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Unity Of Religions - 1

© Lloyd Madansky

Among the teachings of the Baha'i Faith is the unity of God's revealed religions. I started to explore this idea in the article An Introduction to Progressive Revelation with the Golden Rule. I would now like to look at the concept of "The Fear of God". Is this idea limited to any one religion?

In some faiths, "The Fear of God" refers to serving God out of fear of punishment, such as in the Upanishad. In other faiths it refers to the sense of awe and respect for the Ultimate Reality, usually referred to as God, Who has provided us with life.

Going hand in had with "The Fear of God" is "Submission to God's Will". This idea is the basic definition of Islam. It is the underlying idea in the Baha'i Faith, as well as Judaism and Christianity, as well as many other religions.

Those said, lets look at what is said in the various faiths and see if there is a common thread:

Judaism

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I [Moses] command you this day for your good? Deuteronomy 10.12-13

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. Psalm 25.14

He who submits to the yoke of the Torah liberates himself from the yoke of circumstance. He rises above the pressures of the state and above the fluctuations of worldly fortune. Mishnah, Abot 3.6

Sikhism

The fear of God is mighty and of great weight. Egoism is worthless and just vociferous. Walk under the weight of such great fear; And through Divine grace obtain knowledge of God. None crosses the ocean of existence unless he bear fear; Through fear the fear-directed life is beautified with divine love. Through fear of God, the fire of fear blazes in the human frame. Through fear of God and love is molded spiritual beauty. Without fear of God all that is uttered is misshapen and worthless-- The mold and the shaping strokes both blind.... Through fear of God vanish worldly fears. The fear of God which eliminates all other fear-- how may it be called fear? No other resting place is except Thee; All that happens is Thy will. One might be afraid of it if anything other than God held any fear-- To be shaken with such fears is sheer perturbation of mind.

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