Comments on: I John 4:18

By: “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it…” « Anamchara • The Website of Unknowing

Mon, 26 May 2008 16:19:36 +0000

[...] the gift Christ gives me is the opportunity to live so deeply in his love and faith, that I become fearless: no longer fearing death, no longer fearing suffering, but rather living in faith and courage that [...]

By: Carl McColman

Carl McColman — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:29:35 +0000

The Pelagian error would be to believe that a fearless life would be possible through my own effort — rather than by the grace of God. And if I gave you or anyone else the impression that I thought we could pull ourselves out of fear by our own bootstraps, my apologies. But the fact that something is not ours by our own design doesn’t mean it isn’t God’s desire to give it to us. “With God, nothing shall be impossible” — not even a courageous life.

By: bar

bar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:24:07 +0000

Carl,
yes I would say the same about a ’sinless life’.
I think you are on the wrong side of Semi- Pelagianism: about three-quarters Pelagianism !
I don’t mean that we should accept a life full of fear or sin but a sinless or fearless life cannot be the goal if it is out of reach !
Bar.

By: Carl McColman

Carl McColman — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 11:14:29 +0000

I stand by the Bible and by how Christ (and the New Testament in general) repeatedly call us to a courageous life: “be not afraid.” Bar, when you say a “fearless life” is going down the wrong track, would you say the same thing about a “sinless life”? We know that it is impossible to live a sinless life this side of eternity, and I suppose a fearless life is similarly outside of our reach. But that does not let us off the hook. The whole point behind sanctification is to do all we can to cooperate with God’s grace in the long slow process of reforming ourselves in the image and likeness of God. Also, the more I think about it, I think Christ’s terror and sorrow in Gethsemane have more to do with a physical/natural aversion to pain and death, than with a purely mental/emotional fear which represents a lack of faith or courage. I’m not persuaded that Christ’s terror is meant to imply that we should just accept living a fearful life.

By: bar

bar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:17:26 +0000

Judith,
far be it from me to argue with your particular situation but I find it hard to accept that fear, anxiety etc. is ‘unreal’.
Only too real I would have thought, though I suppose there is such a thing as exaggerated fear.
I thought Carl’s ‘fearless life’ was going down the wrong track,
Bar.

By: judith collier

judith collier — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:51:45 +0000

bar, I do take caution when my instincts tell me there is a real threat of danger! Perhaps I should have said worry or fearful anticipation in the normal encounters of life. One does have to deal with one’s own constitution, mine being chronic anxiety and depression.There is more unreality here when one is experiencing these. I have learned with the help of God and good mental health knowledge,plus meditation,practicing trust,overlaying thoughts,to be classified in the normal range. understandably, judy

By: Carl McColman

Carl McColman — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:54:57 +0000

I’m not denying its presence! I just believe that Christ calls us to a place where it no longer has dominion over us. The fact that Christ struggled with fear is just one more example of his humanity. But we know how the story ends. He didn’t run away from his fear, his faith and love carried him through it. And we are called to do the same.

By: bar

bar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:43:07 +0000

What about the terror of Jesus in Gethsemane ?
Fear is part and parcel of being human and if you deny its presence in yourself then you will fall into unreality,
Bar.

By: judith collier

judith collier — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:26:32 +0000

One of the ways I have learned to dispel a lot of my fears is reminding myself of the words of a hymn ” we suffer because we do not take our cares to God in prayer” Since I tend to anxiousness from a nervous thing I have learned to take the smallest of things to God in Prayer, Watch Him as He takes care of everything, it’s miraculous! I did need this website from a spiritual standpoint as it can be scary when one doesn’t have much knowldge in the Spirit. Yes, I will pray we all know the perfect love of God. Some prayers take longer to be answered and then we must practice trusting. Practice, practice, practice. Pray,pray,pray. meditate,meditate,meditate.trust,trust,trust,focus on the magesty of God, renew the mind . It’s a lot of work sometimes. judy

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:02:24 +0000

I’m going to trackback to this post on my blog. You’ve really hit the nail on the head!