55: What does it mean to fear the Lord?

May 2, 2017

If faith casts out fear and fear is the beginning of wisdom, does that mean faith casts out the beginning of wisdom?

We’ll talk about three types of fear: servile, filial, and reverential.

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Fear is a movement of the appetitive power, as stated above (I-II:41:1). Now the principle of all appetitive movements is the good or evil apprehended: and consequently the principle of fear and of every appetitive movement must be an apprehension. Again, through faith there arises in us an apprehension of certain penal evils, which are inflicted in accordance with the Divine judgment. On this way, then, faith is a cause of the fear whereby one dreads to be punished by God; and this is servile fear.

It is also the cause of filial fear, whereby one dreads to be separated from God, or whereby one shrinks from equalling oneself to Him, and holds Him in reverence, inasmuch as faith makes us appreciate God as an unfathomable and supreme good, separation from which is the greatest evil, and to which it is wicked to wish to be equalled. Of the first fear, viz. servile fear, lifeless faith is the cause, while living faith is the cause of the second, viz. filial fear, because it makes man adhere to God and to be subject to Him by charity.

ST II-II, Q. 7, A. 1.

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  1. Marilyn says

    Once evil is defined and understood the Bible becomes more easily comprehended. We will have the knowledge to end the evil condition we see on earth at this time and the wisdom to bring heaven to earth. The purpose of Jesus will be made clear for he comes to teach all humans to hate evil. “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalms 34:11). I will teach you to fear the Lord means I will teach you to hate evil. Jesus comes to teach all people to hate evil.
    Check this out The Fear of the Lord Hope this will enlighten us.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marilyn says

    Once evil is defined and understood the Bible becomes more easily comprehended. We will have the knowledge to end the evil condition we see on earth at this time and the wisdom to bring heaven to earth. The purpose of Jesus will be made clear for he comes to teach all humans to hate evil. “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalms 34:11). I will teach you to fear the Lord means I will teach you to hate evil. Jesus comes to teach all people to hate evil.
    Check this out The Fear of the Lord Hope this will enlighten us.

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