His will).

[Fundamentally, 5401 /phóbos ("fear") means withdraw (separate from), i.e. flee (remove oneself) and hence to avoid because of dread (fright).]

 

[Brakelite]

So what is fear?

Self preservation.

 

[Pisteuo]

Lack of faith or trust.

 

[amadeus]

here's one for you i bet no one can provide an all-inclusive definition of "fear" that cant be pretty easily challenged.

So what is fear?

This is a simple definition I found on a Bing search: "an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat."

But does that always fit well with the "fear of the Lord" found in the scriptures? God may be dangerous to anyone not on His side, but consider these verses:

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:.." Psalm 110:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:" Prov. 1:7

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life..." Prov. 14:27

"by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil." Prov. 16:6

Does a person born from his mother's womb have fear, but a carnal fear? Or do we learn to be afraid?
Does a person born again [from above] have the fear of the Lord? Or must we ask God to help us fear Him so as to receive wisdom, knowledge, a fountain of life [or a tree of Life?], and to depart from evil?
​

 

[Philip James]

reverence, respect.

Hello Agios,
I was not aware that the same dual usage was used in the Greek.
Interesting.

Peace be with you!

 

[bbyrd009]

Here is the Biblical definition of fear in Greek, you could challenge it, by why would you?

mostly to get at the diff in possibly legit causes for "fear" or what we even might call "caution" v running from shadows

 

[bbyrd009]

Self preservation.

can be maybe, sure, but at what point is self-preservation seeking to save your own life/soul?
he who seeks to save his soul shall lose it

i mean like how far would Paul have gotten if he had say a phobia of snakes?

 

[bbyrd009]

Lack of faith or trust.

that seems like the most inarguable answer, yeh, but then say in a case like c19, when might that become "testing Yah?"

seems diff for everyone? I never even consider whether "infection" might hurt or kill me, but another would say i am insane, etc

 

[bbyrd009]

This is a simple definition I found on a Bing search: "an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat."

But does that always fit well with the "fear of the Lord" found in the scriptures?

yeh, the first one, the emotion--rather than the second one, which is imo more a "thinking" thing, "common sense" maybe, to us anyway--was what i was wanting to examine a little more.

Is a person born from his mother's womb have fear, but a carnal fear? Or do we learn to be afraid?

i guess babies have a couple of innate fears, forget what they are exactly; loud noises and maybe heights or something, hafta ask google i guess. But these would prolly be a good place to start

 

[bbyrd009]

fear of the new is maybe another

unfounded or emotional fear, the fears we all manifest that usually turn out to be pointless iow
fear about tomorrow, what will happen tomorrow

 

[bbyrd009]

Is a person born again [from above] have the fear of the Lord? Or must we ask God to help us fear Him so as to receive wisdom, knowledge, a fountain of life [or a tree of Life?], and to depart from evil?

my take on that is that fear of Yah is the beginning of wisdom?
iow not necessarily the end of it?

 

[farouk]

Here is the Biblical definition of fear in Greek, you could challenge it, by why would you?

phobos: panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror
Original Word: φόβος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: phobos
Phonetic Spelling: (fob'-os)
Definition: panic flight, fear, the causing of fear, terror
Usage: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect.
HELPS Word-studies
5401 phóbos (from phebomai, "to flee, withdraw") – fear (from Homer about 900 bc on) 5401 (phóbos) meant withdrawal, fleeing because feeling inadequate (without sufficient resources, Abbott-Smith).

Fear (5401 /phóbos) is commonly used in Scripture – sometimes positively (in relation to God) but more often negatively of withdrawing from the Lord (His will).

[Fundamentally, 5401 /phóbos ("fear") means withdraw (separate from), i.e. flee (remove oneself) and hence to avoid because of dread (fright).]

@Agios The Godly, reverential fear aspect is often overlooked, but so important.

 

[Agios]

@Agios The Godly, reverential fear aspect is often overlooked, but so important.

God is amazing, I just read the verse of the day from my Bible app is 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind."

 

[farouk]

God is amazing, I just read the verse of the day from my Bible app is 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind."

@Agios Great verse there; and Paul's exhortations to Timothy are very timely and applicable to younger believers today!

 

[amadeus]

yeh, the first one, the emotion--rather than the second one, which is imo more a "thinking" thing, "common sense" maybe, to us anyway--was what i was wanting to examine a little more.

i guess babies have a couple of innate fears, forget what they are exactly; loud noises and maybe heights or something, hafta ask google i guess. But these would prolly be a good place to start

Yes, start with something primarily or completely due to a 'need' to survive. The baby needs help to eat, to stay at a healthy temperature [not too hot or cold], to be clean, [and others?] In the very beginning crying out for these needs would not be considered selfish, but as baby grows & learns he will learn to cry for things not really needed [for survival] but wanted [for definitely selfish reasons].

At age 20 a person outside without a jacket or sweater when it is 30F will be uncomfortable but unlike the baby that would not initially be an expression of fear [or survival instinct]... but after few hours outside it might have become fear.

Baby or 20 year old would feel pain immediately when his hand was placed into an open flame. The baby would likely immediately be afraid [or start crying due to pain] the 20 year old who voluntarily put his hand in the fire might be anxious to remove it, but would it be fear? If someone held his hand in the fire I would certainly expect the 20 year old also to be afraid. Why is there a difference? Who is in control or who understands that he is in control?

fear of the new is maybe another

unfounded or emotional fear, the fears we all manifest that usually turn out to be pointless iow
fear about tomorrow, what will happen tomorrow

Babies are initially not concerned one way or the other about tomorrow or even after a while. Now is the pressing moment. Relieve the pain! Fill the belly! Make me warm? Cool me off! Initially it may be more of an instinctive self survival reaction, but as the child grows and begins to "think" it can and often does become something else.

20-year olds tend to be concerned about later and tomorrow. Somewhere probably between age 0 and age 10 they learned things that brought to their mind [and emotions?] within them concerning later or tomorrow: fear, anxiety, anticipation, etc.

Are emotions, including fear brought about then by needs and/or wants? The baby initially is provoked by a need. The more mature person is provoked to some kind of emotion or definitive reaction by needs and/or wants, and often he does not properly distinguish between the two. A somewhat mature adult will usually not want to be around another adult who is too selfish. We have a greater tolerance for the apparent selfishness of children.

The tiny baby is completely dependent of others to relieve his fear if it really in fear rather than instinct at the first. Maybe it only becomes fear when he is able to rationalize it [think about it] with his mind.

How does this all apply when a person is supposed to be or is serving God? Instead of a tiny physical baby operating instinctively or dependent on more mature people, we have a born again [born from above] person leaning on things other than God... such as a pastor or a parent or a brother who has been [supposedly] serving God for a longer period of time.

The tiny baby of flesh switches along the way from instinctive survival reactions to an older child fear based on what the child has begun to understand [thought about it]. How would this compare to the born again person?

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:.." Psalm 110:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:" Prov. 1:7

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life..." Prov. 14:27
"by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil." Prov. 16:6

 

[Helen]

here's one for you i bet no one can provide an all-inclusive definition of "fear" that cant be pretty easily challenged.

So what is fear?

I used to be very very fearful. I think I was born that way!
It took years, decades....

One day when I could feel the oppressive black cloud of fear dropping on me once again. I asked the Lord to deliver me from it!

Whatever the actual problem is, I can tell you, the problem itself is never as bad as the actual dark fear of it. ( Fear is is spirit)

That time God gave me a vision...it was horrible.
I was standing with Jesus one side of me and the devil the other side.
I could feel the Devil's evil, but he was NOT a black ugly creature...he took the image of a man.

I turned to kiss Jesus in the vision, but I suddenly turned to the Devil and quickly kissed him full on the mouth!!
And God said...that is Fear..it is your choice .
And the way out is to embrace Me or embrace your Enemy fear.

Fear is putting our belief/faith in the negative problem.

When Jesus said- "Have faith and do not doubt" He was not condemning , He was just saying- "Have more faith than fear"

Fear will always be with us to the end, how much it controls, is our choice.

 

[bbyrd009]

Why is there a difference? Who is in control or who understands that he is in control?

ah yeh, "control" or the illusion of it is likely a good sub thread here

Babies are initially not concerned one way or the other about tomorrow or even after a while. Now is the pressing moment. Relieve the pain! Fill the belly! Make me warm? Cool me off! Initially it may be more of an instinctive self survival reaction, but as the child grows and begins to "think" it can and often does become something else.

20-year olds tend to be concerned about later and tomorrow. Somewhere probably between age 0 and age 10 they learned things that brought to their mind [and emotions?] within them concerning later or tomorrow: fear, anxiety, anticipation, etc.

so then, somewhere between say 1 and 20 a change occurs, and tomorrow begins to become a consideration, yeh