The Terror of the Lord. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Cor. 5. 11). Regarding the terror of the Lord and the religiously warped view due to not rightly dividing the written word both historically and contextually, people continue in their deception using manipulation and fear-mongering in using the Gospel as a fire escape to persuade people to commit their lives to Christ. In doing so they are portraying the Gospel is good news as the Gospel is bad news. Just what is this “terror” of the Lord? Any preaching that portrays that God is about frightening people into a relationship with Him by fear of spending eternity in hell-fire if they refuse, is a deception of the deceptor. Salvation motivated by fear of the terror of hell is not worth the hot air that preachers use to preach it. God desires peoples loyalty and allegiance because of His love and grace. In this respect the fear-mongering terrorist of religion today who try...and some of the old-time preachers who tried...to scare the hell out of people to get them to repent by lurid descriptions of torment forever in Hells flame awaiting them if unrepentant were, however sincere, were sincerely wrong. The text must be understood in relation to Paul’s use of the Greek word used and in harmony with the known purpose and character of God. The word “terror” in the text is translated from the Greek word phobos which is generally used for fear or terror in the N.T. According to Thayer the word has two main meanings: Fear, dread or terror in a subjective sense. And reverence or respect for rank, authority or dignity. One person explains it this way; It is understandable how the second meaning was derived from the first in an age when respect for authority normally had an element of fear associated. The extent to which this element has to be given weight in any given instance must depend upon the nature of the case. When Paul says “Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil” (Rom. 13:3) the usage is terror or fear in its most elemental sense. When on the other hand he says “Let the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Eph. 5:33 ‘reverence” here is phobos) the idea of respect is uppermost and that of fear entirely absent. Likewise 1 Pet. 2:18 “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” (ie with the respect due to their position). The injunction of Rom.13:7 is “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. Where the word ‘respect’ is from the Greek ‘phobos’ and is translated ‘fear’ in the AV. In just the same way the numerous references to the “fear of God” in the N.T. have to be understood as referring to that respect and reverence which is due to God on account of His high authority. With this fear (respect) of the Lord before our eyes we address our appeal to men to persuade them. The character of the Most High is better understood, not as being a stern and merciless ruler who has total power and who often uses that power in cruel and unfair ways. He is in reality an all-wise Creator, who will by no means loose His hold of any one of His creatures while any ray of hope remains that such people can be persuaded to turn from sin and serve the living God. It was with this kind of “godly respect” in his mind that the Apostle Paul went about his business of “persuading men”, and so should we. Therefore, when these fear-mongering terrorist preachers stand before God they will have to answer for the lopsided hate gospel they presented deceiving a lot of self-righteous deceived believers. If when they stand before God they want to hear as Paul heard; well done thou good and faithful servant they should repent from preaching another Gospel that is no Gospel at all!
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 10:01:08 +0000
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