Bible E-Course 5C - Jesus and the Law

Jesus condemned whoever sets aside the least of God’s commands. Let’s examine Jesus’ commentary on the law in the sermon on the mount and understand the spirit of the law.

You ARE Salt and Light

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 CEB)

Jesus said, his disciples ARE salt and light of the world. Let’s be what we already are. Salt preserves and tastes good. Light brightens a dark planet and doesn’t hide. What must be seen? Our good deeds must be seen and our motive must be to glorify God, not ourselves. We can SAY that we have faith, but faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

Law not Abolished

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-20 KJV)

The law and prophets means the Old Testament. Have heaven and earth passed away? There are more ancient copies of the Bible than any other book in history, making it the most reliable ancient document in existence. The Bible is the most historically accurate document in human history.

Jesus endorses the entire Old Testament, including all 613 commandments. Jesus taught how Christians obey the law better than the Pharisees did, in the spirit.

The letter of the law kills (2 Corinthians 3:6) and there is a righteousness by faith (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3, 9; James 2:23). For example, circumcision is not of the flesh but the heart (Romans 2:29) and love fulfills the whole law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14).

The letter of the law is legalism. The spirit of the law is love. The law teaches us much, but it is only a shadow of things to come. The cross is the reality. Love in action fulfills the law, all of it.

Let’s begin to understand some details of this as the law’s author instructs us.

Murder

“... I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” (Matthew 5:22 NASB)

Jesus angrily turned over the money-changers’ tables (Matthew 21:12-13), and was angry with the Pharisees’ hard hearts (Mark 3:1-5) without sin (Ephesians 4:26-27). Unrighteous anger (Proverbs 15:18) is discerned by what comes out of our mouths, lies, false accusation, hateful words, verbal abuse. The opposite of murder is to reconcile or settle matters.

Adultery

“... I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28 NIV)

The letter of a law leaves loopholes. Jesus addressed the spirit of the law. Lust can lead to adultery. Exaggerating to make the point, Jesus suggested self-mutilation, a sin. He meant: take drastic steps to avoid adultery.

What about divorce? Jesus’ exception is sexual immorality of any kind and later inspired Paul to add, if the unbeliever departs (1 Corinthians 7:15-17). The general principle is: easy divorce is not God’s way.

Bearing False Witness

Foolish and superstitious oaths don’t guarantee truth. Simply answer yes or no.

“Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” (Matthew 5:37 NLT)

Ever felt like you are never good enough? Let’s face it! We’ve all been verbally abusive, lustful and broken promises. But it doesn’t end there. Take it to God. It’s over, forgiven! Don’t live in the failures of the past, but in the forgiven life of the people of Christ.

Religious Exhibitionism

Let’s explore our motives in public acts. Jesus said to let our light shine so that others may see our good deeds and glorify God (Matthew 5:16), but then he said,

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1 NKJV)

Is there a contradiction? The key is our motive. Is our purpose to show off or give God the glory? He said the same about prayer and fasting.

Model Prayer

There is absolutely nothing wrong with praying the Lord’s Prayer by rote, as long as we are sincere and realize that it is a model covering topics for deeper personal prayer. Let’s not forget Jesus’ instructions:

“Therefore, you should pray like this… “ (Matthew 6:9a HCSB)

Wealth

Society worships wealth. Jesus taught the opposite, to give to the needy, pay generous wages, and make fair business deals. Do we use money as a tool for good, or do we worship it as an idol?

“You can’t serve both God and Mammon.” (Matthew 6:24b WEB)

If we tend to worry about finances, let’s learn to be inspired by God’s amazing provision for birds and flowers.

“Look at the birds of the sky… Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow…” (Matthew 6:26-28 HCSB)

What should our number one priority be?

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 NKJV)

Rest

Where can we find true rest for our souls? Do we find true rest on a letter-of-the-law Sabbath day, in a literal promised land, or in Jesus and in eternity? Let’s look at the only rest command in the entire New Testament.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29 NKJV)

Our permanent Sabbath rest is in Jesus in our eternal promised land (Hebrews 3-4). Letter of the law Sabbath-keeping people under Moses and Joshua did not enter true rest. We enter a true Sabbath rest through believing.

“Only people who have faith will enter the place of rest. It is just as the Scriptures say, ‘God became angry and told the people, “You will never enter my place of rest!” ’ God said this, even though everything has been ready from the time of creation.” (Hebrews 4:3 CEV).

So, a rest remains even for Sabbath-keeping people (Hebrews 4:9). A day off is a good thing, but only Jesus can give what a day of rest cannot.

Jesus teaches us to apply every jot and tittle of the law in spirit, because the letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). Will you have a change of heart and mind and believe the good news of God’s reign? You decide!

Bible E-Course 5B - Lasting Happiness

What are the secrets of happiness, not just fleeting merrymaking, but that true, permanent happiness, called blessedness? They are not really so secret, but found in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5).

Poor in Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 ESV)

Poor people are dispossessed, abandoned, with a deep sense that the world has failed them. Material wealth deceives many into thinking that they are more important than the “little people.” Yet, in reality we are all “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17b NASB). Acknowledging this, we are more likely to seek the true gold and pure clothing from heaven.

Mourning

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 NASB)

Mourning is part of repentance. Mourning our own sins and the sins of the world is good. It prepares a heart for change. Fasting is associated with mourning, humbling ourselves before God (James 4:7-10; Isaiah 58). Mourning means there is hope for better decisions next time. If we don’t mourn our sins, we will never change and find comfort. So yes, those that mourn will be comforted.

 
Meekness

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5 KJV)

Who is more likely to be favored, the arrogant misfit or the humble team player? Humble people are good company. Gentle people are loved by all and inherit the land while spineless bullies will be long forgotten.

 
Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6 NIV)

Jesus promises that if we crave justice and what is right, we will be filled. There is an emptiness that can only be filled by righteousness. Wrong produces pleasure for a night, a headache tomorrow and grinding burdens for life. The secret is that righteousness may be difficult, but it leaves unspoiled happiness for this life and the next.

Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 NKJV)

Lack of mercy creates a police-state like atmosphere of secrecy and distrust. Mercy creates an atmosphere of trust, warm and affirming. Without mercy, we tend to cover up problems and leave them unresolved. In an atmosphere of mercy, we are not afraid to admit mistakes and then they can be worked on.

Pure-Heartedness

“God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8 NLT)

This is not naïvety but innocence, a motivation to do good without pretense, to carry no malice or dishonesty in our hearts. The pure hearted look for God in everything and thus see Him.

Peacemakers

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9 WEB)

Peacemakers bring a measure of calm. Jesus said blessed are the peace-MAKERS, not the peace-attempters. Pride may prevent making peace, but necessity demands it. Living in freedom must also include freedom from strife and warfare. Peace does not just happen. It has to be made.

 
Persecution for Righteousness

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12 ESV)

Persecution can be mild harassment or life threatening. A quarter of Christians suffer severe mistreatment worldwide. Persecution is a badge of honor. It confirms that we are on God’s side. The opposite is also true. If everyone loves us, maybe we are doing something wrong. When harassment comes because we did right, it is a blessing.

The Beatitudes are the opposite of worldly thinking. Heavenly thinking brings blessings. Will you have a change of heart and mind and believe the good news of God’s reign? You decide!

Bible E-Course 5A - Preparation for Jesus

Let’s look at the New Testament book of Matthew, which contains the best commentary about the law of Moses, and its application in the spirit for Christians.

First, let’s understand the circumstances of Jesus' birth and John the Baptist’s preparatory ministry.

Names

Names used to be important for their meaning.

“She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 CEB)

Jesus’ name means “YHWH (the Lord) saves.” His name is the hope of the whole world (Matthew 12:15-21).

Another name for Jesus is Immanuel, which too has an important meaning.

“ ‘A virgin will have a baby boy, and he will be called Immanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’ ” (Matthew 1:23 CEV)

Jesus is the cornerstone of Christianity, His birth, resurrection, salvation, divinity and humanity.

Perpetual Virginity?

Joseph married a virgin.

“But he didn’t have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called him Jesus.” (Matthew 1:25 CEB)

Was Mary a Perpetual Virgin? If she was, the word “until” is pointless. A plain reading of the New Testament clearly shows that Jesus had siblings (Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5). Some claim they were cousins, but the Greek word for cousins was not used. A prophecy of Jesus plainly states that “my brothers” are “my mother’s sons.”

“I have become estranged from my brothers, And a stranger to my mother’s sons.” (Psalm 69:8 NASB)

Why insist that Mary was a perpetual virgin? Why make it a central dogma when neither Jesus nor the Apostles do so anywhere in the Bible?

John

How did John the Baptist prepare for our Savior? John the Baptist preached a public announcement to prepare. How?

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.” ’ ” (Matthew 3:1-3 NIV)

Repentance is a change of heart but that’s just where it begins. True repentance also is proven by action, fruit.

“Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” (Matthew 3:8 NLT)

John the Baptist told the Pharisees to show the fruit of a changed lifestyle. One such fruit is how we treat others.

Fire

John spoke about hell but Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in the entire Bible.

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV)

Baptism of fire has two possible meanings: the tongues of fire on the faithful at Pentecost (Acts 2) and the unrepentant baptized or immersed in a lake of fire. The context seems to indicate that John meant hell here.

Should we seek preaching about smooth things that tickle our ears, church traditions that neither Jesus nor the Apostles thought were important enough to even mention, or stay with the New Testament message of repentance and faith? Repentance begins as a change of heart and mind but reveals itself in a life turned from sin and to God. Will you repent and believe the good news of God’s reign? You decide!