Sorry Dr. Ben, in my messages I’m going to start talking about how God is not a vending machine–giving us blessing per 1:1 and reflection etc. It’s true but someone’s probly going to trace it back to you : )

One of the odd things I noticed on my journey of recovery has been that the discovery that I had almost no idea about what the bible taught. Sure, I amassed over 15,000 hours of meditation and reading and writing about the bible. But such “bible study” using the ubf methods left me with only a superficial acquaintance with the text of the bible.

Although such familiarity has some value, I have found that I had no idea of how powerful Scripture can be. I study the bible at least 10 times more effectively now that I stopped using the ubf methods.

For example, it would behoove ubfers to stop and have some time to read 1 John without any ubf voices in their head.

“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:13-21)

So yes, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 111:10). But are we not to mature onward to love? If we begin with fear of God, should we not end with love? Is not love the fulfillment of the Law of God? Should we remain slaves and soldiers of the Lord forever and never move onward to become His friends?

Proverbs 16:6 shows us a proper perspective about fear and love.

On a side note, I no longer espouse the asceticism I once did. I now enjoy the purity of soul that comes from removing the secular/sacred divide and the effervescent joy of the new wine that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.