04/06/2022
The apostles have been given direct warning from Jesus about the persecution and hatred they will face. That hatred will come as they proclaim the truth about Christ. Those who represent Him will receive persecution from Jewish religious leaders and Gentile authorities, as well (Matthew 10:22โ27). He tells them not to waste their concern on those in authority who can only kill their bodies but cannot kill their souls. Instead, they should reserve their fear for the one can kill both body and soul in hell.
Jesus is describing what the Old Testament often calls the "fear of the Lord." This is not intended to be abject terror, or panic. Rather, this is the healthy kind of "fear" for which a solider has for his weapon, or a cook has for the fire on a stove. Godly fear involves great and profound respectโand, at the same time, it does demand we acknowledge that God can utterly destroy those who are against Him. This is a right and proper fear.
A persecutor can take our physical lives, but he cannot strip our relationship with God our Father from us! While persecutors and revilers might shake our confidence and hope momentarily, they cannot steal our faith from us. Our faith is in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is raise from the dead! Since our lives are tied to Jesus, then our future is tied to also to him!
