Is the Devil the one who judges where you go?, pay attention during Sunday school would ya!
My hope for the future of the American Conservative Christian Church
- Thread starter Jarod
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Is the Devil the one who judges where you go?, pay attention during Sunday school would ya!
Thats not what it says, it says fear the one who can destroy you in Hell. Well, who runs hell? Who is in charge of Hell? Who holds dominion in hell?
The answer to all of the above questions is God.
I usually stay out of discussions of scripture here as so few actually believe the bible but thought I would throw something's your way since it is being referenced here. I know my view of religion do not match yours but do enjoy discussing some things from time to time.
Another question for your consideration:
Who created hell and thus has the key to it and the power to banish there?
Matthew 25:41
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘ Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Prepared - someone made it (hell)
Revelation 20:1-3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
Heaven - the source of the authority to have the key and do that which is described
God has a side of him that deserves my fear. Much like I "feared" my dad when I would step out of line. My dad kept me in line by instilling that fear. But I came to understand that it was all for my best and I grew to love him. I have the same relationship with my Heavenly Father. The fear is a persuading factor to keep me in line but as I grow in my relationship with Him I discover that His way is best and I love Him more for it. Being a Christian is about growing from fear to love, IMO. In is a perpetual journey. But make no mistake, I believe that there is a side of God to be feared.
2 Corinthians 5:11
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; ...
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (An ever growing process to be "made perfect [complete] in love" IMO)
Thank you for sharing.
I would be interested in your opinion of what you have shared means.
I do not respect things I fear, in fact I consider them obstacles to overcome.
I do not respect a human that uses fear to control people. (a bully).
I never feared my father, I respected him. I obeyed him because of that respect. I never obeyed him out of fear of punishment but out of a desire to please him and a desire to not let him down. I loved my father.
When I fear something, I consider that a challenge to overcome and defeat.
When I love something, I abide by it, respect it, try to emulate it, try to please it.
I learned early, that when I discovered someone trying to rule me with fear, the best way to counter them is to laugh at them, cross them, and show that I do not respect them... Almost always when you do that the fear goes away and so does the reason to be afraid.
I was once afraid of sharks. My father took me and my sisters on a vacation to the Bahamas. We went snorkeling, and the big fear among my sisters and me was sharks.
My sisters and I were on the surface peering down at my father who was diving to the bottom of the ocean, (about 15 feet at that spot). My father came to the surface and showed us that there was a nurse shark lingering under a rock. We all wanted to get out of the water and were frightened. My father told us to watch and he dove down. He reached under the rock, and yanked the tail of that shark. The thing bolted away faster than I have ever seen an animal move.
After we were all on the boat my father explained, he understood the nature of this type of shark, he had taken a risk but wanted to show us that studying what you are afraid of would lead you to being able to overcome the fear. To this day I have no fear of sharks. I was diving a few years ago when a 15 foot shark swam between the boat and me. My friends all panicked and scattered. The shark never even noticed us, it just kept swimming along its path.
That was one of the strongest and best lessons my father taught me. To this day when I fear something, I learn about it and figure out how to "pull its tail."
I was once afraid of sharks. My father took me and my sisters on a vacation to the Bahamas. We went snorkeling, and the big fear among my sisters and me was sharks.
My sisters and I were on the surface peering down at my father who was diving to the bottom of the ocean, (about 15 feet at that spot). My father came to the surface and showed us that there was a nurse shark lingering under a rock. We all wanted to get out of the water and were frightened. My father told us to watch and he dove down. He reached under the rock, and yanked the tail of that shark. The thing bolted away faster than I have ever seen an animal move.
After we were all on the boat my father explained, he understood the nature of this type of shark, he had taken a risk but wanted to show us that studying what you are afraid of would lead you to being able to overcome the fear. To this day I have no fear of sharks. I was diving a few years ago when a 15 foot shark swam between the boat and me. My friends all panicked and scattered. The shark never even noticed us, it just kept swimming along its path.
That was one of the strongest and best lessons my father taught me. To this day when I fear something, I learn about it and figure out how to "pull its tail."