Fear VS Hope

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or  danger or sword?” Romans 8:35

We live in a world that is imperfect and it has been that way since Adam and Eve sinned against God. God had created heaven, earth, and everything upon the earth including man. Adam and Eve were in perfect harmony with God. But, that would not last. God said, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall    surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). One thing is for sure, you can take God for His word. The moment that Adam and Eve sinned they began to die. Since then every person that has ever lived, with the exception of Enoch and Elijah, has died. You and I are no exception and we too will face death unless the Lord returns. So, whether trouble or hardship or famine or nakedness or  danger or sword or even the Coronovirus, as a believer in Jesus Christ you have nothing to fear. Paul continues in Romans 8, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to     separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (38-39).

As I watch the events unfold around us in reference to the   pandemic I have witnessed fear among Christians that is unprecedent. Social media posts by individuals including  Christians verge on panic. Should believers take precautions   to prevent the spread of the virus, absolutely. Should we  be obeying our government leaders and our public health  officials, most definitely. But, let me remind every believer that we are not to be anxious or live in fear.  I ask you this question, if you believe that God is absolutely sovereign (Colossians 1:16-17), that He wrote your name in the Lambs book of life (Revelation 20:11-15), and that He has numbered your days (Psalm 139:16), why do you fear?

Why do we doubt the very scripture that promises you peace.

Finally, I would remind you of the Lord Jesus Christ prayer to His father on the night He was betrayed (John 17). The first part of the prayer, verses 1-5, he prays for Himself. In  the second part, verses 6-19, He prays for His disciples. In the last part,  verses 20-26 , He prays for you and me. Do you know what He prays for? He prays that we will be with Him and the Father (John17:24) in Heaven forever.

What say you Christian? Will you live in fear or will you live in the hope of spending eternity with the one who died for you to set you free from fear and death?

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark