“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in Hell.” (Matt 10:28)

This verse is a puzzle because of what Jesus says next:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Mat 10:29-31)

Be afraid? Don’t be afraid? Which is it? I’m confused. Is Jesus sending a mixed message? No, he isn’t. But there is no doubt Matthew 10:28 has been used to sow fear among the saints. This verse has caused the children of God to be insecure about their Father’s love. It has led to confusion and anxiety and diabolical thoughts like this: I know God loves me on account of Jesus, but I still need to perform lest he destroy me in Hell.

No, no, no! That is not what Jesus is saying at all. So what’s going on in this passage? What is Jesus saying?

The easiest jigsaw puzzle

Read Matthew 10:28 out of context and you’ll end up insecure and anxious. But read this verse in context and you’ll end up secure, encouraged, and confident of your Father’s great love.

The “be afraid” speech is recorded in two gospels; (1) Matthew 10:28 and (2) Luke 12:5.

– In Matthew’s account Jesus is about to send out the twelve to demonstrate the gospel of the kingdom.

– In Luke’s account Jesus has just rebuked the law experts for taking away the “key to knowledge,” a reference to the law that reveals sin and our need for Jesus. Jesus declares woe on these law experts because, “You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering” (Lu 11:52).

The same story is told twice, in Matthew and Luke, and these two accounts are like a two-piece jigsaw puzzle. A two-piece puzzle is the easiest puzzle there is. You don’t need a theology degree to assemble such a simple puzzle. Even a small child can do it. And so can we.

The picture in the puzzle

Here’s the context: The disciples are about to go and proclaim the gospel and will likely face persecution from the religious leaders and law-lovers. Got it? Good. Now here, in point form, is everything Jesus says to encourage them.

Go out and reveal the kingdom by healing the sick and driving out demons (Matt 10:7-.

But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Lu 12:1). Those guys have the key to knowledge but have not used it to help themselves or others enter the kingdom. Woe to them!

Since you’re going to be sheep among wolves, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Mat 10:16).

Understand that you will face opposition. You may even be persecuted and tortured (Matt 10:17).

If these men have persecuted the head of the house (i.e., me) how much more will they persecute the members of his house (Matt 10:25).

But don’t be afraid of these men because a day of reckoning is coming when their hypocrisy will be exposed for the sham it is (Matt 10:26).

Ha – you want to know who to be afraid of? It’s not these clowns who can only hurt your bodies. There is One far scarier than these guys – One who is able to destroy both body and soul (Mat 10:28).

That scary One is your Father who loves you and cares for you (Mat 10:29).

As you encounter the opposition of wicked men, remember that Almighty God is for you and will vindicate you. So don’t be afraid (Mat 10:30).

Indeed, don’t even worry about what you will eat and wear, etc. (Lu 12:22). As you seek the kingdom your loving Father will take care of all your needs (Lu 21:31).

You who have acknowledged me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father. But those clowns who think they’re hot stuff – those law-lovers who have taken away the key to knowledge, have denied me and chosen to remain outside the kingdom – I will deny them before my Father (Mat 10:32-33).

So I say again, do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom (Luk 12:32).

Do you see how it’s important to read things in context? Jesus isn’t threatening his disciples with Hell. He is encouraging them. Again and again he says “Do not be afraid.” At first blush this seems unrealistic. How can we not fear given all the trouble and opposition we face when preaching the gospel? “The solution,” says Jesus, “is to look at your Father. He’s awesome! He’ll vindicate you and take care of you.”

The fearless children of a fearful Father

Only a wicked parent gives their children mixed messages. Only a wicked parent mixes love with terror. Your heavenly Father is not a wicked parent.

Jesus is not sending a mixed message to his disciples. He is not saying be afraid and don’t be afraid. There is no fear in love. Rather, he’s putting persecution into perspective. It’s like he’s saying:

Guys it’s natural to be scared of persecution and death. But there are scarier things out there. Your Father for One. He’s the scariest hombre there is! And you have nothing to fear from him. When you understand this – when you know that God is for you, not against you – it will free you from the fear of men. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry. He who cares for the sparrows cares for you. And don’t think you have to do any of this gospel-preaching stuff to earn your way into my kingdom. No, little flock, your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

We live in a world enslaved to fear. Jesus came to set us free from the fear of death and every other fear (Heb 2:15). It is inconceivable that Jesus would use fear to free us from fear. The disciples understood this which is why one of them later said:

“Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. (1 Pet 3:14-15)

When you set apart Christ as “Lord” you are literally saying Jesus is the ultimate power and authority. You are saying he is the kurios, the supreme ruler, and the final word on every subject. When fear comes to you, perhaps in the form of opposition or a bad doctor’s report, this is the time to set apart Christ as Lord. This is the time to speak to your fears about the One who is above all and at whose name every knee will bow.

“Be afraid of God?” Not us, not his dearly beloved kids. But those enemies of his who hate Jesus and seek to intimidate and threaten his kids – yes, a little fear of the Lord might yet do them some good.

https://escapetoreality.org/2013/07/09/matthew-10v28-fear-god/

morning...

Grounded

jiggaz:
Grounded

Do you believe in Matt 10 vs 28 ?

Morning

jiggaz:
Morning

Mr jiggaz, Do you believe in matt 10 vs 28 ?

Afternoon

Notedddd

When you want to come and take your people remember me o lord

yshshs

God wouldn't be that wicked to throw people into fire...That's if he's interested in what we do in the first place

He wouldn't destroy the world with water let alone fire.

NOTE: There nothing like hell...Hell is like Santa Claus

Don't bother quoting me....I am entitled to my own opinion and my opinion shouldn't be your headache.

True talk.... so much bad teachings In the body of Christ today...

God Bless you All

Go and check the meaning of hell and them you will get the understanding of that scripture,

People should not just read the bible like story books,
Hell and hellfire is totally two different words.

I believe in grace but I also believe in punishment for sinners. I believe hell exist but not as we have envisioned it cos God is merciful.

I kept asking this question s,how can you said God will throw some people to hell fire?

Where is the love of God?


And as a father i don't need to wait for my children fast and starved for me to do something for them,this also confused me?


And the bible said,do not be afraid but when Isis attacked the yazidis in iraq,bokoharam attacked and kidnapped students etc,God do not sent them a rescued,so why must you said I should not be afraid?
This also confused me.


Don't get it twisted iam a winner with LCD cert.

What a religion full of variations and contradictory and always conceal truth. Let them continue deceiving you, extracting the verses that we suit them and ignore the other ones. I read Bible from genesis to revelatiion, i never come across word christianity and Bible in it, no where jesus called himself God. My brethen, there is paradise and there is hell fire. May lord lead us aright.

#noted

doctorbabs:
What a religion full of variations and contradictory and always conceal truth. Let them continue deceiving you, extracting the verses that we suit them and ignore the other ones. I read Bible from genesis to revelatiion, i never come across word christianity and Bible in it, no where jesus called himself God. My brethen, there is paradise and there is hell fire. May lord lead us aright.

I beleive you are joking.

Aj

doctorbabs:
What a religion full of variations and contradictory and always conceal truth. Let them continue deceiving you, extracting the verses that we suit them and ignore the other ones. I read Bible from genesis to revelatiion, i never come across word christianity and Bible in it, no where jesus called himself God. My brethen, there is paradise and there is hell fire. May lord lead us aright.

. don't kill person with laugh joor.

God that knows everything even regretted He created Man.

Abracadabra

I will get back

All I know is this, our Father and Creator is a Redeemer and therefore, the ideology of hell fire contradict HIS LOVE for man kind.

How will you Create a being and see that the creation is prefect in your eyes and then later condemn that same being for excising the power of volition which you bestowed on it?

Fallacy

lol uncle the HOLY BIBLE is not a story book you can't just carry books and paper and starts disproving facts and reality from there.
you need the Guidance of the holy spirit to understand it.
you can't just understand the Bible by reading some mere verses the bible is written in a way that each verse has another verse that complements it in another book or chapter .
so the answer you are looking for can even be in the old testament but you wouldn't know because you don't read the Bible daily when you plant yourself in the word of God or when you meet someone filled with the holy spirit i tell you you won't even stand yourself because of how the dots will be connecting from the verses you're reading..
In order not to be a hypocrite i must confess i don't study the.bible daily but i have met people that when they interpret the word of God i feel as if i should never leave that presence
There is a greater force in this world and some set of people have done well in conceding this from the mass by distracting us with activities that program us to think in a certain kind of way and see things that shouldn't be accepted as a norm just imagine the next big thing comming up is sex robot!!!!! we are doomed!

When people conclude that God cannot destroy with water I begin to wonder if Noah's flood was a fiction and when they also assume that He cannot destroy with fire I also imagine if the account of Sodom and Gomorrah never took place. Please read Psalm 136, it gives a picture of mercy and judgment.

nwosu35:
Go and check the meaning of hell and them you will get the understanding of that scripture,

People should not just read the bible like story books,
Hell and hellfire is totally two different words.

What are u saying?

Have you ever bought something you later felt bad about it? Have you ever had to discard what you once Cherish?

God did not regret creating man immediately He created them but the regret came after man got polluted through food in Genesis chapter 3 and through sex in Genesis chapter 6.

If what you once loved and cherished got compromised, it can bring pains and regrets.

In all God will remain God.

banzuz:
All I know is this, our Father and Creator is a Redeemer and therefore, the ideology of hell fire contradict HIS LOVE for man kind.

How will you Create a being and see that the creation is prefect in your eyes and then later condemn that same being for excising the power of volition which you bestowed on it?

Fallacy

Please read Psalm 136

AntiIPOB:
I kept asking this question s,how can you said God will throw some people to hell fire?

Where is the love of God?


And as a father i don't need to wait for my children fast and starved for me to do something for them,this also confused me?


And the bible said,do not be afraid but when Isis attacked the yazidis in iraq,bokoharam attacked and kidnapped students etc,God do not sent them a rescued,so why must you said I should not be afraid?
This also confused me.


Don't get it twisted iam a winner with LCD cert.

Do you know that if Glo sponsored NYSC..there won't be service?

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