Whether God can be feared?
Objections
❌ Objection 1 : It would seem that God cannot be feared. For the object of fear is a future evil, as stated above (FS, Question [41], Articles [2],3). But God is free of all evil, since He is goodness itself. Therefore God cannot be feared.
❌ Objection 2 : Further, fear is opposed to hope. Now we hope in God. Therefore we cannot fear Him at the same time.
❌ Objection 3 : Further, as the Philosopher states (Rhet. ii, 5), "we fear those things whence evil comes to us." But evil comes to us, not from God, but from ourselves, according to Osee 13:9: "Destruction is thy own, O Israel: thy help is . . . in Me." Therefore God is not to be feared.