Proverbs 3:12 «For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even
as a father the son in whom he delighteth.»
Revelation 3 :
19 « As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent. »
1 John 4 :
18 « There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.. »
We'll talk
about how a relationship with God based on love is more effective than one
based on fear. Why should we accept
Jesus out of love for him, not out of fear? (1 John 4 : 19 « We
love him, because he first loved us»). Why should we choose not to sin to
please God, not out of fear ?
Obedience out of fear
Deprivation out
of fear is always perceived as punishment. It automatically becomes a sacrifice
made unwillingly and not voluntarily, as the Bible recommends. The Bible
insists that any sacrifice to God must be voluntary. Only then will it be
pleasing to Him. Even when Jesus' sacrifice is mentioned, the Bible makes it
clear that He gave Himself voluntarily. (Ephesians 5 : 2 ; Hebrews 10 : 7-10 ; 1 Timothy 2 :
5-6 ; Hebrews 9 : 28 ; Galatians 1 : 4 ; Mark 10 :
45 ; Titus 2 : 14 ; Hebrews 9 : 14, Philippians 2 : 7-9 ;
…).
Making
commitments to God out of fear is contrary to the principle of the will given
to man in the beginning. Indeed, according to the book of Genesis, man could
choose long before his fall. For God had placed the tree of knowledge in the
garden, within the reach of Adam and Eve. They had the choice of either obeying
and never touching it, or disobeying and eating from it. So, out of respect for
this principle, anything we do for God must not be done under duress, with
murmurs. And as I write this last line,
one of the best examples that comes to mind is the biblical passage relating to
the offerings of Cain and Abel (Hebrews 11 : 4 « By faith
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he
obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it
he being dead yet speaketh» ).
Fear leads to
rebellion. People rebel against what frightens them. This goes some way to
explaining why so many of those who gave their lives to Jesus out of fear of
going to hell at some point or being punished, end up desisting. Someone once
said that, as a child, he grew up with the image of an “executioner God”,
always ready to punish for everything. However, during his adult life, when he
realized that God had given him the power to choose his own path and that God
is first and foremost Love and a merciful God, he indulged in many things that
were once forbidden to him, which almost led to his downfall. This happened
because he was taught to fear God, not love Him.
How many of
those who were converted around the year 2000, under the impression that it was
the end of the world, remain followers of Christ today? How many of those who
embraced Christianity in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake that struck
Haiti in 2010, attributing it to divine retribution, remain devout today? It is
likely that other significant historical events have prompted many to
reconsider their decisions to save their lives, believing that this was the
end. This suggests that a conversion/change of heart motivated by fear rarely
produces long-term results. This is counterproductive. Any decision based on
fear is likely to be subject to reconsideration today or tomorrow.
Sacrifice/obedience out of love (Psalms 40 :
8)
God is pleased
with what is done without complaint and with a positive attitude. (2Corinthians
9 : 7, Leviticus 19 : 5). There can be no regrets in what is done
out of love. The one who follows God out of love comes to practice patience and
perseverance. For when we love, we believe, we trust. Walking with God requires
all this. It requires a close relationship based on communication, trust and a
willingness to make the sacrifices necessary to please God. Similarly, in order
to make our parents proud, whether they are present or absent, we are willing
to forego certain pleasures, make sacrifices, and work hard. Similarly, parents
are willing to make significant personal sacrifices to meet their children's
needs and expectations. I frequently cite the example of parents who are
willing to allocate over half of their income to elite schools, with the belief
that this is an effective strategy for ensuring a bright future for their
children. It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children. There
is no obligation to pay for private schools, but many parents choose to do so
out of love and commitment to their children's future.
We must, in the
same way, love God first to the point we avoid sin, not because we believe He
will punish us, but because we don't want to disappoint Him, because we love
Him. Our zeal for the gospel is not driven by fear of judgment but by a desire
to honor Jesus.
Mark 12 :
33 “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and
with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as
himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices”.
Nevertheless,
many of us question the rationale behind divine punishment when human beings
are presumed to have the capacity to choose their own destiny. This is a topic
that requires further discussion and will be addressed in a subsequent article.
We will conclude with a verse from the Bible that succinctly addresses this
valid question.
Ecclesiaste 8 :
11 « Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.»
