I will warn you whom to fear

I have often heard Christians say, "We're not supposed to fear God; we're supposed to love Him," or "fear means to revere." Then I read Jesus' words:

"I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!" (Luke 12:4-5)

Jesus is telling us not to fear (and He means that in the ordinary way we use that word) those who kill the body. Don't fear murderers. Don't fear terrorists. But do fear; fear the One who has authority to cast into hell (and he uses that word in just teh same way He did in the previous sentence).

I'll gladly accept that we ought to revere the One who has authority to cast into hell, but the language Jesus uses here goes far beyond that. He is saying that there is something far more fearful than death; and the One who has the authority over it is to be feared more than death. Truly fearing Him is what will enable us to live without any fear in this life: "Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Luke 12:7). The One to be feared supremely cares for us! This is good news! We can (and must) fear Him and trust Him and love Him at the same time!

If we fear Him as we ought, we will live with unimaginable freedom in this world.