Apicontent

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” —Matthew 5:43–48

God’s love extends to all people and as His children, we are to be a channel through which His love freely flows to others. We would do well to remember the mercy and love God demonstrated to us while we were yet sinners without strength, feeble and impious. 

Paul tells us:

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:6–8

John adds:

“We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians. But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.” —1 John 3:16–18

We are to be bound in love to others. We are not to live simply according to our natural affections and inclinations in our spiritual life. Our likes and dislikes of others must not rule our Christian life. God has made all people who dwell on the face of this earth of one blood—all are human beings. What more than that are we?

“For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?” —1 Corinthians 4:7

We are to seek to please our Master. In pleasing Him we love those He came to die for. Others may spurn our love, but Jesus will never spurn it. Our love is a sweet-smelling sacrifice to Him, acceptable and pleasing. In loving our neighbors, we are following in His footsteps. He is our supreme example and as His disciples, we too are to deliberately identify with God’s interest in others. John tells us:

“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34–35

Just as God dispenses His gifts of common goodness as in the sun and the rain on both the just and unjust as an amazing demonstration of His patience and kindness, so too we are to do good indiscriminately. Sometimes the greatest deeds of the kingdom of God are acts of service and kindness done that perhaps others consider meaningless and unworthy of their talents as they carry less recognition and less glory. As God’s children, we are called to live above the ordinary ways of this world. That’s how we bring Jesus to others! We are to treat each other as we ourselves would want to be treated: with kindness and mercy and love. And only Jesus can make us like Him.

Become More

“I love Him because He first loved me. His goodness and mercy and compassion to me are new every day. And my assurance is lodged in these aspects of His character. My trust is in His love for me as His own. My serenity has as its basis an implicit, unshakable reliance on His ability to do the right thing, the best thing in any given situation. This to me is the supreme portrait of my Shepherd. Continually there flows out to me His goodness and His mercy, which even though I do not deserve them, come unremittingly from their source of supply—His own great heart of love.” —Phillip Keller

Further Reflections

“Love never fails.” —1 Corinthians 13:8

“Just as God’s goodness and mercy flow to me all the days of my life, so goodness and mercy should follow me, should be left behind me, as a legacy to others, wherever I may go.” —Phillip Keller

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” —1 John 4:7–11

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.” —Matthew 5:38–42

Jesus clearly teaches that we are not to be retaliators of evil. The law of retaliation presented in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy was given to protect the innocent and to make sure that the retaliation did not go beyond the offense. The punishment was to fit the crime and not to exceed it. In Deuteronomy we read:

“You must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.” —Deuteronomy 19:19–21

Jesus, however, teaches us we are not to be vengeful. We are to avoid and resist evil as is necessary for our own security, but we must not harbor a grudge, avenge ourselves, or seek to get even when wronged.

In the Old Testament, the rights of the innocent were protected by the Law, yet Jesus says the righteous need not necessarily claim their rights. Indeed, Scripture teaches us we are to repay evil with good. Paul tells us in Romans:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” —Romans 12:17–21

Forgiveness, when wronged, demonstrates the divine miracle of grace in one’s life and points to Jesus. Forgiveness is supernatural and flows against the flesh which is desirous of retaliation. Forgiveness costs and it is marked by mercy and love—its origins are in God himself. We are never more Christlike than when we forgive when wronged. Like Jesus, we are to entrust ourselves to the One who judges justly. Christians are to bear a striking resemblance to their Master. God sees every slight against His children and it is His to make right. 

Peter writes of Christ’s example:

“When he was maligned, he did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened no retaliation, but committed himself to God who judges justly.” —1 Peter 2:23

We are to think kindly, speak kindly, and do kindly. We are to forgive as we have been forgiven. Those who have experienced the grace of God and are thankful for the forgiveness of the Lord are to be quick to forgive. If we have been privy to have heard the words of forgiveness spoken to our own hearts, we will want others to hear them too. Returning good for evil is Christlike.

“Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.” —1 Peter 3:8–9

Become more

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.” —Colossians 3:12–14

Further Reflections

“Forgiveness saves us the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.” —Hannah More

“Be God-like, then; and in all ways and by all means, so live that all may say of you, ‘You have been with Jesus.’” —Charles H. Spurgeon

“Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not take oaths at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.” —Matthew 5:33–37

A believer’s word, demonstrated by the actions of their lives, is to be sufficient—we need add nothing more.

Christians are to be honorable and trustworthy. We are to be known as people of our word. Seeking to live our lives above reproach, we are not to practice deceit.

Truthfulness in our day seems to be such a rarity that we think we must end our statements with some sort of vow to add emphasis or credibility. Jesus tells us to get rid of all rash and unnecessary swearing. He tells us later in Matthew we will one day be called to give an account for the careless words we speak:

“The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” —Matthew 12:35–37

Nothing is ours; everything is related to God. It all belongs to Him. Paul tells us:

“For who concedes you any superiority? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?” —1 Corinthians 4:7

Proclaiming an oath after something we have said has a tendency to demonstrate smugness in our own wisdom; it tends to promote pride regarding our rightness on a matter. This is particularly offensive when believers argue their points regarding spiritual matters. We must beware of this! Scripture tells us we are to do everything without complaining or arguing as we hold out the Word of Life:

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.” —Philippians 2:14–16

Worldly wisdom is foolishness in God’s sight. Believers are to know and live by God’s truth:

“For the wisdom of this age is foolishness with God. As it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness.’ And again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’” —1 Corinthians 3:19–21

Become More

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” —1 Corinthians 1:25

“A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.” —Alexander Pope

Further Reflections

“The teachings of Jesus hit us where we live. We cannot stand as imposters before Him for even one second.” —Oswald Chambers

“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.” —Oswald Chambers

“It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” —Matthew 5:31–32

In all sincerity, I do not write this tritely or without compassion, yet it is clear in Scripture that God does not like divorce. Indeed, He hates divorce. This is understandable when you consider that it divides what He initiated—the marriage covenant. Remember, in Genesis God said:

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.” —Genesis 2:18

What the man lacked, the woman supplied, and what the woman lacked, the man supplied. That is what the term “suitable helper” means! The complete unity of man and woman in marriage is what is often referred to as culminating into one flesh.

God intended for husbands and wives to live together permanently, the only exception for divorce being marital unfaithfulness. Marriage has been designed by God to be an inseparable bond. It is meant to be a one-flesh relationship which God joins together and individuals ought not to separate. God does not take our vows made before Him lightly and neither should we. We discover this truth in Malachi:

“You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you. Yet you ask, ‘Why?’ The LORD is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law. No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this. What did our ancestors do when seeking a child from God? Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth. ‘I hate divorce,’ says the LORD God of Israel, ‘and the one who is guilty of violence,’ says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. ‘Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful.’” —Malachi 2:13–16

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees if a divorce was lawful:

“Then some Pharisees came to him in order to test him. They asked, ‘Is it lawful to divorce a wife for any cause?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh”? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’ They said to him, ‘Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way. Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.’ The disciples said to him, ‘If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!’” —Matthew 19:3–10

The Lord’s own disciples’ reaction to His answer indicated their understanding of how hard it can be to live out a faithful marriage! Indeed, it is two big sinners living under one roof each seeking their own way!

While I am aware that Scripture allows divorce for marital unfaithfulness, I am also aware that in our culture we embrace divorce for a myriad of reasons. Unfortunately, problems are a part of living in a broken world amongst broken people and Christians are not to use them as an excuse to not practice generous grace. Certainly, no one is perfect and I dare say each one of us wants to be on the receiving end of mercy when we fail. We need to pray to love our spouses with Christ-like love and respect. Even if we do have a Biblical reason for divorce, we should make every effort through the Spirit’s power to seek reconciliation. God is fully aware of the sincerity of the heart and blesses His children with peace who seek to do His will. He is compassionate toward those who hurt and sees sacrificial living on our parts.

Become More

God is a Master at making “beauty from ashes.” We are always to return to Him. His mercies are new every morning and there is peace in His pleasure. God is a restorer of the broken.

Further Reflections

“So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam no companion who corresponded to him was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Then the man said, ‘This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.’ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become a new family.” —Genesis 2:20–24

Marriage has been designed by God to be an inseparable bond. It is meant to be a one-flesh relationship which God joins together and individuals ought not to separate. God does not take our vows made before Him lightly and neither should we.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.” —Matthew 5:27–30

In our verses for today, Jesus again goes deeper than the mere act of the sin of adultery. As he considers the seventh commandment (“You shall not commit adultery” [Deuteronomy 5:18]), he challenges us to think about the motive behind the action.

Later in the New Testament, James puts it this way:

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.” —James 1:13–15

The source of temptation is found within our own heart, stemming from evil desires, lusts, or cravings. Sadly, a devious heart builds and baits its own trap. Unchecked lust yields to sin and unconfessed sin brings death. We are to restrain our sinful passions and appetites.

We find in Proverbs this warning:

“Do not lust in your heart for her beauty, and do not let her captivate you with her alluring eyes; for on account of a prostitute one is brought down to a loaf of bread, but the wife of another man preys on your precious life.” —Proverbs 6:25–26

God is serious about sin. No matter how trifling we may consider it, God never winks at it. It cost Him the life of His Son. He justly and righteously abhors our wallowing in it like a cleaned sow returning to the mud. Sin will always break our communion with God and ultimately carries with it a death sentence. Jesus teaches us here that we are to restrain corrupt glances and keep out defiling impressions. We are to quickly flee the temptation to sin. These precepts are given as a hedge around us to keep our hearts pure.

This principle can be applied to anything that we are lusting after: fame, fortune, pleasure, comfort. Are you living an unsatisfied life always in pursuit of more worldly passions? Are you buying into the same lies that Eve bit into when she lusted for the forbidden fruit? God is holding out on me, there is more out there than He is willing to give me, my way is better than His, I can be more satisfied with created things rather than the Creator, I know better than my Maker.

All of these are eventually found wanting and lead to death. This is why Jesus speaks so severely regarding our sin.

We do well to watch over our hearts, suppressing the first rising of corruption and lust, avoiding occasions whereby we are prone to fall, and declining the company of those we are easily ensnared by. Basically, we are to keep out of harm’s way! If I am trying to diet, I shouldn’t be walking into an ice cream store! This is a relatively easy principle to understand.

God requires nothing of us that is not for our advantage and ultimate good. It is His desire to give us good things, things that are pleasing and perfect. We are the losers when we wrongly choose to follow the lusts of our own hearts.

“Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, O house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I take no delight in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!” —Ezekiel 18:30–32

Become More

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” —1 Samuel 16:7

Further Reflection

“The most important thing in life isn’t what we think about ourselves or what others think about us, but what God thinks about us. He is the final Judge. When He examines and evaluates our motives, words, and actions, are we commended, as was Abel, or are we condemned, as was his brother Cain?” —Warren Wiersbe

“So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny!” —Matthew 5:23–26

Jesus tells us that when we find ourselves faced with troubles and conflict concerning fellow believers, or even our foes and adversaries, it is part of our calling and privilege to do our best to make things right. Harmony with others may not always be achievable, yet as Christians, we should not be the ones responsible for the lack of relationship or peace. Paul tells us:

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.” —Romans 12:18

We are to bring peace, love, and forgiveness into all our relationships in spite of all of our differences, no matter how difficult they may be! It is simply not about us! This is part of the dying to self. It is our responsibility to remember that forgiveness is for the forgiver and the forgiven. When we harbor ill will for another it does nothing but poison us. Forgiveness, on the other hand, breathes life into our souls. Sin always destroys while obedience brings life in abundance.

“Forgiveness saves us the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.” —Hannah More

We are to labor for reconciliation whenever a break has occurred in any relationship, but particularly with fellow believers. I cannot believe God applauds any division in His Body, the Church. In our verses for today, Jesus states that we are unfit for communion with God when we harbor ill will against our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Love and forgiveness are better than burnt offerings; our humble attempts at reconciliation will always be a sweet-smelling sacrifice to the Father. It is God’s desire for us to be a forgiving people; those who are slow to become angry and quick to forgive. We are not to be a people who harbor, smolder, and seethe, seeking revenge rather than forgiveness. It is the way our Lord demonstrated, even as He hung on the cross:

“So when they came to the place that is called ‘The Skull,’ they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [But Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes.” —Luke 23:33–34

Do we find ourselves in the unenviable position whereby we are being persecuted by fellow Christians? It is both the teaching and example of Jesus that we are to forgive, difficult as that may seem. Yet with God, nothing is impossible! He never calls us to obedience without equipping us for the task. He is the ever-ready supply of grace, sufficient to meet our need.

Become More

“You never touch the ocean of God’s love as when you forgive and love your enemies.” —Corrie Ten Boom

“The man who is truly forgiven and knows it is a man who forgives.” —Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Further Reflections

“The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness.” —William Blake

“Peacemakers are people who breathe grace. They draw continually on the goodness and power of Jesus Christ, and then they bring His love, mercy, forgiveness, strength and wisdom to the conflicts of daily life. God delights to breathe His grace through peacemakers and use them to dissipate anger, improve understanding, promote justice and encourage repentance and restoration.” —Ken Sande

“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell.” —Matthew 5:21–22

Here our Lord takes the sixth commandment (“You shall not murder.” [Deuteronomy 5:17]), and without adding anything to it, He limits and expands it! He restrains the adherence of it in order to expose our motivation and to prevent our abuse, while at the same time expanding the breadth, strictness, and spiritual nature of the command according to its true intent.

Jesus was neither doing away with the Law nor adding His own belief to it. He was simply giving a fuller understanding of the Law and exposing the depth of purpose behind it. The laws of God are eternal; they never change or become obsolete. Murder has always been and always will be forbidden by God.

Jesus’ teaching here extends the Law beyond the mere act of murder. What is the motivation behind anger or hatred so strong as to manifest itself in killing? What are the inward lusts from which fights and quarrels come? It is a fundamental error to teach a divine prohibition of an act without delving into the sinful thoughts lurking behind the action. Jesus tells us not only are we are not to murder, but we are not even to be angry to the point of wanting to murder.

The Pharisees felt righteous because they had not literally committed murder, yet they were angry enough at Jesus to plot His death. They thought they were not guilty because they did not dirty their own hands with the actual deed. It is easy to miss the intent of the law.

The Law of God is to be a hedge of protection around our lives. When we are “walled in” with this hedge we are able to lie down in green pastures with peaceful souls (Psalm 23:2–3). God desires for each one of us to be an example of His love to one another and the world.

The Apostle John writes:

“For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another, not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous. Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.” —1 John 3:11–15

Jesus tells us we are not to slander our brothers and sisters in Christ. However light we may make of our gossip, one day we will answer for it. Slanderers and those who critically rebuke others have poison under their tongues. Jesus tells us out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks:

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart.” —Luke 6:45

Become More

“Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God. The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated. We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to ‘all these words.’ There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded. This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children. The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation. If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

Further Reflection

“Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value. Doctrines held as a matter of creed are like bread in the hand, which ministers no nourishment to the frame, but doctrine accepted by the heart, is as food digested, which, by assimilation, sustains and builds up the body.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

“So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!” —Matthew 5:19–20

The righteousness Jesus demands from His followers is unlike that of the Pharisees. The Jewish leaders were simply into externals. Externals represent only what man can observe, not what God sees.

Jesus taught quite the opposite! It is obedience at the core, at the heart level, that God desires. When cleansing takes place internally, the external will follow!

Jesus always aimed at the heart. He was looking for true inner righteousness based on faith in God. In Scripture, the heart is the term used to describe the seat of all our affections and desires. Our actions and words come from the overflow of our hearts. That is why Jesus told us the fruit of our lives is a good indicator of what lies within us. Are we full of selfish ambitions, vain conceits, greed, anger, and the like? Or are we full of love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness? 

What is in our hearts will always eventually manifest itself in our behavior and words. We may be able to mask it for a while, but ultimately what is at our core will come forth. It is God’s desire for us to get rid of the evil that lies hidden within our hearts. We are pros at justifying our poor behaviors by blaming them on past situations, experiences, dysfunctions, and other people. Our hearts are prone to delude us and they frequently lead us astray and take us down the wrong path. We are often ignorant of the depravity that remains within us.

“Christians are rapidly losing sight of sin as the root of all human woes. And many Christians are explicitly denying that their own sin can be the cause of personal anguish. More and more are attempting to explain the human dilemma in wholly unbiblical terms: temperament, addiction, dysfunctional families, the child within, codependency, and a host of other irresponsible escape mechanisms promoted by secular psychology. The potential impact of such a drift is frightening. Remove the reality of sin, and you take away the possibility of repentance. Abolish the doctrine of human depravity and you void the divine plan of salvation. Erase the notion of personal guilt and you eliminate the need for a Savior.” —John MacArthur

It is God alone who knows the true condition of the heart of man. Scripture tells us:

“The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it? I, the LORD, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.” —Jeremiah 17:9–10

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5–6

“Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.” —Proverbs 4:23

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world by holding on to the word of life so that on the day of Christ I will have a reason to boast that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.” —Philippians 2:14–16

Become More

“The grace of God is love freely shown towards guilty sinners, contrary to their merit and indeed in defiance of their demerit. It is God showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity, and had no reason to expect anything but severity. We have seen why the thought of grace means so little to some church people–namely, because they do not share the beliefs about God and man which it presupposes. Now we have to ask: why should this thought mean so much to others? The answer is not far to seek; indeed, it is evident from what has already been said. It is surely clear that, once a man is convinced that his state and need are as described, the New Testament gospel of grace cannot but sweep him off his feet with wonder and joy. For it tells how our Judge has become our Saviour.” —J.I. Packer

Further Reflections

“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too!” —Matthew 23:25–26

“But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.” —Philippians 3:7–9

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.” —Matthew 5:17–18

The Lord Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness.

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John tried to prevent him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?’ So Jesus replied to him, ‘Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John yielded to him.” —Matthew 3:13–15

God made His own perfect Son take on our sin so that we might have a restored relationship with God the Father. Paul tells us:

“God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” —2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus did not come into the world He created to present a new system that rivaled the Law. He came to fulfill the Law—perfectly! Perfect and fully obedient, Christ ushered in and established a kingdom that is in total agreement with the Old Testament Scriptures. He neither canceled nor weakened the Law; He completed and transcended it.

The Savior sent from heaven to save the souls of all people destroyed nothing of the dictates from God or of Moses and the prophets. He lived a perfect life that He might be the perfect sacrifice, once and for all, for my sin and yours! He saved us that we might believe in Him and live our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to live supernatural lives propelled and guided by the Spirit. Undiscerning eyes who live only for what they see cannot comprehend God’s amazing plan.

Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law extends to the smallest letter—the “jot”—as well as the least stroke of a pen—the “tittle.” The “jot” corresponds to our dot above the letter “i,” and the “tittle” compares to the difference between a P and an R, simply a small angled line! This is important because letters make up words and even a slight change of a letter in a word can change its meaning. God’s Word does not change. Jesus did not come to change God’s Word; he came as the fulfillment of it.

“O LORD, your instructions endure; they stand secure in heaven.” —Psalm 119:89

“Your instructions are totally reliable; all your just regulations endure.” —Psalm 119:160

“The grass dries up, the flowers wither, but the decree of our God is forever reliable.” —Isaiah 40:8

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” —Matthew 24:35

Become More

“The Sermon on the Mount is not a set of rules and regulations—it is a picture of the life we will live when the Holy Spirit is having His unhindered way with us.” —Oswald Chambers

Further Reflection

“Nearness to Christ, intimacy with Him, assimilation to His character—these are the elements of a ministry of power.” —Horatius Bonar

“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.” —Matthew 5:14–16

We are to let the light of Jesus within us shine forth! That light needs to shine first for our own households and then for whatever world is around us. We are to be both illustrious and conspicuous; signs and symbols from God to the lost and perishing. The treasure within us should light up our countenance; we are to be known as a light-radiating people. Jesus came as the light of the world so that those who would believe in Him would never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. His light within us gives direction to others—pointing them to Jesus.

We must endeavor to walk as wise not as foolish people because those around us are watching. It is important how we live our lives! Sadly, many Christians live no differently than the unbelievers Jesus desires for us to reach. If the Lord Jesus makes no difference in our lives, why would anyone else be interested? Are we a reflection of God’s goodness and mercy and humility and kindness and gentleness and patience? Are we drawing others to Him or repelling them by our words and deeds? The candle lit by the Lord Jesus should never be hidden but should shine forth to all those around us. We must be shining lights in the way we live, not muffling the message with obscurity and privacy. Paul tells us:

“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.” —1 Corinthians 6:19–20

Peter adds:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” —1 Peter 2:9

And John wrote: “The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked.” —1 John 2:6

It is for our Father’s glory and for our good that we let our light shine, showing ourselves to be the Lord Jesus’ disciples. Jesus says in our verses for today that our deeds must be evident so that those who observe us will praise our Father in heaven. God’s glory is what we aim for in all that we say or do.

Become More

“Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God. The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated. We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to ‘all these words.’ There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded. This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children. The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation. If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed.” —Charles H. Spurgeon

Further Reflections

“Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” —John 8:12

“Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. —John 14:6

“To be like Christ. That is our goal, plain and simple.” —Charles Swindoll