tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970683153008645393.post10143066367963599..comments2024-01-09T16:17:22.327-06:00Comments on Bring the Books: Of The Removal of Fear For Our SinsAdam Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05826908205996140341noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970683153008645393.post-28812257015245340432011-04-09T22:15:09.206-05:002011-04-09T22:15:09.206-05:00Romans 13 comes to mind.
1 Let everyone be subje...Romans 13 comes to mind.<br /><br /> 1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.<br /><br />"But if you do wrong, be afraid . . ." Afraid of God? In a way, yes, because his duly appointed authorities have the duty to punish wrongdoing. But one can understand Romans 13 this way while still maintaining that such fear and punishment have nothing to do with our eternal status as God's children.<br /><br />So my inclination would be to give your relative the benefit of the doubt, and assume that he meant his comment in the sense of Romans 13, unless there were clear indications otherwise.John Stebbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12302856233031231643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970683153008645393.post-92083699812731931042011-04-06T10:59:15.377-05:002011-04-06T10:59:15.377-05:00The implication was that we always have to have a ...The implication was that we always have to have a certain degree of fear of condemnation, or else we have no motive to behave ourselves. If they had meant discipline, I wouldn't have protested.Adam Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05826908205996140341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5970683153008645393.post-79167256476375937462011-04-06T09:23:43.789-05:002011-04-06T09:23:43.789-05:00Is it fair to assume your "sidekick" was...Is it fair to assume your "sidekick" was speaking of God's <i>discipline</i> with no thought at all of condemnation? That's how it comes across to me, but I wasn't there. Anyway, good post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com