Why would God give us the emotion of fear?

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   graceinusposted 11 years ago

   Why would God give us the emotion of fear?
   
   Love can move mountians, but can fear? This is a question I have wondered about many times. Can fear and love be present at the sametime and, if so , under what conditions? Why would God give us both emotions? Did Jesus have the total absence of fear?

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   SwordofManticorEposted 11 years ago

   Fear is a survival instinkt. Without it, we can not know danger.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Genesis 3: 10 (NKJV) states 10 So he said," I heard Your voice in the garden, and was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself". So I ask you, why would Adam fear God.

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      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is a different question all together.But shame is another emotion which can lead to fear.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Do you believe Adam had fear before he sined? As you stated fear can be the result of shame. Before he sined the was no reason to be ashamed. So could fear within mankind be the result of sin?

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      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No, i do not believe he did, He was under the protection of our Father, and governed all animals in the garden. He had no reason to fear anything.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      So, was fear the result of sin? And that is how God knew Adam had ate the forbbiden fruit.

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      SwordofManticorEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Why not? When both Eve and Adam were cast out of paredise, they left alone to tend for themselves.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      SwordofManticorE- I am most greatful for your answer and comments. It's always good to read your Hub's too. God bless

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   MickSposted 11 years ago

   I think it was probably Mother Nature that gave us our fear emotion, along with all the others, as survival tools.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Mick S Thank you for your answer. But I do believe it's much more than that  because it is an emotion given to us by God.

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      MickSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We need look no further than nature to explain ourselves, certainly not to created stories.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Mick S- If we are not created beings then who would you explain our ability to show the many forms of emotions. If we were not created then wouldn't animal have the many exact emotions as ourselves.?

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      MickSposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No, we are animals, all animals have diferent charcteristics, none of this evidence of divine creation.

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   Mike Marksposted 11 years ago

   because this is thriller, thrill of the night, You're Fighting For Your Life Inside A Killer, Thriller Tonight... seriously, it makes you feel vital and alive... and knowing your life can end any moment, that your health is threatened by the next moments accident, should have you savoring every healthy living moment in the moment... forget you're invincible, forget you're immortal, feel your heart pump and your blood rush, fear that your parents, siblings, children and spouse will die and leave you tomorrow, know to kiss them now... get out of the chair and run on your two legs because you may be in a wheelchair tomorrow... sit back in your chair and feel the good relaxation sensations knowing your nerves might become so jaggy tomorrow that you'll never be able to feel good with relaxation again... and when its all over and you be safe in the great beyond ask "I don't know what I was so scared about, but it sure was exhilerating"... in the meantime, don't ask all them folks on line for the roller coaster why they ride the rollercoaster, just get on board with them and scream.

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      TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      MICHAEL??!! JACKSON???!! just kidding; good answer.

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   JThomp42posted 11 years ago

   In my humble opinion, I think God has given us fear as a survival instinct. If we do not fear, then we would get ourselves in some bad situations and I'm afraid not last long on this earth. Yes, Jesus did feel fear (anxiety) in the garden of Gethsemane while praying to his father God.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      JThomp42- If what you are saying is true, which I believe it is, then His love for the Father, must have over came any fear of death. Thank you for your answer

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      JThomp42posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are so welcome Grace.

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   duffsmomposted 11 years ago

   We are given fear for our own protection.  Imagine the trouble we could get into if there was no fear.  We have to be able to understand and avoid danger - fear provides a way to survive.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think that there is fear of other thing than just danger. Such as fear of other s finding out our sins with out risk of physical harm. So could it be there is more than one type of fear?

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   taburkettposted 11 years ago

   fear is a protective mechanism that provides each individual with an ability to perceive danger.  due to the nature of mankind, fear is induced by inexperience or unlearned objectives.  for example, a young child will put their fingers into a flame when they do not know that it will cause pain.  but once they have learned that the flame is painful, they no longer seek that knowledge.  The natural emotions of the human can overcome many obstacles when fear is great enough to indicate loss of life.  The intensity of fear can move mountains because we have witnessed people lifting huge weights off of their family and friends when under normal circumstances they could not lift the weight.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We have what is refered to as Fight or Flight, which is this protective mechanism which you are referring too. It is always present when fear becomes strong. It's what keeps us alive when there's the will to live. It's is in each of us.

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   cjpooja26posted 11 years ago

   God give us fear so that we can understand the happiness and relaxation of the moments without fear.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      cjpooja26- I don't know if fear is that simple of a matter. Fear has been with us since the earliest of time. When the time of man began, I don't think relaxation was on their mind alot.

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   Ericdierkerposted 11 years ago

   Fear is a necessary opposite and evil. Without fear there can be no courage. In fact I do not think you can have success without fear of failure. Before we can talk we are afraid of our parents and that keeps us safe. Our instincts of fight or flight are triggered by fear, that is a very complicated defense system.  I do not believe that love without fear of losing it is as strong. Caring for others requires a bit of fear, especially children. Adrenaline is normally triggered by fear. We do not stop bad habits to be healthier, but because we are afraid of being sick and dying.
   
   I have to believe that was fear Jesus showed in the garden, and I know in my heart Jesus feared for mankind.

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      graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Ericdierker- I alway look forward to your wisdom. I have wondered if fear has a direct relationship to sin. Adam was to first man to fear God, if you'll notice in Genesus 3:10.  You will note Adam was afraid and hid from God after Adam had sinned.

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      Ericdierkerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That is a great question. Without sin there is no fear? I wonder is the inverse true?

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    Kathleen Cochranposted 11 years ago

    The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom - or so the Bible says.  For our own protection is a good answer, but in the context of this verse, It gives fear a much deeper meaning, don't you think?

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Kathleen Cochran. Yes I do agree with you. But I have also lost count of how many time the bible states "Fear Not". The Book of Daniel, Ezekiel and others mentions it many times when talking to prophets.

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    Marcus99posted 11 years ago

    Fear is the prime preventative for being stupid.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Marcus99- lol, but I could not agree with you more. You could say fear helps keeps us in check.

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    TerryK81posted 11 years ago

    "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment (worry,paranioa). But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18 NKJV). Fear has helped keep a lot of people from doing something they'd probably regret; for fear is an uncertainty, a doubt of an outcome or situation. Fear is what keeps kids in line so they won't upset the mom and dad, and hopefully this still works. Jesus was human and had the same emotions that we do, yet He did not let the negative overcome Him as He was always in communication with His Father. No normal man could have fear and yet still do all the miracles that Jesus did, nor could they endure the last 12 hours of the Life of Christ. I also believe that God gave us the "fear factor" after our first parents (Adam and Eve) sinned (Genesis 3) as a "helper" to prevent us from doing stupid things; but people have to some degree and circumstance lost all fear and have done some very horrendous things. When Scripture says, "perfect love casts out fear", it was the fear of opposition the servant of God would encounter in his walk with the Christ; The devil flipped it around where this text means 'no fear of consequence or embarassment'. Life is wonderful.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       TerryK81- Thanks for your answer. But I do wonder if God created man with the emotion of fear or was fear within us after man had sinned? I would think that while man lived in the Garden of Eden there was nothing to fear.

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       TerryK81posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       You are correct; It's after Adam & Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit that they were afraid (Genesis 3:8-10). Like today, a kid misbehaves, parents find out, kid knows they know: We now have fear, in this case, of a butt-whoopin

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       As I had mentioned to Ericdierker above, does fear have a direct relationship to sin. We as humans tend to hid our sins. And have the fear of them being discovered by others. As a result Jesus later died on the cross to save us from sin.

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    OutWestposted 11 years ago

    Fear protects us.  (My answer is apparently too short; however I have nothing to add)

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       OutWest- The shortest answer I have ever read regarding a question was "No". With that aside, I do agree that fear protects all of us. But man can also have fear without facing harm. We sometimes fear others will discover our sins.

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       OutWestposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Very good point graceinus.  We do have fears that are unjustified.

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    CynthiAnnposted 11 years ago

    God didn't "give" us fear.  Fear is one of the things that was a result from original sin. Adam and Eve did not feel fear before sin.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       CynthiAnn- I believe Adam had the ability within him to fear. But it may be that he never experience fear until his first sin. This is a guess on my part.

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    The Mustacheposted 11 years ago

    I am not sure if God actually created us with "fear" before the Fall of Man, but I do know, that If we weren't afraid of things, we wouldn't have as many instances to go to God when we are afraid or in need. So the "fear" (not fear of God, that is something different, I mean being afraid of certain things) brings us closer to God, because we go closer to Him when we need help.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Mustache- So are you saying there may be two kinds of fear?

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       The Mustacheposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, I think so, but I am not a Biblical scholar or anything, so this is just my point of view and things I have learned in Bible classes.

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    Deepes Mindposted 11 years ago

    I think fear was given to us to counteract the lack of wisdom and restraint we generally display at times. It started with the fall. Adam was given dominion over everything, but when faced with temptation showed a marked lapse of wisdom.
    
    Absence of fear is not the same as understanding of purpose. In understanding his purpose, I'm sure Christ was afraid of the end result of his purpose, but understood his purpose which overruled that fear.

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       graceinusposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks Deepes Mind,  in the answer and comments with The Mustache it was mentioned there are two types of fear and I think you just described both in your answer. And I must agree that the absence of of fear is not the same as understanding purpose

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