Wouldn't we like to have God as someone who loves us, showers good things on us, forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases, handles all our problems, etc.? Who wouldn't? But another side of God demands that we live right according to the ways He shows us, warning us that if we don't we will face consequences. Who likes to know that part of God and become accountable to Him?
There are those who presume on the love of God for them and live their own life, and there are others who live wondering if He would ever accept them. It's obvious that both groups are missing some part of God and as a result their lives are skewed. There is the love of God which we can bask in, and there is also the fear of God that can guide us to live right.
It is the love of God for us who know that we don't deserve it because of our sins that draws us to God. Those who are drawn to Him because they experience some miraculous help from Him should also learn eventually that this is not all that God can do for them but that it is the big sin-question that God wants to help us with in the end. If sin is not dealt with in our life and we are not set right with God, all the other benefits we may receive from Him will be useless in terms of eternity!
But the way God deals with our sin is not just to forgive us but to 'save us from our sins' (Mt.1:21). This is what Jesus said He would do – "He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord" (Lk.4:18,19). He wasn't preaching a social gospel here but that He would free us from a life of sinning. "He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed" (Is.53:5) – healed from a sinful way of life. If this deliverance from the power of sin is not there, our salvation would be incomplete. But salvation is complete, and His promise is that sin shall not rule over us, now that we are in His grace (Ro.6:14). This grace includes mercy for our forgiveness and help for us to overcome when we are tempted (He.4:15,16).
When we want to learn to overcome in temptations, it is the fear of God that helps us to balance our tendency to take His love for granted. We realise we are accountable to Him, not just for what we do, but also for our thoughts and intentions (vv.12,13). This fear teaches us wisdom (Pr.9:10) in the practical way we live, recognising that everything we do has to be right in His sight (Ro.14:12).
The more wisely we live our life, the more clearly we understand the mystery of God's love for us and we become constrained to show Him our love by living for Him (2Co.5:14,15). Then we also learn to cry out to Him for help to know His will and to overcome in temptations (He.5:7). Think what we'll miss if we look only at love!