I often wonder about this term when people mention it as part of what they're looking for in their potential spouses. I can understand wanting a Christian, or someone who shares your faith, denomination, or even the church you already attend. Those, I think, are easier to recognize. The same as saying you want someone with good moral values, or the same values as you.
But seriously, God fearing has me lost for practical steps to advice someone on what to look out for. So this is me asking for pointers, not trying to say this is a good thing or a bad thing to have in one's requirements for a partner. On general terms, I actually think it's a good thing if this means the person has a strong ethical and moral core. But if it means the person spends 100% of their free time in church, that may not be so cheering if I intend to share a relationship with them outside of the church.
What does God fearing mean to you, and how will you recognise it when you see it, or if you already are in a relationship where you found a God fearing man, can you please share how this quality can be translatable in real life?
A God-fearing man to me is a man who is born-again(has accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour), has and is led by the Holy Spirit. A man who is Christ-like and has the fruit of the Holy Spirit.Loves God from the depth of his being.A God-pleaser.
ReplyDeleteBeing just morally upright does not cut it for me.
It seems you didn't really get my question, how will you recognize this in someone, say after a month or two? Or while courting?
DeleteGreat question. One blogger put it really well, saying that before she found her fiancé, she was looking for: "an active and involved [believer] who attended church regularly and hadn't recently come to the Lord or back to Him. I needed someone who had walked through trials with the Lord and experienced His faithfulness." I think the last sentence is key. The full post is available here: http://www.farfromflawlesslife.blogspot.com/2013/01/decide-what-you-want.html
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply, I think it's closer to my question. Let me go check out the post.
DeleteFunny enuff i heard a sermon sometym ago in church about this. The reality is that few ladies want Guys that are more spiritual than them. They tend to see them as not exciting. Guys generally want more spirituality from the ladies. Summary on both sides is the partner should be God fearing enough not to cHeat on them.
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting take on the topic. But shouldn't the man be the spiritual leader of the home?
DeleteGod-fearing equals holy roller to me.
ReplyDeleteLOL...now you have to explain what a holy roller is :)
DeleteLoll @ holy roller
DeleteI think "God-fearing man" is just a phrase that someone said and now everyone says it like the way we say "tall, dark and handsome". Lots of women who say it are not even God-fearing women themselves so what are we talking about.
ReplyDeleteTo me sha, if I had to define it, I would say a God-fearing man is one who fears and reveres God and thus is careful about his actions. When you deserve his anger, he remembers that he also deserves God's anger so he behaves himself. He knows that God sees all things and so he lives in such a way that pleases God. He sees this very beautiful girl and feels some stirrings but he kills it, not necessarily because of his wife but because he wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize his relationship with God.
But how do you recognise it, not just defining it? How can you 'see' this God fearing?
DeleteThe term 'God-fearing' to me should potray honesty, disciplin and integrity in daily living, and beyond that, it shows a person who loves God and Obeys his command. My problem with the way people 'throw it' about is that they claim they fear God that they haven't seen but don't fear and love their neighbors. I'm personally wary of people who introduce themselves as 'God-fearing'. Tell me you are honest, faithful, staright-forward, diligent, not 'God-fearing'
ReplyDeleteThanks for this very plain answer. At the end of the day, anyone can carry bible and say they're God-fearing.
DeleteI think there is NO way you won't recognise it, because when someone is really born-again there is no hiding, ideally.. Their lives would be their testimony "we are the light of the world" and can light be covered? Think not...... But.....
ReplyDeleteThere also comes the issues of the chronic pretenders, which is why the girl must also be born again with discerning spirit to pray and know when the guy is being "fake"!
Bottom line, recognising it isn't your work but the spirit inside of you (if that makes sense)
You hit the nail on the head with pretenders. And when you say their lives will be the testimony, in what way? So a man is not a womanizer or drunk, is he automatically God fearing?
DeleteFor the spirit of a man is under the control of that man, do you know where that is in the bible? So how does your spirit recognize him if you can't?
Your life is a testimony how? When there is a transformation from not born-again to born again people can tell the difference.
DeleteOfcourse Not. Because he doesn't womanize or drink makes him a good guy by the worlds standard which doesn't make him automatically God fearing. God fearing to me means Loving God back, when you Love God, you fear him and won't want to commit sin against him.
I don't know where that is, I would look for it... The point is even if our spirit is under our control we still need the discerning spirit to recognise.... Now that's between the person and the holy spirit!
I agree with what most people have said. I think to be God fearing means having those positive character traits but also knowing the place of God,putting him first in everything you do and having a relationship with him.
ReplyDeleteI think you would know if someone one is God fearing from their actions..
For example, the day I said yes to my bf, he immediately asked us to pray in less than 5mins of my response. That's not to say , he's perfect but he recognizes the importance of committing everything to God's hands-he is God fearing.
(Even me with all my spirikoko, praying was the last thing on my mind, I just wanted to kiss him and bask in the euphoria of our new status..lol)
and there's a limit to which people can keep up a facade..with time, you'll know if they are pretending or not...
I agree with Anon 12;44PM. A god fearing man to me is one who does not willingly do badt.
ReplyDeleteA God fearing man would mean a man that fears God and puts God first in all he does. A man whose decisions are not influenced by moral standards or what seems right but by what the Bible says about the issue. A man who would treat his woman, not as he feels he is expected to, but by what God says about marriage and the man's role in a relationship. It would mean a man who loves God and is committed to the things of God which will include being involved in church activities. It would mean a man who can inspire me to have a better relationship with God because of the quality of life he lives.
ReplyDeleteIf you are also a God fearing woman who is led by the Spirit of God, you will be able to discern (through the Spirit) and know if this man really fears God or not. God will give you pointers. The issue most times for godly women is the compromise of choosing to ignore certain subtle signs that the Spirit points out to them...and instead say "He's really a good guy".
Sorry for the long response...but I hope it makes some sense.
Until I got in a relationship that term was very vague I think. Some people define God-fearing as Christian, but not all Christians follow God and His word. For me, a God fearing man is one who is actively trying to live a life worthy of God; reads the word and possesses the fruits of the spirit as described in Galatians 5.
ReplyDelete