Lord’s Day, Vol. 7 No. 37
Fear Not
Luke 12:4-9.4And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Our Lord Jesus taught His disciples to fear God and to trust God to take care of them as they entrust their lives to His care.
God is to be feared because He has the power to cast a soul to hell after death. He brought before them the prospect of eternal judgment in hellfire. That is most fearsome for mankind, Jesus truthfully explains, for our understanding and eternal benefit. He tells us that a man escapes this eternal judgment when he confess that Jesus is his Saviour and Lord.