Luke 12:4-5 And I say to you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.… 1. An unwarrantable fear condemned, and that is, the sinful, servile, slavish fear of man — "Fear not them that kill the body." 2. An holy, awful, and prudential fear of the omnipotent God commended — "Fear Him that is able to kill both body and soul." 3. The persons whom this duty of fear is recommended to, and bound upon; disciples, ministers, and ambassadors, all the friends of Christ; they not only may, but ought to fear Him, not only for His greatness and goodness, but upon the account of His punitive justice, as being able to cast both soul and body into hell. Such a fear is not only awful, but laudable; not only commendable, but commanded, and not misbecoming the friends of Christ. The ministers of God may use arguments from fear of judgments, both to dissuade from sin, and to persuade to duty. It is not unsuitable to the best of saints to keep in heaven's way for fear of hell; it is good to bid a friend fear when that fear tendeth to his good. (W. Burkitt.) Parallel Verses KJV: And 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. |
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