As top military officers in A New Hope, discuss the vulnerability of the Death Star and what would happen if the Rebellion were to gain support in the Senate, Grand Moff Tarkin enters the room and tells them, “I’ve just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently.”
He explains, “The regional governors now have direct control over territories. Fear will keep the local systems in line. Fear of this battle station.”
The Empire’s use of fear to frighten people into doing as the Emperor wanted them to do would become its undoing.
People will fear punishment and what they do not know.
For non-believers, it is easy to fear giving up what they have always known (a life of sin). But they should note what Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
In 1 John 4:8b, we see that “God is love,” but we also know that Exodus 20:5b says, “for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.”
We must remember that “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18).
So when we become believers in Jesus Christ, we can rest in knowing that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” according to Romans 8:1.
While it may be understandable to fear accepting something, accepting forgiveness through Christ should not be one of them.
God does not use fear “to keep us in line,” but He loves us unconditionally. His love must work with His holiness, which will not allow sin into heaven.
