[Sons to Glory!]

Thanks for the reply! It is a balance, isn't it? If we think it's this way or that way, often we find something in the word that doesn't line-up exactly with what we think we've landed on. Let God's word be true and every man a liar!

The LC taught fearing God. That is, God would get His purpose and if we didn't go along with Him He would just crush us. Once I believed that, because of that teaching, but now I see His primary motivation toward us is His love. Does that mean no one should fear God? Of course not - those that are not regenerated should fear Him! But I'm seeing more and more that He causes all things to work together for our ultimate benefit, that is the ones who love Him. In love Christ was sent for us.

And I agree that the use of the word fear shouldn't be shied away from - it is there in the Greek even in the New Testament. I cannot completely explain how love and fear coincide, but there it is . . . He is our exceedingly great reward, and this Person can't be put in our conceptual box!

Regard the "once saved always saved" idea, there has been a lot of discussion on here about that. My personal take on it is from the standpoint of life - once the Seed of Life is implanted in us we become sons with His life and become partakers of the divine nature . . . we are reborn with a new Life. He will not un-born us. We may suffer great loss if we don't walk in Spirit and listen to His voice, but we're still ones in whom He was pleased to "reveal His Son in me."