Judge Not

How Christ-Followers Are to Approach Relationships

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Jesus, Matthew 7:1–5)

Not Being Critical of Others

            This section of the sermon begins with one of the most well-known (and oft-quoted) verses in our culture: “Judge not, that you be not judged.”  This is a popular theme in a society greatly concerned with promoting tolerance. However, this verse is often taken out of context and must be seen in light of all Jesus is saying here.

            It is true, though, that Jesus is hitting on a principle that needs to be heard by many who are, indeed, intolerant and judgmental. It is ironic that Christians can be most known for having critical attitudes when Christ Himself taught the very opposite. In fact, it seems to be a tendency for religious people in general to fall into this mindset. A graphic example is seen in Luke Chapter 7:

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him [Jesus] to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” (Luke 7:36–39)

So we see that the Pharisee Simon (a religious person) has a very critical attitude toward this woman who was a known sinner. He even questions Jesus’ authority because of how He accepted this woman’s worship, but Jesus uses this situation to teach a judgmental, religious person an important lesson:

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:40–48)

Some religious people (as we have seen earlier in this sermon) have a tendency to think they are better than others. Jesus here shows that this woman (because she recognized she was a sinner and sought forgiveness) loved Jesus more than the one who had been forgiven little (the one who thought he was better). In His sermon, Jesus teaches His followers that they must beware of a critical attitude, though they are pursuing a life of righteousness and it may be easy to look down on others. Sadly, it is true that even Christians can forget this. I remember hearing a sermon by a preacher who was so judgmental that he was actually snarling as he lambasted people for their sinfulness. On the other hand, it must be said that some Christians are wrongly accused of being judgmental simply because they uphold certain moral standards and desire others to do the same.

But it is not only religious people who have a tendency to be judgmental—all people have this tendency at times. One only needs to read blog posts and comments on the internet to see just how harsh, biased, and critical people can be. We must realize that being judgmental is not a set of beliefs, it is the attitude in which those beliefs are held. I have witnessed judgmental attitudes from certain Republicans, and I have witnessed the same from certain Democrats. I have observed judgmental attitudes from some devoutly religious people, and I have observed the same from some devoutly anti-religious people. The standard for Jesus’ followers, however, is not to have a proud, condescending attitude toward others.

Often, a critical mindset assumes something about others which we do not know (such as their motives). Perhaps the Pharisee Simon did not understand the woman’s motive for washing and kissing Jesus’ feet. There are many things that we do not know or see about others, and we must be careful not to jump to conclusions. The following story about the preacher Chuck Swindoll shows why:

At a pastor's conference in Spokane, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire.

That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day's drive and couldn't help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing.

On the last night the man's wife came up and apologized for her husband's inattention to the messages. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal.

So it is time to do an attitude check. No matter how loving and tolerant you may claim to be, what is your attitude toward others? Do you find yourself assuming bad things about certain people, or do you truly care about them and pray for them? Do you feel you are better than others, or do you see yourself in as much need of forgiveness as anyone else? Jesus wants followers who have great conviction but who hold this conviction with great concern for others.

Works Cited:

“Sleepy Man” (available at http://www.sermonsearch.com/sermon-illustrations/view/3615/ accessed November 2012; Internet).

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Antidote to Materialism and Worry

The Antidote to Materialism and Worry

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Jesus, Matthew 6:33–34)

Jesus ends His teaching about seeking security in material things with a couple of concluding directives. The first is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” This is the antidote to the materialism that so easily plagues our lives. Caring too much about this life reveals a lack of focus on heaven. The Scriptures, in contrast, teach Christians to set their minds on heaven, and speak of us pilgrims in this world, not permanent residents (cf. Col. 3:2; I Pet. 2:11). As one hymn-writer aptly put it:

This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore

Much of Christianity in America seems to lose sight of this perspective, probably because of the abundance of material wealth we enjoy all around us. But our stay in this world is temporary, and as Jesus has already shown, the truly wise long-term investment plan is to lay up treasures in heaven. If we seek God’s kingdom above all else, knowing Him and sharing His truth and love with others, then we have no need to worry about anything else. He’ll take of meeting our needs as we take care of seeking Him and His righteousness.

            Jesus’ second directive is “do not worry about tomorrow.” A common trait of people who struggle with anxiety is fortune-telling—that is, predicting what may happen and believing it to be true. Reneau Peurifoy writes, “Essentially, fortune-telling is the confusion of a possibility with a probability” (Peurifoy, 113). Perhaps you have caught yourself thinking, “I just know this is going to turn out bad,” or “I’ll never be able to do this.” Jesus addresses the tendency to get ahead of ourselves, when our focus should be on the present. His common sense argument is that “Each day has enough trouble of its own” for us to be concerned about (Matt. 6:34, NIV). Why worry about the future (which we cannot control) when there is enough to deal with in the present (which we can influence)? So seek God’s kingdom and righteousness above all else in the present, and do not worry (or begin fortune-telling) about the future.

            Ultimately, worry is just a form of meditating on the wrong things, and so the apostle Paul advises:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Phil. 4:6–9, NIV)

If we diligently work on keeping our hearts and minds in the right place, we can be freed from the materialism and anxiety that is so rampant in our culture.

Works Cited:

Albert E. Brumley, “This World Is Not My Home,” © 1936. Renewed 1964 Albert E. Brumley And Sons (Admin. by ClearBox Rights, LLC)

Reneau Z. Peurifoy, M.A., M.F.T., Anxiety, Phobias, and Panic (New York: Warner Books, 1988, 1992, 1995, 2005).

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Focus of a Christ-Follower - Part 3

Finding Your Security in Wealth

            When we speak of people who seek ultimate satisfaction in wealth, we may describe them as materialistic. Truly, one form of materialism is spending too much on yourself, but another, more subtle form of materialism is saving too much for yourself. Saving wisely is a good thing, but saving obsessively is a sign of trusting in wealth rather than God. So one form of materialism is finding satisfaction in riches, another form of materialism is finding security in riches. Both forms are encouraged in our culture. We are always told that we need more stuff (the bigger and better thing that has just come along), and we need more financial protection (to make sure our lifestyle is secure). Jesus has already hit on the issue of spending on ourselves; now He deals with our tendency to worry about security.

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Jesus, Matthew 6:25–32)

            Americans, by and large, have plenty to supply for their needs. Still, it is common for us to be worried. This is a human tendency, and it is exacerbated by scores of books, newscasts, and documentaries feeding us with more to be worried about: Will the food we eat or the water we drink harm us? Will an economic disaster occur? Will the earth be destroyed by human activity? Though there may seem to be legitimate reasons for worry, Jesus tells us not to and provides logical reasons for support. First, worry makes too much out of certain things, “Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” He asks. When you look at what you worry about, often it involves fixating on something relatively minor at the expense of enjoying or appreciating what is most important. We worry about how a particular event will turn out, when in reality, there are more important things we can focus on, such as family and meeting the needs of others.

            Second, worry is unable to produce what it craves. Worry is actually an attempt to control what happens, as if thinking about it will somehow help. Jesus shrewdly points out, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Or, as it can also be translated, “which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^” (Matt. 6:27, ESV) Obviously, worrying cannot actually produce a longer life. If anything, it can actually shorten your life. Dr. Charles Mayo said, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, and the whole nervous system. I have never met a man or known a man to die of overwork, but I have known a lot who died of worry” (MacArthur, 423). We should not worry because it does not help us.

            Third, Jesus encourages His hearers by pointing to the tender care of God the Father. God feeds the birds, which do not even know how to farm. God clothes flowers with incredible beauty, and they are merely short-lived plants. So certainly He can make sure to clothe you, feed you, and provide you with all that you need. When we don’t trust God to take care of us, we are demonstrating “little faith,” Jesus says.

            Finally, Jesus points out that worrying about our needs being met is acting like “Gentiles,” which basically means acting as if we do not have a heavenly Father. Believers, of all people, should go through life knowing that Someone is taking care of them. My children do not worry about their needs because they have a father who works and provides for them. Ultimately, I do not have to worry because I have a Father in heaven who provides for me.

Works Cited:

John F. MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1–7 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985).

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Focus of Christ-Follower - Part 2

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Jesus, Matthew 6:22–23)

            I can relate to Jesus’ analogy of the eye. I have had eye trouble since young childhood. At that time, I had to have bifocals and was farsighted in both eyes. Today, I am now nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other. Needless to say, without corrective lenses, I do not see very clearly. As Jesus talks about how people view wealth, He highlights the fact that we need good eyes to have clarity of vision within. Bad eyes only give us “darkness.”  If we have an evil, envious, materialistic eye, then we will not see life rightly. But if we have an eye toward God, our focus in life will be clear, full of light. It is perilous, in other words, to view wealth as the ultimate source of satisfaction, for our life was meant for far more than temporary treasures. Paul says to believers in Christ, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Colossians 3:2–4). This is to be the focus of the Christian, “on things above,” and as Jesus says, laying up treasure in heaven.

Many have found the American Dream to be a nightmare because wealth is not all it is cracked up to be. The way to true peace and fulfillment is a life lived with focus on God, basking in His acceptance and love; the life of earth-centered materialism is at best a temporary joy, and often a disillusioning path to despair, or “darkness.”

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Jesus, Matthew 6:24)

A final word Jesus gives about materialism is that it ultimately enslaves us. We do not like to think ourselves as slaves. We like to think that we are in full control of our lives, with the power to do as we please. But the reality is, humans are influenced and controlled by various impulses, and if we place our focus on money, it will ultimately control the direction of our life and the satisfaction of our heart. Jesus says a choice must be made, our ultimate allegiance will either be toward God or toward money, living for eternity and what it offers or living for this world and what it offers. What are you truly living for?

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Focus of a Christ-Follower

How Christ-Followers Are to Approach Everyday Life

            It was clear from the last section of the sermon that people are capable of taking something as good as godly religion and using for selfish purposes. Jesus confronts this mentality and shows that religion (whether giving, praying, or fasting) must truly be about God. In this section, He shows that everyday life must also be about God. People often struggle to integrate faith with their daily experience. Author A.W. Tozer pinpoints the tendency for many to separate their religious life (praying, Bible reading, church attendance) from their secular activities (work, eating, etc.), feeling that their religious actions please God, while their day to day activities are spiritually worthless. He states:

This is the old sacred-secular antithesis. Most Christians are caught in this trap. They cannot get a satisfactory adjustment between the claims of the two worlds. They try to walk the tight rope between two kingdoms and they find no peace in either. Their strength is reduced, their outlook confused and their joy taken from them.

I believe this state of affairs to be wholly unnecessary. We have gotten ourselves on the horns of a dilemma, true enough, but the dilemma is not real. It is a creature of misunderstanding. The sacred-secular antithesis has no foundation in the New Testament. Without doubt a more prefect understanding of Christian truth will deliver us from it.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is our perfect example, and He knew no divided life. In the presence of His Father He lived on earth without strain from babyhood to His death on the cross. God accepted the offering of His total life, and made no distinction between act and act. “I do always the things that please him,” was His brief summary of His own life as it related to the Father. (Tozer, loc. 1083–1093)

            For the Christ-follower, Jesus sets the example and teaches that all of life is to be lived in recognition of God. Specifically, He addresses here the issue of wealth and possession, which is certainly a large focus of our everyday lives.

Finding Your Ultimate Satisfaction in Wealth

 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Jesus, Matthew 6:19–21)

            The first problem in relation to possessions is that humans have a tendency to seek ultimate joy and peace in material things. Jesus speaks of laying up treasures for ourselves. Present-day fixation with making more and more money and acquiring bigger and better things certainly exposes our insatiable capacity to lay up treasures for ourselves. The problem with seeking satisfaction in such things, as Jesus notes, is that they will not last. Jesus told a story that graphically illustrates the fleeting nature of wealth:

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’

“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

(Luke 12:16–21)

            Jesus did not pull punches in showing people that it is foolish to live life in a materialistic, self-centered manner, without regard for God. This is what is being brought out here in the Sermon on the Mount as well. He does not say that it is wrong to be rich, but that these treasures are not to be laid up for ourselves. Rather, we are to lay up treasures in heaven, and the truth is, we can use earthly wealth to do so. The crucial question is not whether it is permissible to have wealth but rather how we use that wealth. As J. D. Greear says,

Quit thinking so much about the amount you’re giving and think instead about the kingdom you’re pursuing. Following Jesus means seeing your life as a seed to be planted for God’s kingdom.

So ask yourself: What have you done with the majority of your resources up to this point in your life? How are you leveraging your talents now for God’s kingdom? What have you spent the majority of your money on thus far? Where does the bulk of your treasure lie? (Greear, 142)

Those are probing questions, but they help us to discern whether we are following Jesus’ injunction to lay up treasures in heaven rather than for ourselves on earth. “For where your treasure is,” Jesus says, “there your heart will be also.” This statement reveals the interconnectedness of our heart and our treasure. Treasure both reveals where our heart is at (if it is set on this world or on God) and also influences our heart (the more we store up on earth, the more we will love this world; the more we store up in heaven, the more we will love God’s kingdom).

Works Cited:

J. D. Greear, Gospel: Rediscovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary (Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2011).

A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (Kindle edition; Harrisburg: Christian Publications, Inc., 1948),  

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Christ-Followers Are to Pray - Part 3

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

            Once we have focused appropriately on God’s glory and aligning ourselves with His purposes, we then come to the point where we express our needs to God. Prayer, as Jesus shows here, is about depending on God. This is a hard thing for many Americans to grasp, particularly on the level of everyday physical needs, such as food and shelter. We believe that we can provide for ourselves; after all, there is an abundance of resources at our disposal. But when Jesus says to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” He is showing that, in reality, God is the one who supplies for us. An overarching theme of Scripture is that God is the true source and supplier of all that is found in nature. Praying before a meal to thank God for food, then, is not a formality, it is to be the heartfelt acknowledgement  that the food which nourishes us comes as a gift from God, and it reminds us of our dependency on Him to meet our needs. Not only are we to depend on Him for food but for everything we need. The apostle Peter says to “Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you” (I Peter 5:7, NIV). Prayer is certainly a time for us to express our needs to God because He, as a loving Father, cares about us.

Forgive Us Our Debts

            Lest we be presumptuous, however, assuming that God ought to meet our expectations, Jesus says we should also seek God’s forgiveness for our debt against Him. Prayer, as mentioned earlier, is not to be presenting a wish-list; it is about relating rightly to God and others. We can have confidence that God will forgive us, but we must be consistent in relation to others. “For if you forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus states, “your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15). This is reminiscent of a story Jesus tells elsewhere in answer to a question posed by Peter.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21–35, NIV)

            Prayer is a means of helping us to put things into perspective. It is easy to be bitter and demanding toward others when they have wronged or failed us, but when we see our own sin and need of forgiveness before God, it ought to lead us to be merciful toward others. So Jesus instructs us to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”

Do Not Lead Us into Temptation, but Deliver Us from the Evil One

            This request concerning temptation and being delivered from the evil one shows that prayer is also about gaining spiritual victory. We may not realize it, but great people of God have been people of prayer. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. . . If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” Those who know and follow Christ can expect to have their prayers answered, and they must remember that without Christ, they cannot be successful spiritually. The Scripture teaches that, in the realm of spirituality, there is a battle taking place between the forces of light and darkness (cf. Eph. 6:12). This manifests itself on a physical level, but it takes place behind the scenes, so to speak. Prayer affords us the opportunity to be prepared to face the situations that will be brought our way with confidence in God and His power resting upon us. When Daniel (in the Old Testament) was under the imperial decree forbidding prayer, he went on as usual with his worship practices. This led him to be thrown into a den of lions as punishment, but he faced it with courage and dignity because of the fortitude received from time with God.

            An important principle we must always keep in mind is that private practice determines public performance. We can be inspired by a great athlete or musician and be amazed at their ability. We may even say that these people are so gifted, and we wish we could do those things. But what is easily overlooked is the amount of time spent working on developing and perfecting their abilities. Perhaps we could be quite good at a sport or an instrument if we put the hours and hours of toil necessary to become proficient. In the same way, if we are going to be spiritually proficient, we must privately prepare with discipline in order to see spiritual growth and productivity. We must seek God regularly in prayer and time in His Word, asking Him for help in the spiritual battle we face.

The Reason for Prayer

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

This final phrase brings us back to where we began in this prayer: God’s glory. Though this phrase is not found in all of the ancient manuscripts, it does provide us with a Scripturally- based conclusion to the prayer (cf. I Chronicles 29:11). We pray, not out of duty or selfish motives, but because of who God is: the One who possesses the ultimate authority, power, and glory forever.  And so Christ-followers are to be people of prayer, following the pattern presented by the Lord Jesus in this passage. This is why the “Lord’s Prayer” was given to us, not a prayer to recite thoughtlessly, but a model for how to pray effectively.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Christ-Followers Are to Pray - Part 2

The Requests of Prayer

Hallowed Be Your Name

            I mentioned before how people can pray this prayer without really giving thought to what it means. It reminds me of children learning to pledge to the U.S. flag in school but not really understanding what it means until someone explains it, or upon reflection when they are older. Many have heard or prayed “hallowed be Your name” but do not have a clear idea of what this means. “Hallowed” carries the idea of being set part in an important way. We, if we are not careful, can approach prayer as if we are presenting a wish list to Santa Claus, whereas Jesus says our first priority is to be about God’s name, God’s honor, God’s reputation.

            Prayer, then, is about bringing glory to God, and God is honored (hallowed) when we praise Him and when He is seen to be at work through our prayers. In the book of John, we hear Jesus saying, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” When God’s people are answered by their Father in Heaven, people are able to see God for who He is. Pastor J. D. Greear tells of one of his experiences:

When I lived among Muslims in Southeast Asia, there were times I just didn’t know what to do or say to make Jesus known to them. So I’d offer to pray for sick people. I laid hands on dozens of people and prayed for them in Jesus’ name. Some of them got better. I’ll never forget the day a group of 12-year-old boys rang my doorbell so one could ask me to pray for his mother. I heard a kid in the back of the group say, “Why are you asking him to come? He’s not a Muslim.” The other boy said, “Yes, but this is a man God listens to.” (Greear, 233–234)

            Followers of Christ are to pray in order that God will be exalted as He does His mighty work. So our first request is “Hallowed be Your name.”

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done

            The next two requests continue with the priority of focusing on God, and they show that prayer is about aligning ourselves with God’s purposes. When Jesus Himself was facing His impending crucifixion, He went to a garden to pray, and this is what Matthew recounts:

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

                Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:36–42)

            Jesus was in agony over what He was about to face. Clearly His own desire was to avoid bearing sin on the cross and drinking the cup of wrath, but repeatedly, after pouring out His emotions, He submissively prays, “Your will be done.” If the Son of God struggled in prayer, it is to be expected that we will have to struggle in prayer at times. But prayer is meant to bring us to the place where, in drawing close to God with our inmost feelings, we can ultimately say that we want His will to be done.

            Praying for God’s kingdom to come entails a desire to see God at work in the lives of others, that His rule in the hearts of people will be advanced, but it also entails a desire for Christ to come again and rule on earth in His righteous kingdom. Followers of Christ should desire that more and more people will be brought into right relationship with the King of Heaven and be prepared for His rule on earth. I am happy to say I have seen God tremendously answer prayer for His work in changing people’s lives. On the other hand, when we pray with wrong, self-centered motives, we cannot expect that prayer to be answered. This explains why people who blame God for not answering prayer have a misconception of how God works. Jesus says prayer is not for expecting whatever we may wish but for aligning ourselves with God’s purposes and praying for Him to bring about what He deems best: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”

Works Cited:

J. D. Greear, Gospel: Rediscovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary (Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2011).

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Christ-Followers Are to Pray

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive

you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive

your trespasses.” (Jesus, Matthew 6:7–13)

It is ironic that the prayer given by Jesus in this passage has been used in a rigidly repetitious manner, to the point that many who know the “Lord’s Prayer” have not thoroughly considered what it means. And this is right after Jesus finishes saying not to use “vain” or “empty” repetitions. What Jesus says is that we are to pray “in this manner.” In other words, this prayer provides a pattern for us to follow, not a prayer that we are obligated to repeat word-for-word (though this is not wrong to do provided we mean what we are saying).

The Recipient of Prayer

            First, Jesus shows that we must consider to whom we are praying. He refers to God as “our Father.” The Scripture teaches that all who have faith in Christ have become the children of God, and are given the “Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15b).

            At one time, I worked as an afterschool caregiver for an elementary school children near Boston, MA. The particular community that I worked in had a fairly high Jewish population, and I distinctly remember one of the little Jewish boys running up to his father saying, “Abba! Abba!” This is a term denoting affection and close relationship, and this little boy was so happy to see his father that he could not help crying out with loving joy at the sight of him. The Scripture teaches that we can know God as our Father, even as a Father we are close enough to speak of as “Abba.”  Jesus says that when we approach God in prayer, we are to think in relational terms. We are not praying in some abstract sense, merely voicing our thoughts and wishes into the great unknown. We are speaking to a Person, whom we relate to as our adopted Father.

            Jesus adds, however, that God is “our Father in heaven.” I was taught to pray, “Dear heavenly Father” based on Jesus’ teaching here, but having heard and used this so much, it is easy to forget what this really means. It reveals that we are privileged to pray to the One who is in heaven and is above and in control of all things. The songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman addresses this theme:

The morning finds me
Here at heaven's door,
A place I've been
So many times before.
Familiar thoughts
And phrases start to flow,
And carry me to places that
I know so well.

But dare I go
Where I don't understand?
And do I dare
Remember where I am?
I stand before
The great eternal throne,
The one that God
Himself is seated on.
And I, I've been invited as a son.
Oh I, I've been invited to come and

Believe the unbelievable,
Receive the inconceivable,
And see beyond
My wildest imagination.
Lord, I come with
Great expectations.

Sometimes prayer can be perceived as a boring or superfluous activity, but if we

remembered that we are praying at the “great eternal throne” then we would truly come with wonder, humility, and anticipation, and this is what Jesus desires us to do.

Works Cited:

“Great Expectations” by Steven Curtis Chapman

© 1999 Sparrow Song (a div. of EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Primary Wave Brian (Chapman Sp Acct) (Admin. by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.)

Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

How Christ-Followers Are to Approach Religion

One of the greatest indicators of human depravity is our capacity to take something as good and wholesome as godly religion and twist it for self-centered purposes. This is what Jesus is dealing with here, and it is something He sought to address often in His ministry. Of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus commented that “all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’” (Matthew 23:5–7). This is a warning that we must not assume that simply because we engage in religious practices, we are truly honoring and pleasing God. Jesus declares that His followers are to be people who use religion rightly, and this is found in having the right motive. It is not enough to do good things, we must do them for the right reasons.

He presents three religious practices in order to reveal the wrong approach to religion and to instruct His followers how to engage in these practices rightly.

Charity

“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. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Jesus, Matthew 6:1–4)

            It is easy to assume that if one is engaged in a good endeavor, then that person is acting in a righteous manner. But Jesus reveals once again that righteousness is not only a matter of our outward behavior but of our heart as well. The first example can be seen in relation to giving to the needy. Surely this is a morally upright thing to do. But Jesus points out that some people do this for the sake of reputation, not out of love for God or others. A graphic example of this is found in a situation that took place very early in church history when church members were selling what they owned in order to supply for their needy brothers and sisters in Christ. Luke recounts in the book of Acts:

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. (Acts 5:1–11, ESV)

God was obviously not pleased in this situation. Even though Ananias and Saphira sold property and gave money to others, they lied about it and said they were giving all the money they had made. It seems they wanted to be known as having been sacrificial and generous, to the point that they were willing to lie to the apostle Peter (and ultimately God Himself). This duplicitous behavior was judged severely by God, but the church learned a valuable lesson.

Jesus teaches that those who give in order to bolster their reputation, sounding a trumpet

(metaphorically) so that others will see what they have given, will only receive the reward of immediate recognition. The correct approach is to give without making sure that others know, and then we have the assurance of receiving God’s approval and reward.

Prayer

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Jesus, Matthew 6:5–8)

            Prayer is another religious activity that obviously is a good thing. But once again, Jesus shows how people use it for wrong purposes. A sign of the misuse of prayer is either praying for show or praying ritualistically. Some people would make sure to pray where they would be seen or, as Jesus mentions elsewhere, pray long prayers to impress others (cf. Matthew 23:14). As foolish as this sounds, the human heart has such a strong tendency to do things for the wrong reasons, and that is exactly what we must look at in our lives.

            Praying ritualistically is going through the motions of prayer in order to make sure we get what we want or out of obligation. There are many variations of ritualistic prayer, as John MacArthur points out:

Many Buddhists spin wheels containing written prayers, believing that each turn of the wheel sends that prayer to their god. Roman Catholics light prayer candles in the belief that their requests will continue to ascend repetitiously to God as long as the candle is lit. Rosaries are used to count off repeated prayers of Hail Mary and Our Father, the rosary itself coming to Catholicism from Buddhism by way of the Spanish Muslims during the Middle Ages. Certain charismatic groups in our own day repeat the same words or phrases over and over until the speaking degenerates into unintelligible confusion (John A. Broadus, Matthew [Valley Forge, Pa.: Judson, 1886], p. 130). (MacArthur, 368–369)

And in case there are any others whose toes have not been stepped on, MacArthur goes on to say,

All of us, of course, have been guilty of repeating the same prayers meal after meal and prayer meeting after prayer meeting—with little or no thought of what we are saying or the One to whom we are supposedly speaking. Prayer that is thoughtless and indifferent is offensive to God, and should also be offensive to us. (MacArthur, 369)

Jesus presents an entirely different perspective on prayer than how many approach it (which we will look at more thoroughly in a future post on “The Lord’s Prayer”). But the main point here is to recognize that prayer is to be about truly relating to God. It is not for showing others our religiosity or for somehow meriting our wishes. It is a means to draw near to God, and an indication that we are truly seeking God is that we spend time with Him privately in prayer. Praying with the right motives pleases and is rewarded by God.

Fasting

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Jesus, Matthew 5:16–18)

If there is any act that seems to demonstrate self-denial, fasting (going without food) ranks highly. But even this religious activity, Jesus says, can actually be an act of self-promotion. After all, the more drastic our endeavor is, the more potentially impressed others may be at what we are doing. The funny thing to picture is the religious people Jesus speaks of, who “disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting.” They make sure everyone knows how uncomfortable they feel. This applies to our own lives, not only in the case of fasting, but with any act of sacrifice or self-denial. If we are doing it for the wrong-reason we will either make sure others know or we will resent when we are not recognized for our “selfless efforts.” But if we are fasting or sacrificing out of love for God, then there is no reason to be concerned about others knowing, which is why Jesus instructs His followers to act and look like normal when they fast.

Conclusion: On Christians Putting On a Show

In this portion of the sermon, Jesus has dealt heavily with using religion for selfish purposes. In the age of American Idol and large stadiums filled with screaming fans, Christ-followers need to take a hard look at whether they are getting caught up in the pursuit of self-glorification. While it may seem this problem is relegated mainly to the context of secular entertainment, Christianity has built up its own platforms for granting celebrity status to individuals. This is not to say that being well-known is wrong, but Jesus shows that when we are using religion to become celebrities, whether in front of 1,000, 100, or 10 people, we are only getting a physical, temporary reward. A realistic view tells us that, at best, our popularity will last several decades but will not benefit us beyond the grave. Jesus is showing that living for God’s glory will gain His reward, which is beneficial in both this life and in the next.

Work Cited:

John F. MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1–7 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985).

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus' Application of the (Old Testament) Law - Part 3

Example #6: Application on the Issue of Love

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Jesus, Matthew 5:43–48)

            Love is a much talked-about (as well as written-about and sung-about) subject. Many opinions exist on what love is, how it is shown, and on what grounds we are to love people. So it is extremely interesting to note what Jesus Himself says about love. The typical sentiment of Jesus’ day was that one ought to love his neighbor but hate his enemies. And even though today we may not express this explicitly, it still is the manner in which people often operate. We love those who we feel have merited our love and do not love those who for some reason have fallen outside of our acceptance.

            On concept that Jesus clearly lays out is that it is, in fact, possible to love people who are our enemies. To get a better handle on this, it is helpful to look at a story Jesus told in response to a man who struggled with this issue. The author Luke recounts:

                And behold, a lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”  And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25–37, ESV)

Jesus’ parable has become known as the story of the “Good Samaritan.” What is important to recognize is that Samaritans were considered the enemies of the Jews in that day. Jesus shows this man who was knowledgeable about the Old Testament law that it is possible and even required to love your enemies, and Jesus demonstrates the way in which this can be done. Jesus’ ethic here is actually nothing new. The Old Testament law itself speaks of doing good toward enemies. For example, Exodus 23:4–5 says, “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.” While Jews like this lawyer would have been aware of this, they seemed to believe that Samaritans fell outside the scope of this principle. It’s one thing to love a neighbor (fellow Jew) who acts like an enemy, but Samaritans were opposed to everything the Jew stood for. But this is exactly Jesus’ point: we are to love even those who stand against everything we believe and care about.

The kind of love Jesus is speaking of does not entail supporting evil behavior but rather showing kindness in the midst of wicked behavior. He says to bless, to do good, and to pray for those who are against us. Christians really need to take a look at whether they are following the ethic presented by the Lord. We may give lip service to the concept of loving everyone, but do our lives truly demonstrate showing goodness and praying for those who oppose us? If not, then Jesus says here that we are really no different than those who do not claim to follow God. Showing love only to those who are “on our side” is normal, but following Christ means displaying attributes that reflect God’s true goodness, and the fact is that God even does good toward those who oppose Him. Should not His followers do the same?

Conclusion: God’s Standard of Righteousness

            We have looked at Jesus’ view of morality in light of His application of the Old Testament law. Jesus caps off His treatment of God’s true standard by saying, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” The reality is that when it comes to morality, God’s standard is perfection—not just being as good as everyone else, not just being admired by society, but being absolutely perfect. Jesus’ application of the law blows the religious people’s concept of self-righteousness out of the water, and it ought to do the same for us. Righteousness, as pointed out before, is by God’s grace. God justifies those who recognize their sinfulness and come to Him for forgiveness and change.

            Once God has done the work of exposing the moral destitution of our lives, we are ready for Him to show us what it really means to live in a righteous manner. But we must be careful not to affirm Jesus’ presentation only in theory. The question is whether the church is truly following the way of Christ. One song in recent years highlights the danger and repulsiveness when the church is inconsistent in practice. Mark Hall writes:

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly
Sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better
Out on the road

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

            Christ-followers must not simply talk about the way of Christ but live the way of Christ, seeking to live by God’s standard of goodness. This is Jesus' ultimate point concerning the law.

Works Cited:

“If We are the Body” by Mark Hall © 2003 My Refuge Music

(Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC)

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus' Application of the (Old Testament) Law - Part 2

Example #4: Application on the Issue of Oaths

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Jesus, Matthew 5:33–37)

            As Jesus continues to contrast His approach to the law with what was commonly taught, He hits on the issue of oaths. The Old Testament gives the following commands: “And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:12). “If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth” (Numbers 30:2). And, “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you” (Deuteronomy 23:21). The standard teaching, then, was to make sure you actually fulfill oaths made to the Lord, which sounds good. The problem is that oaths and swearing was abused by people (as it is today), and this is what Jesus confronts.

            One abuse is swearing about trivial things. People, instead of simply saying what they mean, add swears to what they are saying. They “swear to God” that the food at that restaurant is the worst they have ever had. They “swear to God” that they are going to punish their child if he does that one more time. Obviously, this trivializes the purpose of swearing, and it demeans God’s name. Another abuse is swearing with technicalities (the equivalent of crossing your fingers). As long as we don’t actually swear to the Lord (the reasoning went) then we don’t have to actually follow through on what we swore. Today, people make promises and sign agreements, and yet they find loopholes in order not to follow through on their commitment.

            Jesus is simply calling people on the carpet and telling them to speak truthfully. They should not have to add oaths to their statements for people to trust them. When people hear you say something, they should know, based on your character, that what you say is true. There are times when society may legitimately require and oath or signature to ensure honesty (such as in legal situations), but this only backs the principle of how important it is to be truthful. Jesus was asked to swear under oath by the Jewish council whether He was truly the Son of God, which He then affirmed (Matthew 23:63–64). But even if oaths may be instituted by government for certain reasons, Jesus’ clear teaching is that His followers are not to rely on them in normal conversation.

Example #5: Application on the Issue of Retaliation

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. (Jesus, Matthew 5:38–42)

The law of retribution, “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” is an ancient principle,

observed in law codes other than the Old Testament. The Old Testament law does present this principle, saying for example, “But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe” (Exodus 21:24). The reasoning behind a law such as this is that it prevents crime (through fear of consequences) and protects a guilty person from being given a punishment that is greater than the crime itself merits (MacArthur, 329).

            The problem Jesus is pointing out is using this law as a justification for personal vengeance. Jesus here teaches that on a personal level, His people are to be forgiving and even accommodating to others in situations where we may be tempted to retaliate. If someone slaps you (a severe example of disrespect), Jesus says to “turn the other cheek,” or to accept it calmly. If someone wants to sue you (in Jesus’ time, they could take clothing if that was all you had), He instructs us to give more than what is demanded. And if someone demands you carry their load for a mile (as Roman soldiers then were permitted to do), be willing to carry it for two.

            What is the purpose behind these reactions that Jesus advocates? A hint is found in what Paul says in Romans:

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:18–21)

There are two reasons for why Jesus’ followers are to refrain from taking personal vengeance. The first is to overcome evil with good. By treating others the opposite of what they deserve, it actually serves to convict them of how they are treating us. Most of us know that when we act harshly and someone returns this with the same attitude, it only exacerbates the issue. But when someone treats us nicely in spite of ourselves, it tends to soften our hearts. An example of overcoming contention with goodness is seen in the following words of a woman who had become bitter in her marriage. It had come to an end for her, so she kicked her husband out of the house. But in the meantime he spent time in prayer and studying marriage books and tapes. She recounts:

The girls were really starting to miss him not being around, so we decided he would return home “until further notice.” Well, he would hold my hand every night and pray for me and for our marriage as I stared up at the ceiling anxiously waiting for him to finish. He would leave little notes, or a little flower on the bathroom mirror or in my car. So many little things he would do to show me that he loved me and wasn’t going to let this marriage end easily.

It just irritated me. I thought, can’t he understand that I don’t love him, that I don’t want to be with him anymore? Why is he trying so hard?. . .

            I was emotionally going through something that neither of us really understood, but he stayed there and loved me through it. I’ll spare you all the little extra details, but I eventually broke. No woman in her right mind could let go of that much love and commitment.

            [Now] I am very much in love with my husband. (Eggerichs, 98)

I am sure her husband was far from perfect and had a part in leading the marriage to turmoil in the first place, but he learned how to treat bitterness with kindness and love, and overcame evil with good.

The second reason for not retaliating is that we can trust God to bring justice. Jesus exemplified this attitude, according to Peter, in that “when He [Jesus] was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (I Peter 2:23). Jesus committed His situation to God, who can take care of justice.

One other principle that sheds light on this topic is seen in Paul’s instruction concerning government:

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (Romans 13:1–4)

Paul, in these words, demonstrates that God uses the government to punish evil. This is the proper sphere of meting out justice. On a personal level, Christ’s followers are to return evil with goodness, but there are actions for which people will ultimately face judgment from the legal system. The government is a means by which God brings justice and which may help people not to engage in destructive behaviors.

Works Cited:

Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, Love and Respect: The Love She Most Desires, The Respect He Desperately Needs (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004).

John F. MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Matthew 1–7 (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985). 

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Jesus' Application of the (Old Testament) Law

Jesus and the Law of God: His Application of the Law

So in this part of Jesus’ sermon, we have seen four principles He has brought out concerning His view of the Old Testament law: He came to fulfill the law, the law is God’s unfailing Word, the law (morally speaking) is to be kept by Christ’s followers, and the law is to be kept differently than the manner of the Scribes and Pharisees. This whole subject of living righteously brings out a theological struggle that Christianity has faced, and I would generalize the approaches in the following way: Fundamentalists have tended to emphasize the head—Christianity is about knowing and believing the right things. Liberals have tended to emphasize the hands—Christianity is about doing the right things. Jesus, in contrast to both of these approaches, emphasizes the heart—it’s about being the right kind of person. This is drawn out in His application of the law.

We have seen that Jesus has said that a person must have a greater righteousness than the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. He explains the kind of righteousness God desires by giving six examples taken from the law. In each case, He presents the standard teaching (what most people think) and then gives His own perspective (what God thinks). He shows how the law is supposed to be applied to our lives—true righteousness as opposed to the merely outward goodness of the scribes and Pharisees (a goodness that we, as humans, are all too content with).

Example # 1: Application on the Issue of Murder

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.” (Jesus, Matthew 5:21–26)

            First, Jesus gives the standard teaching on murder. Don’t murder; if you do, you will face judgment. Most people then and today feel they are justified as long as they don’t actually murder someone. But Jesus’ evaluation goes much deeper. He goes to the heart. “I say to you” (in other words, I am telling you what is actually correct) “whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” In Jesus’ view, hatred within makes you guilty before God. Harsh words that come out of our mouths reveal something horrible within. Hatred is what leads to contempt for others, where we no longer truly care about their well-being. This is what gives humans the propensity for horrific actions such as murder, but hatred is something all humans must deal with. It is so serious that Jesus says before we offer a gift to God, we ought to take care of our relationships with others. And it is so serious that it can lead to many adverse consequences both here on earth and in the judgment to come.

Example 2: Application on the Issue of Adultery

“You have heard that it was said to those of old,‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” (Jesus, Matthew 5:27–30)

            Again, in this second application of the law, Jesus gives the typical teaching on adultery: as long as you don’t sleep with someone other than your spouse, you are innocent. And again, Jesus probes to the root issue: lust (sexual desire for a person who is not your spouse). Our culture is so entangled with the promotion and gratification of lust in television, movies, music, magazines, books, and the internet, where various forms of pornography are displayed, that Jesus’ standard seems impossibly high. But it is not Jesus who is presenting something unusual or ridiculous, it is our society that is morally awry.

            So dangerous is the reality of lust that Jesus (in a hyperbolic way) says drastic measures must be taken to deal with unrighteous sexual desires. Jesus and the Bible as a whole teach that marriage and sexuality are a good thing, but when these are invaded by self-gratification and infidelity, all sorts of terrible problems ensue. Instead of intimacy and love, people are left with guilt and brokenness in relationships. The God who designed sexuality hates that which endangers its purity and potential for true intimacy.  Our society has strayed far from Jesus’ standard, and it is paying the consequences in widespread sexually transmitted diseases, breakdown in families, and much dissatisfaction in the area of sexuality (ironically, for a society that seeks so much satisfaction in it).

            All of this (including the act of adultery itself) stems from the heart. That is why Jesus essentially says that lusting after someone makes one guilty before God. It is better to enter eternal life maimed from dealing with this issue than be cast into hell through God’s judgment because of the sin of lust (cf. Matt 18:8–9).

Example #3: Application on the Issue of Divorce

“Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery. (Jesus, Matthew 5:31–32).

As if the previous example is not hard enough to take, Jesus confronts the issue of divorce. Even two-thousand years ago people still had to deal with the issue of divorce. The Old Testament law made provision for divorce, but in no way commended it (cf. Deuteronomy 24:1–4). Many of the Jews of Jesus’ day thought that because the law made provision for divorce, it was an acceptable option. When specifically asked about this issue, Jesus gave His perspective in no uncertain terms. Matthew writes:

Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:1–9, ESV)

            Jesus’ teaching is that divorce is not acceptable. The only time it is condonable (but still not commanded) is in the case of sexual immortality. While it may be true there are cases where a couple may need to physically separate (for example, due to abuse), Jesus says what God has joined together (in marriage), let no one separate (with divorce). God’s ideal, as Jesus quotes from Genesis, is that two people become “one flesh.” In other words, their relationship is to be one of loving unity, so much that their identity is wrapped up in one another. This is a far cry from how American culture often views marriage. One problem is that we make a huge deal out of weddings, but often give scant attention to marriages themselves. As a billboard sign used to say: “Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage. –– God” The reason God made provision for divorce, says Jesus, is because of the hardness of people’s hearts. Once again, we see the real issue is that of the heart.

The Need for Heart Surgery

I had the most interesting conversation today with a man who has had over 10 heart attacks. He says he has technically died at least 11 times. This man clearly has a physical heart problem and had to undergo very risky surgery to turn his situation around. Jesus’ examination of people based on His use of the law reveals that each of us needs a situational turn-around. We need spiritual heart surgery because, as Jesus says, “out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man” (Matt. 15:18–20a). He also says that the only way to have good fruit is for a tree to be good: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit” (Matt. 12:33). Our words and actions (fruit) ultimately reflect what we are inside. And while we tend to justify ourselves as being good people, Jesus shows that we have a spiritual illness, a propensity toward wickedness that is exposed when we see God’s law applied to the heart.

What the man I spoke with today needed was a surgeon who cared and was willing to take great risk to save this man’s life (he said he had been lost a few times on the operating table as well). Fortunately, he does have a surgeon who really understood his specific condition and has concern for him. Jesus is a physician to those who realize they are ill (Luke 5:31). He cares for us and was willing to go to all lengths to save us, giving His life on the cross (Mark 10:45). He knows exactly the operation that must take place in each of our hearts if we will go to Him for help. As God promised through the prophet in the Old Testament, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26–27). Jesus can change our stony, hard hearts and create in us a heart that loves God and others rightly, allowing us to truly fulfill His righteous law.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version.  Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.