Fear is a poor motivator. Love should be at the core of all that we do, all that we teach, and all that we think.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'” [Romans 8:15]
To be honest with you, I really don't understand why the church has so often used fear as the great motivator. If this has not been your experience then you should be truly thankful. Unfortunately, this is not true of everyone. Raise your hand if you have been subjected to...
Fear as the motivator for salvation
Fear as the means for creating disciples
Fear as the main push for faithfulness to God & the church
If all you have ever known about the preaching of the gospel is fear-based, then you really don't understand the "good news."
The core of the Gospel is not fear but love. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." Notice that Jesus did not say that God wants to destroy the world so He gave. Jesus also did not say that God was so fed up with humanity that He gave. Instead, we hear the Son of God tell Nicodemus that it was love that motivated the Father to send the Son. C.S. Lewis phrased it so eloquently when he said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." If this is true, then why do we feel the need to fear people into faith rather than faith them into sonship?
Think about these verses penned by the Apostle Paul:
The goodness of God leads to repentance.
You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear...
God did not give you a spirit of fear...
Paul wrote letters to the church that make up the majority of the New Testament. There is no fear based religion found in his letters. What you read comes from a heart of deep-seated reverence for God.
Fear is the mentality of a slave. It keeps me doing so I don't get punished. It keeps me obedient, keeps me in line, and keeps me from stepping out of the boundaries. If all we know about faith in God is grounded in fear then we will often find ourselves fighting against the very things that could bring us life.
Reverence is the mindset of a son. It cultivates honor, respect, and adoration. It endears us to obedience, creates a heart that is in tune with the Father, and trusts the heart of God in every situation. When we are grounded in the love of God, we will embrace His Son as the Way, the Truth, and the Life in everything.
It's my belief that God isn't looking for servants as much as He wants His sons and daughters to be revealed in the earth. And that revelation comes when we receive Jesus through faith. "For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith." [Ephesians 3:26]
With all of that being said, you actually have a right to reject any type of preaching/teaching/religion that uses fear to push their message. I honestly believe that if I do a good job of communicating the good news of the Gospel then fear doesn't even have to come into play. God's goodness will be enough to produce repentance in the heart of the listener. Heaven & Hell don't have to be the motivator to salvation - the love of God will suffice. The main thrust of the message of the Apostles in Acts was the coming of Jesus into the world, His death on the Cross, and His resurrection from the dead. This message alone turned the world upside down. This message produced converts and cultivated disciples in the towns they visited. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation and the Gospel is "Good News."
Some people will not agree with me on this point. I'm okay with that. I understand what I have been called to share with the people in my life. The Gospel is not a message of condemnation but a message of salvation to everyone who believes. Think about it: Jesus said, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." [John 3:17] That's good enough for me. Enjoy growing as a son or daughter of God. This is your journey!!!
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