Category: Today’s Truth

Have you ever seen someone who was very proud of the good work they did? Maybe they had their name announced or inscribed on something. This is not necessarily bad, but it can lead to a pompous attitude and lifestyle. This is possibly why he says in Matthew 6:1-4, “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

There is something to be said of humility, especially in ministry. It can be tempting to think, “I did this,” when a ministry or event was successful. However, this is a dangerous thought. Nothing is truly successful when done without the Lord. God blesses a humble attitude. Jesus previously said in Matthew 5:5 that the humble will inherit his kingdom. When anything is done with humility, the reward will be greater. Recognition is not a bad thing when the recognition goes to the Lord.

Jesus goes a step further in Matthew 5:43-48 and tells his people, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” There are several commands in these verses that Jesus gives so that you will live as he does and follow his example.

First, love your enemies! This sounds impossible! However, look at the example of Jesus. He loved those who persecuted him and put him on the cross. He has a deep, godly kind of love for man, that includes his enemies. Next, he tells the people to pray for those who persecute you! He cares for man, both the evil and the good just the same as he describes in these verses, so how much more should we love and pray for our enemies? There is no reward for only loving the easy to love. We must love everyone the same, just as God loves. Jesus says here that it is easy to be kind to those who you love, but that is not living any differently than anyone else? As Christians, we are to stand out from the world, be the light in the darkness, and be kind to everyone. Lastly, he tells his followers to be perfect, as God is perfect. This is only possible when you are loving others, praying for them, and being kind. It makes perfection a little more attainable.

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek alsos” Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-42. This sounds insane, doesn’t it? Why would you allow someone to intentionally hurt you rather than getting revenge? Why would Jesus even suggest this?

The world would have you believe that you need to stand up for yourself, make sure that you do not allow anyone to take advantage of you, and get revenge before they do. Maybe Jesus suggests the opposite of these ideas because he knows that hatred only produces more hatred. It is a cycle that never ends. Martin Luther King Jr. was a man who knew his adversary well. He had lived a life dealing with segregation, racision, and hatred. Yet, when he was met with hatred, he combatted it with peace, love, and the grace of God. One of his famous quotes was, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” He knew what hatred would do to him if he allowed it to live and breathe inside of him. Jesus knew this as well. He longs for his people to follow his example in handling their enemies: with peace, love, and the grace God gives us.

It can be so easy to make a vow or promise; however, not as easy to keep the vow or promise. In fact, if you are human, then you have probably broken a promise at some point in your life. It can be difficult to avoid making promises when you have relationships with people. So is it better to make a promise just to break it or never make a promise in the first place. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said in verses 33-37, “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.”

So from these verses, it sounds like it is better to avoid promises in the first place if you know that you cannot keep your promise. We know that Jesus does not want us swearing by the name of God when we do make a vow. He even goes on to say that it is better to give a simple answer rather than making empty promises. This is something I have tried to live my life by recently. I feel an urge to tell somebody I will do something for them, but if I never do it, then I know my words were empty and meant nothing. What about you? Do you tend to make promises and keep them, or are you like me in this struggle? Take the advice of Jesus and give simple answers rather than void promises.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce.’ But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery,” Matthew 5:31-32 describes. These verses are very difficult to understand, especially in today’s world. Divorce is becoming more and more common. If you and your spouse do not get along, then just divorce.

Divorce was mentioned in the law because of the lawlessness of the time; the man would divorce the woman without any kind of notice, leaving her stuck in the marriage financially and spiritually. So the law permitted divorce with a written notice to free the woman. However, this was never God’s design. God created man and woman to live together in the unity of marriage and to fulfill God’s purpose. He wants husband and wife to honor him with their lives and relationship.

Matthew 5:27-28 says, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Adultery begins with a decision. Every decision begins with the mind. When you lust after someone, your lust becomes uncontrollable desires, which leads to decisions. Decisions lead to sin and a lifestyle of consequences. This is why Jesus said that lusting is the same as adultery. He knew what it would lead to.

Adultery is a sin that runs deep. It begins with lustful thoughts; this is where cheating begins. If you want to protect your relationship, the first thing you have to do is protect your heart and mind from the enemy and his schemes. He wants nothing more than to poison and destroy your relationship. Fill your mind with the things of God so that you can protect it. Fill your heart with scriptures so you will know what to do. He can guide you in your life and relationships.

Reconciliation is a theme of the Bible. God takes it very seriously. He reconciled us to himself through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Matthew 5:23-26 says, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” We are human, so it is only natural that at times we will disagree and strain our relationships. However, when we go before the Lord with bitterness in our hearts, we will not be able to worship properly.

This verse tells us to make right our grievances before worshipping. Why is this so important? When we are worshipping, if we do not have the right frame of mind, it will be difficult to fully worship with a clean heart. Bitterness eats away at the heart and mind and destroys the person it inhabits. You may have heard it said that bitterness only destroys you, not the one who you are bitter against. This is very true for the Christian. If you allow our enemy, the devil, to poison your mind with thoughts of unforgiveness, then you will never be able to worship God unhindered.

Anger alone is not a sin. However, it can lead to sin. Matthew 5:21-22 says, “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.” Jesus describes anger as murder. The intent is the same. Anger begins with a thought. That thought stirs a bitterness and hatred inside of you. Murder stems from the same feelings: anger, bitterness, hatred. Both anger and murder both come from these feelings.

You have to be careful when you experience anger. While it is not a sin, if it is not controlled and dealt with, then it becomes sinful. For example, anger with a family member can eventually cause a rift in the relationship that keeps you from communicating. Anger with someone that wronged you can cause ill feelings and resentment toward the person, and these feelings can lead to sin. So, give all of your angry feelings over to the Lord, and allow him to lead you.

Righteousness alone will not achieve salvation from sin. In Matthew 5:20, Jesus says, “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!” There is nothing man can do to be better than God. Man only knows righteousness due to his/her encounters with God. 1 Corinthians 3:19, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.” Man’s wisdom and righteousness can never compare to the wisdom and righteousness of God. Man’s righteousness is based on his own wisdom and understanding, and this verse makes it clear that man’s wisdom does not go very far.

The good news is that God made a way for man to know and experience his righteousness: through Jesus Christ and his gift of salvation. Romans 1:17 says, “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Your faith in Christ will produce righteousness within you. You have the ability to live a righteous life, to make the right decisions, and when you struggle with it, he will offer forgiveness and guidance through the Holy Spirit.

The Pharisees hated Jesus because they thought he came to abolish the law and replace what they had known and taught. Jesus says in the sermon on the mount: “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” His entire purpose was to make a way for people to be saved. The law cannot save anyone from their sin. God gave man the law for two reasons: one, to show man how to live, and two to fulfill the purpose of the law.

No one can completely keep the law everyday. We are born with a sin nature that desires to please itself rather than God. We have to constantly evaluate the decisions we make, whether they honor God or not. God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us know how to live. He guides us and leads us toward what is good and right. The law shows us our need for a Savior. It points us to Jesus. We need the law so that we know the depths of our sins.