JEAN'S BIBLE STUDY COM

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel

See previous page

Mat 5-1,2 -- No Entries

Mat 5,3-12

(55k) Paradox >> Opposites that are Inverse of Each Other – There is a surprising number of unbelievers in the world who have a special problem with verse 5, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." They claim that it cannot be possible. It is common to hear this verse as a defense for their unbelief, but they only put their ignorance on display, saying that it is not the gentle who will inherit the earth but those who are aggressive and take the earth by force. They could provide a thousand examples of men going to war and conquering countries and lands, and in that sense they dominate the earth. From war to war this is the story of man taking what he wants. Worldly people think God’s kingdom should operate by these same principles, but when we try to explain to them that His kingdom operates by different principles they just mock us. If we try to tell them something that does not jive with their world, they cannot accept what we say; they don't have to think about it; they automatically reject it. 1Jn 4-5,6 says, “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” If they lived in Jesus’ day and met Him, they would have rejected Him too, because He is the one who taught these things: the last is first; the first is last, humble yourself that you may be exalted, and all the other teachings that are contrary to this world. Basically, the Kingdom of God is the reciprocal of this world, not just the inverse but backwards and inside-out. The world is negative; therefore, the Kingdom of God is positive; the world is upside-down; therefore, the Kingdom of God is right-side-up. This is how God’s truth seems to secular and worldly-minded people. See also: Meek shall inherit the earth; 56k

(56k) Paradox >> Opposites >> Least are greatest >> Smallest in the eyes of men are big to God – Most worldly people don’t believe in Mat 5-5; they scoff at the idea that the meek shall inherit the earth; they are more convinced in the ways of the world than they are in the ways of God. They say, 'It might work that way in heaven, but not down here.' This is where the greatest are the greatest and the least are the least, where the principles of survival of the fittest are at work.’ Nations go to war with other nations and the strong take everything from the weak, putting their fellow man in slavery, but Jesus had the perspective of heaven and taught that a day was coming for the people of God who showed a little patience and forbearance will be constituents of the First Resurrection and will receive bodies that cannot die along with an indestructible kingdom. Beginning at the Millennium, God will show mankind how they could have governed themselves all these thousands of years, proving that their ways were wrong and that the ways of God are right. He will devote the first thousand years of His kingdom to proving peace could have been perpetually achieved instead of war being the rule of thumb. See also: Meek shall inherit the earth; 221b

(194i) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Yielding >> Yield to God’s right to direct your way

(221b) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world >> God hides from man’s ignorance >> God hides from those who are looking for Him – The rich, young ruler hung his head and walked away after Jesus advised him to liquidate his assets and give the proceeds to the poor, but in Zaccheus’ case, who was also wealthy, he was confirmed by the Lord after promising to repent of his evil ways. Jesus said in Mat 19,24-26, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God,” and He also said in Lk 6-26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you,” and He concluded in regard to salvation that with God all things are possible. Therefore, who will populate Heaven? It will be those whom James described in Jm 2-5, “Did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” Jesus described them as those who were poor in spirit, those who feel insufficient. They sense that something is fundamentally lacking in their lives that hits at the very core of their person, a place that if they found their quarry would redefine their very essence, and what they seek is not of this world. The world has many versions of reality yet none of them suffices the one who is looking for God, and they know He only can give what they need. There may be others who have been on this road before them who have come into possession of what the seek, but it is not theirs to give. We must personally receive truth from God in order to possess it. These are the ones who will populate heaven, who realize they are deficient in the eyes of God and need to be completed by Him. See also: Meek shall inherit the earth; Mat 5-3; 56m

(224j) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> The people of heaven >> Those in heaven are blessed indeed -- These verses illustrate the Kingdom of Heaven by describing the people who live there, who are blessed indeed. Try to imagine the people who have had to live in the most enervating circumstances, and then see their faces when they enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It must warm God's heart to see His children find their home after living and dying through so many restless moments. Those who so-called have it all in this life, Jesus would say, “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full” (Mat 6,1-18). He advised us to ‘sell everything and give to the poor and come follow Him’ (Mat 19-21). It sounds like a form of self-deprecation, only He teaches us to do it for the cause of the gospel. If we have no accession to mourn, Jesus would tell us to change our lives so we do have cause to mourn. We must become servants and lower ourselves until it is painful, that we may better serve others.

Mat 5,3-5

(34d) Gift of God >> Believer owns everything >> New creation belongs to us -- These verses go with verse 10

Mat 5-3

(23f) Sin >> Poverty (Oppression) >> Rich are those who are poor in their own minds -- What did Jesus mean by "the poor in spirit?" Jesus came to give us life in abundance, yet He said that you must be poor in spirit to be blessed. The poor in spirit know they are empty inside and know they don't have the answers to their quarry lying within themselves, while those who do feel rich in themselves don't acknowledge their inner-poverty and believe they are self-sufficient. The result is, they are unable to receive the things of God. What God offers and how to receive it is based on the realization of our need of God to be whole.

(56m) Paradox >> Opposites >> The poor in spirit are rich in faith – In a similar way that psychopaths fill the seats of CEOs in the corporate world and government offices in the political world by their aggressive personalities, so wealthy people are typically less than poor in spirit. They would be richer in faith if they cared what God thought of them, and isn't that the poor in spirit? Some have come to the conclusion that being poor in spirit means they have low self-esteem, but what it really means is they don’t esteem themselves more highly than they ought, but think so as to have sound judgment (Rom 12-3). They actually have some kind of balance to their self-opinion. Most people fancy themselves way too much, and they become rich in themselves and thus unable to receive from God. If they could see themselves as God sees them, they would realize their need of Him. This is what it takes to have faith in God, but to be egocentric, egotistical and narcissistic is the antithesis of God. See also: Meek shall inherit the earth; Mat 5-5; 36j

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5-4

(188h) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Sorrow >> Grieving over your own loss >> Grieving over your sinful nature -- Christians have one more layer of sorrow assigned to them that the unbelievers do not have. We feel sorry for our sin and morn over it, while the unbelievers usually only feel sorry for getting caught in their sin. Although we should be happy to get rid of some of our bad habits and sinful ways, those things no matter how loathsome were no less an intricate part of our lives. It feels more like we are severing a member of our bodies when we renew our minds and behaviors that hinder us from following Christ more succinctly. 

(228b) Kingdom of God >> God’s kingdom is a living organism >> God working in you >> Comforted >> God comforts you in times of adversity >> He comforts you in your grief – Jesus was implying two things: those who mourn in this life will be comforted in the life to come, and He was saying blessed are those who are capable of mourning. ‘Blessed are those who are able to think about someone other than themselves, for they shall be comforted.’ Those who are able to grieve over other people’s circumstances, this is compassion, and of course compassion fulfills its purpose by doing something about their grief. They take the next step and actually help the person in need. Blessed are those who consider the circumstances of others more important than their own, for they shall be comforted in the life to come. Blessed are those who haven’t been given this life on a silver platter, who must work and struggle, who have a hard life because of their faith in Jesus, for they shall be comforted.

(36j) Gift of God >> Inheritance >> We are heirs through sanctification -- There are some who have no knowledge of God, who would actually use this verse to prove the Bible wrong and say that it is not the gentle and the meek who inherit the world but those who are worldly, violent, greedy and materialistic. Those who have this fault in their thinking are forgetting one major fact of the gospel, that we who believe in Jesus and die in faith will go to heaven and one day return to the earth with Christ in a resurrected body where He will set up His millennial kingdom. Later He will create a new heavens and a new earth, and we will reign with Christ forever on the earth to expand His kingdom to the far reaches of the universe, while sinners surrender beneath our feet. Yes, we will inherit the earth. See also: Meek shall inherit the earth; Mat 5,3-12; 55k

(128d) Gentleness (Key verse)

(128e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Gentleness >> Be gentle in all your ways >> Put gentleness in your character

Mat 5-6

(76h) Desires (Key verse)

(77a) Thy kingdom come >> Hunger for the essence of God >> Hunger for His righteousness -- Jesus had a slightly hidden meaning that expands the truth a little beyond the words He used (which was a common practice of His). In this case the deeper truth lies, not in what He said, but in what He didn't say. The implication is that any way we try to satisfy our desires will not result in being truly satisfied. He said it in such a way so as to make us think there is no other solution to hunger.

Mat 5-7

(34n) Gift of God >> Be generous like your Father >> Love your enemies -- This verse goes with verses 38-48

(104e) Pure In Heart (Key verse)

(104f) Thy kingdom come >> Pure in heart shall see God >> Shall see the Father >> Being in the presence of God -- What did Jesus mean by this? the pure in heart shall see visions? Not necessarily. Blessed are the pure in heart, for God will open the eyes of their spiritual need of Christ, and they will see the truth.

(33b) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Believers are His sons and daughters -- This verse goes with verses 44&45

(126b) Peacemakers (Key verse)

(126c) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Peace >> Peacemakers >> Peacemakers are a blessing – It is critical as Christians that we adopt the attributes of Christ’s nature. He spoke in ways that emphasized this fact, saying in Mat 5-45, “…in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” He made it sound as though we are not the sons of God until we adopt His attributes. We come to God as wretched, lost souls, but once we are born of God with His nature dwelling in us, He can begin to mold us into His image. Jesus wasn’t saying that our performance must increase before we can be His children; rather, we develop the attributes of God because we are His children. Having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us literally defines us as the children of God. Paul said that if we become peacemakers, the peace of God will be with us (2Cor 13-11), but being peacemakers and possessing the peace of God are two different things. People who attempt to be peacemakers but do not have the peace of God dwelling in them often fail at the prospect of living in peace. The peace of God is one of the fruits of the Spirit and is extremely subtle; there are no billboards pinned to our foreheads saying we possess His peace, yet just about everybody knows when we do. We cannot establish peace in our lives if we have not made peace with God. Peace is often ill-defined, because we don't understand its basic nature. The best way to comprehend peace is to look at its opposite, “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (Rev 14-11). For hell to have this description highlights the importance of having God’s peace; it is like having a piece of heaven.

Mat 5,10-12

(242l) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Persecuting the kingdom >> Responding to persecution -- We are free to be persecuted for the Kingdom of God because we have inherited eternal life through faith, and now we can afford to experience a little pain for the sake of all the blessings that is headed our way in our glorious future. The biggest cause of persecution is the fact that the children of God prick the conscience of the heathen. It is one thing to prick the conscience of those who repent and turn to the Lord for salvation. They will shake our hand and feel obligated to us for life, but the one who has no intension of repenting, yet don’t want to live with an evil conscience work very hard at keeping their conscience from condemning them, either by trying to live a halfway descent life or by lying to themselves about their sin and God’s looming judgment. 

Mat 5-10

(34d) Gift of God >> Believer owns everything >> New creation belongs to us – This verse goes with verses 3-5. Although we may own all things, we also share in the struggle and the sorrow that goes along with owning something very valuable. To believe in something as great as Jesus Christ and His Father's kingdom is worth the humiliation of living among people who don't. Perhaps we will influence those who would like to squelch our zeal that they too may someday believe God because of us.

Mat 5-11,12

(32i) Gift of God >> Father will honor you if you die to self >> Father honors His word in you -- These verses go with verses 43-45. The only reason we are willing to suffer the will of God is that we know the truth. If we are ignorant of His ways, we won’t know to be obedient, nor would we choose to live in line with His will. It is the word of God that teaches us to live for Him, also that there is reward awaiting us.

(156da) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> Loving your fellow man is evidence of salvation >> Love your enemies -- These verses go with verses 43-48. We don't depend on our persecutors to prove that we are sons and daughters of the Most High; we depend on God to save us. Moreover, we can pray for our enemies and our enemies may not change, but if we don’t pray for them, it becomes obvious that we are not His children. Jesus commanded us to bless our enemies so we don’t curse them, and Jesus doesn’t want us attempting to operate in the realm of Satan. Every way we disobey God is evidence that we are not His children, and every way we obey Him is evidence that we are His children. The choice set before us to produce evidence of our faith. Many in the Church today teach that we can consistently produce the opposite fruit of God’s Kingdom and still be its citizens, but this is not the teaching of Scripture.

(226h) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of heaven >> Levels of reward >> God rewards us to the degree of our faithfulness

(245g) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Manifestation of God’s righteous judgment >> Manifestation of God’s justice – God wants us to treat our enemies in the same way that we treat our friends, just like the rain does not discriminate between the evil and the good. If a farmer doesn’t get rain and his neighbor does, that is a coincidence, for God does not judge the evil and the good by who gets rain and who doesn’t, but an age is coming when God will direct the rain to the righteous and away from the wicked during the Millennium (see: Amos 4-7 and Zechariah 14-17,18). However, in the current days that we are living God does not withhold rain from the wicked, so nor should we withhold our blessing from them. We are living in the age of grace, when God allows the circumstances of life to test us, and He watches to see our response and will reward us accordingly. This life is such that everyone has an opportunity to suffer and prove our loyalty to Him.

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5-13 

(28e) Gift of God >> God is our advocate >> God protects the world through the Church

(70k) Authority >> Believer’s authority >> We are the salt of the earth (Preservative) -- One of the purposes of the Church is to preserve the earth. Our ultimate purpose is to keep the world from destroying itself before the appointed time. The manner in which we accomplish this is by preserving some of the primary intangibles of life, such as morals and a code of ethics. Since the world is destined to reject Christ, it is also destined to eventually commit suicide. We can only delay the inevitable long enough to stay on God's predestined timeline and fulfill His purposes. Salt is not a food, but we use it in our food to bring out the flavor. We don’t like the taste of salt; in fact, we could ruin a good meal by over salting it, but if we use the right amount, we can better taste our food. This works because salt is an electrolyte that establishes a better connection between our taste buds and our food, similar to copper conducting electricity through a wire. Salt is separate from our food, though we keep it ready at the table, and so is the Christian separate from the world, though we flavor it, making the world palatable. See also: Salt of the earth; 92g

(92g) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> What kind of trail is this? >> Gate is small and few are those who find it – When we get saved, we become the salt of the earth; we live for Jesus; we come to know Him; we walk according to His will; we produce the fruit of the kingdom, but the person who falls away from the faith Jesus asked, “How can He be made salty again?” He is good for nothing anymore “except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men,” and the gospel gets trampled along with the person. Talk to unsaved people and they will say that Bible thumpers and the like who come preaching the gospel are the most tasteless of all people. Nevertheless, Jesus said that true Christians are the salt of the earth, meaning they add flavor to the world. In fact, He is saying we are the ONLY people who add flavor to the world. Consequently, the ratio of food to salt on our dinner plate underscores the passage He spoke a couple chapters later. “The gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mat 7-13,14). If unbelievers represent food on our plate, and Christians proportionately represent the salt, it illustrates just how few people are being saved. See also: Salt of the earth; 184i

(184i) Works of the devil >> The origin of lawlessness >> Abusing the grace of God >> Spending His grace on your pleasures >> Adding leaven to His grace -- Salt can actually loose its saltiness, and thus loose its preserving qualities through time and overuse. The Bible says that each of us has received a measure of faith, or salt, and that we must protect it from overuse or abuse. Although faith itself has a preserving quality, we are obligated to doing everything we can to preserve and protect that which preserves and protects us, and not to expose it to every whimsical, fleshly desire. See also: Salt of the earth; 190da

(190da) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Masochism (Self-made martyr) >> Spiritual suicide – There is a resemblance between the complacent Christian and the suicidal person; they both have one thing in common, tastelessness. The Christian who does not bear the fruit of the Spirit but lives according to the standards and principles of the world, instead of by the principles of God’s Kingdom, is in a state of freefall and is committing spiritual suicide, soon to hit the ground with a fatal thud. Instead of giving him a proper burial, people will trample him underfoot, along with his gospel. When we look at suicide victims, virtually every one of them suffered from the same condition, tastelessness regarding their own lives. They try to get away from themselves by committing suicide. Therefore, helping a suicidal person is a matter of adding a little flavor to his life through the fruit of the Spirit, and once he gets a taste of what God is serving, he will develop a taste for the Kingdom of God and become a Christian source of flavor to others. See also: Salt of the earth; 217e

(217e) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> God gives up on you >> After you are no longer able to repent -- Just as salt that has lost its saltiness cannot be regenerated, so after faith has lost its faithfulness, how will it be made faithful again? Jesus said that when a Christian loses his savor, he cannot get it back. It is hard to retrieve faith once we lose it. God expels tasteless Christians like we expel tasteless food, according to Rev 3-15,16, “I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Instead of being tasteless, the Laodiceans had a temperature problem in regard to zeal. People generally like food that is either cold or hot, but seldom like it lukewarm. We like the contrast in temperatures in our mouth, which we interpret as an aspect of taste. The person who is tasteless is actually expelled by God. This speaks of the warnings in Hebrews where it says, “It is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame” (Heb 6-6), scary stuff. See also: Salt of the earth; 226a

(222c) Kingdom of God >> The elusive Kingdom of Heaven >> Do not give what is holy to dogs >> God does not entrust his treasures to dogs >> Do not invest yourself in dogs

(226a) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Parables >> Parables about salt – What is the savor that Christians provide? The pagans tell us how we taste; what do they say? If they say that our Christianity is tasteless, how can we argue with them? It would be like a waiter at a restaurant serving a meal, and the patron complains that the food is tasteless. Should the waiter argue that the food tastes good? Jesus affirms that Christians are the salt of the earth. Paul talked about the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy peace, patience, kindness, etc. These are tasteful fruits to virtually every palate. Even an unbeliever enjoys the love of God from a sincere Christian, but if the flesh manufactures it, he is just being nice. The point that Jesus was making was that this savor was not produced by individual Christians but by the Church as a whole having an overall positive influence on the world, all the while being separate from the world, even as salt is an essential ingredient in almost all foods but itself is not a food. While all the terrible things are happening in the world, the Church seeks to add flavor. Instead of taking, the Church wants to give; instead of being exploitive, the Church strives to heal and bless, and through this process the gospel is conveyed. The “Christian” who comes preaching the gospel of the kingdom without demonstrating the fruit of that kingdom, does more to insult his hearers than to lead them to Christ. His message is obnoxious. All they hear is the offense of the gospel and not the promises and blessing intended for this life and the next. The person who produces the fruit of the Spirit is the true soul winner, but the one who tries various shortcuts is tasteless. See also: Salt of the earth; Mat 5-13; 70k

(232d) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Count the cost >> If Jesus cost too much, then you aren’t worth much

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5,14-16

(112f) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Light >> Obeying the truth in broad daylight >> Church’s deeds in the light – This corresponds with Jn 3-21, “He who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.” There is another passage, Mat 6-1, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” How do we reconcile this verse with the other two? There are two kinds of works: those produced by human will and those produced by divine inspiration. The works that Jesus had in mind in Matthew chapter five are the works that fulfill our specific calling from God. Paul made mention of this in Eph 2-10, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” We all have a general calling from God, articulated in the Bible in black and white and sometimes read, but we also have a specific calling from God revealed by the Spirit. His general calling that we understand by the Bible pertains to what Jesus said in Mat 6-1, "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them," but our specific calling pertains to Mat 5-16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” as we reveal God to the world by the specific works that He has called us to do. We don’t come to know our specific calling by reading the Bible and having a prayer life but by dedicating ourselves to these things. If we give Him 15 minutes a day, He will give us 15 minutes of spiritual wisdom and understanding, suggesting that the more devoted we become, the more He reveals Himself and His will to us, and the more we do of His will the more powerful His Spirit becomes in us as we fulfill His purpose. When we talk about Jesus to someone, it makes them tremble because of our relationship with Him, as He anoints everything we say and do. Our ministry comes alive as we become light to the world.

(226a) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Parables >> Parables about lamps

Mat 5-16

(128b) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Doing good in the presence of God -- The difference between letting your good works shine before men and parading your righteousness for others to see is that one glorifies God while the other glorifies self. One edifies and encourages the lowly, while the other is boorish and crass. 

Mat 5,17-20

(90k) Thy kingdom come >> Keeping the law >> Unless you keep the law you will not see heaven ...and so the debate between faith and works (the law) continues. Where is the balance between them? Some teach that the law has been abolished through faith, but what does the law teach? 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.' Is the love of God no longer an aspect of the new covenant? On the contrary, there is no better way than the law to sum up the Holy Spirit's ministry in our lives. Therefore, abolishing the law would be like abolishing the love of God, preposterous! The law is like a dirt road growing grass and weeds in it, leading to the king's palace. It has been replaced by a highway that leads to the same place. We don't use the law to fulfill the law; we use the Spirit through faith. Jesus posited, "If your righteousness does not exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven;" this means that fulfilling the law is evidence that we are walking in the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ, which is how the Bible teaches we get to heaven. See also: Your righteousness; Mat 5-17; 41b

Mat 5,17-19

(141c) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Old Testament bears witness to the new >> It bears witness to Jesus >> Prophesy about Jesus’ ministry >> Jesus as the Son of God

Mat 5-17

(41b) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Jesus is without sin >> He fulfilled the law -- Jesus fulfilled the law to the letter, and not just the prophesies. He never broke a single commandment while He lived in the flesh; that was His greatest miracle. The fact that Jesus was without sin is absolutely central to the gospel. He could not have died for our sin if He Himself was with sin. He could not have even gone back to heaven and rejoined His Father. That is why Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, and did everything in his power to cause Him to stumble, like He did with Adam. It was logically and physically feasible for Jesus to have given into sin, but it was spiritually and divinely impossible, simply because He was God in the flesh, and Jesus never fails. See also: Your righteousness; Mat 5-19; 45h

Mat 5-19

(45h) Judgment >> Of believer’s sin >> God will judge us if we don’t heed His word – This statement sounds legalistic; Jesus is teaching us to observe the Law, to keep it and teach others to do the same. Isn’t that the legalistic mindset that Paul so tenaciously opposed? Nevertheless, this was his opinion: “The Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom 7-12). Jesus would concur with this, and for this reason we should not violate the Law. How do we reconcile this with the many teachings against legalism that Paul addressed mostly in Galatians and Romans? Also, in the book of Acts chapter 15 the apostles scribbled out a short list of commandments, some of which are no longer relevant: “Abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood” (v20). Note that there was no mention of anything pertaining to the Ten Commandments in this list, because everybody knew not to commit adultery, not to lie, cheat and steal, and not to commit murder, etc. They didn’t have to address the points of the Law, because it was common knowledge of the old covenant, but Paul taught that we don’t use the Law anymore, because the Holy Spirit has replaced it, and he leads us in the opposite direction of violating the Law, rendering it obsolete. It is the Holy Spirit who makes sense of the gospel of Christ, though He is de-emphasized among the members of the trinity in the Church today. No wonder people have such a problem understanding the Bible. See also: Your righteousness; Mat 5,20-22; 94e / Comparing the Law to the fruits of the Spirit; Rom 13,8-10; 74e

(48j) Judgment >> Levels of judgment >> Judged by withdrawing rewards -- When it comes to God judging the sin of the believer, He does not impose any kind of sentence on us like He does on the unbeliever. Rather, He simply withdraws His rewards from us. We all have a trail of good works that God has prepared for us, and He expects us to walk on it, and He rewards us according to how close we follow Him. Perceptibly, the works we fail to do will not see its conjugate reward. The rewards of doing the will of God primarily consist of the brightness of our glory and by the limits of our spiritual understanding (hence, how close we are to Christ). These will forever reflect how we spent our transitory lives on earth, either selfishly or for the will of God. The judgment will be that we will have to face eternity knowing we could have done more for the cause of Christ.

(226g) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Rewards of the Kingdom of Heaven >> Reserved in heaven >> Rewarded in heaven

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5,20-22

(94e) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective >> God’s Perspective on the Church -- These verses go with verses 27-48. This is basically what James said in chapter 2 of his epistle, “Faith without works is dead” (Vs 14-26). Jesus concurred that if our righteousness does not surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees we would not see the Kingdom of Heaven. Mat 23-14 says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.” They confiscated their houses because the widows couldn’t pay the temple tax, leaving them begging on the streets, similar to what our government does to its citizens today. If our faith does not inspire us to develop righteousness higher than that, then God will assign us a place in hell with the unbelievers. Without a standard of conduct, how can we prove our faith? Caring for widows, starting with our own mothers, is not asking much from us, but still the question remains: how far must our righteousness surpass that of the Scribes and Pharisees before we are considered candidates of heaven? There is no line or gauge for this, but there is a standard that we must surpass. If we believe in Jesus for eternal life and treat people decently with respect, there is nothing in Scripture that says we can't go to heaven. See also: Your righteousness; Mat 5-20; 5h

Mat 5-20

(5h) Responsibility >> Discipleship tested >> God tests your loyalty >> Your commitment to follow Jesus – Discipleship reduces to this one thing that Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Our righteousness does two things: it shows our appreciation to Christ after we have received His grace and mercy; and it communicates to others the gospel of Christ. We cannot convey the gospel without a righteousness of our own, though this righteousness does not save us. See also: Your righteousness; 127j

(127j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Rewards for doing good >> Doing good is the prerequisite to going to heaven -- People scoff at the concept of righteousness, not seeing where it plays a part in our faith, thinking that any level of righteousness is self-righteousness, but that is not the case. If we are not good Christians, we no Christians at all, but if we trust in our righteousness, then we are legalists and have nullified the grace of God, so where is the balance between these two? There are doctrines and teachings about righteousness in the Church today that resemble a knotted ball of string. We know that many of the scribes and Pharisees were wicked, so Jesus didn’t set the bar very high, but He did command us to love our enemies, and this the Pharisees did not do, suggesting it would be a good place to start. Simply, if we have no righteousness to show for our faith, then we simply don't believe. So yes, there is a place for righteousness in the Christian faith, and in fact the new covenant was given for the very purpose that we should develop and maintain a certain standard of righteousness, and let that standard continue to increase throughout our lives. The cross is for salvation and righteousness is for faith, and without a righteous faith we have no salvation. See also: Your righteousness; Mat 6-3,4; 63d

Mat 5,21-26

(24l) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Unrighteous anger -- Fear and sin are equivalent in that fear is the source of sin. We could probably name half a million things we are afraid of, but there is only one thing that we fear, and that is poverty. We were born and we will die, and between life and death we will scramble to amass as many resources as possible in our battle against poverty. Some succeed valiantly, becoming very rich, while others barely escape the cold pangs of hunger. Still others don't escape at all, but succumb to poverty's cold and hungry dearth. Jesus taught us not to be afraid of lacking what we need for our families, promising to sustain us if we will make serving Him our highest priority. In this verse we see a picture of bitterness rising against our neighbor and taking his life, or just being angry with our brother. Either way it is sin, lashing out at someone for threatening our security. We cannot help our condition, but we can improve our situation by not turning to sin as a means of solving problems.

Mat 5-21,22

(26b) Sin >> Consequences of sin >> Death is hell >> Sin has the sentence of hell – Jesus is telling us these things in disregard of faith in His blood sacrifice, that if He had never paid the penalty for sin, the smallest offense imaginable would be enough in the mind of God to earn us a place in hell. God cannot accept imperfection in His presence, just like Adam committed one sin, and he became a sinner. Now we know the tremendous value of this one sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross, who never committed a sin and died for sinners. Our faith in His cross has redeemed us from sin, and now we can stand before God in a state of perfection that He accomplished for us. Faith in Jesus is enough for God to accept us into His presence and into His heavenly kingdom.

(218j) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> God’s will over man >> Reaping the harvest in eternity

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5-23,24

(4l) Responsibility >> Advocate God’s cause >> Being accountable to your brother

(9j) Responsibility >> Strengthen one another >> Bear one another’s burdens – If there were an ultimate burden, it would have to be unforgiveness. Attempting to help a brother who cannot forgive is a supreme act of mercy in view of the suffering involved in bitterness. To allow someone to sit in a state of discord is negligence with a consequence that God won’t accept our own gifts until we help the person from the pit of resentment. Jesus teats everyone as the most mature person of an altercation.  Also, we are the best candidate to help our brother if we are the object of his anger. Before I can worship God I must first go to my brother and resolve any relationship problems, and then return to the altar and make our offering. Jesus is saying that if we don’t help our weaker brother, then our prayers will not be heard. Jesus is asking how we are supposed to conduct a relationship with God if we are failing on a basic level of relationship with others, and when Jesus said to be perfect, He was saying that if we go and fix what is wrecked, that will make us perfect. See also: Relating to God and man; 81c / Forgiveness; Mat 5-25,26; 161i

(81c) Thy kingdom come >> Prayer >> The priesthood >> Ministering to God – The altar represents our ministry of the Royal Priesthood that we perform as students of God’s word and disciples of prayer. Often we go to God and our relationship with Him is rich, and when we go to Him another day, we run into a brick wall. Our prayer sounds like we are talking to ourselves; there is no sense of presence; He doesn't seem interested in what we have to say. Our faith should be a tremendous motivator to stop sinning and fix all relationships with people so our relationship with God can flourish. If we are unmotivated in prayer, it is a red flag that there is something fundamentally wrong with our faith. See also: Relating to God and man; 89k

(89k) Thy kingdom come >> God convicts us of sin >> Conviction makes us conscious of sin – Jesus painted the picture of presenting our offering at the altar, and this is where we realize what we must do to have genuine faith in God. Prayer opens our eyes to the sins we have committed. If a brick wall suddenly appears the moment we say “Dear Lord…,” this is usually not something we can remove through prayer; rather, we will have to do something about it. If we don’t fix our relationships with people, our relationship with God will suffer, referring to a pattern of disobedience leading to a hardened heart. Erroneously we will develop the idea that we can have faith in God with frayed relationships, but if we want genuine faith, then relationships with people must also be genuine, and we learn this lesson at the altar of prayer. See also: Relating to God and man; 137l

(137l) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing with our brothers >> Maturity is tested by our relationship with others – Why can’t we go to heaven the same day we get saved? Why do we need to keep living in this world? God has a plan in place and is implementing it; He wants us to live the way we will in heaven. He wants us to practice living in heaven before we get there, with all the hindrances in our way to prove that this is what we really want. He wants us to willingly become slaves of righteousness in this life so we won’t feel like slaves in heaven. The obstacles in the way of godliness are to our advantage, in that hardships and difficulties make our efforts to live a godly life more meaningful. It answers the question: what if we had an option to act contrary to those in heaven, would we still choose godliness? If we were never given the opportunity to answer that question, we may always wonder about it. We don’t always choose godliness in this life; often we sin and offend God and man, but then we repent and mend relationships. When we get to heaven, there will not be obstacles and hindrances in our way, but we will know that if there were hindrances, we would still serve the Lord, because that is what we did in this life. Despite the circumstances, we serve the Lord, and that will stay with us forever. We know we love God because we proved it; we are not left to wonder about it. God in His foresight knows that these questions need to be answered now. See also: Relating to God and man; 189b / God's perspective on suffering and evil is in light of eternity; 1Cor 12-26,27; 136b

(189b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> Holy offering -- According to the ways of God, He requires our sacrifice and then uses it to heal us. Although our sacrifices may bless God and help others, it probably benefits us more than anyone. What is the greater sacrifice, to throw a couple dollars in the till, or to help someone resolve their bitterness. The fact is, if you are mature enough to help someone get through their bitterness toward you, chances are their anger is based on a misunderstanding or on something you unintentionally did, or may have never done at all. People get mad at shadows and let their anger ruin their lives. Sadly, there is often no substance to the complaints that destroy people. See also: Relating to God and man; 224i

(224i) Kingdom of God >> Illustrating the kingdom >> Description of heaven >> The people of heaven >> Traits of those who make it to heaven – We maintain a good relationship with the Lord by the word of God and prayer and by maintaining good relationships with people. Jesus is showing the difference between a religion and a relationship with God. Religion says, ‘I am going to the altar and don’t care about anybody else.’ Relationship says, ‘I will do whatever it takes to maintain my faith in God.’ Those who love God have a rich experience with Him, so we mend relationships among family, friends and acquaintances, so we can minister to God in the richness of His restored presence. It is definitely worth groveling to our fellow man, especially if it was our sin that caused the break in the first place. It doesn’t matter if the person receives our apology. If he doesn’t, it indicates the condition of his own relationship with God. See also: Relating to God and man; 250f

(235c) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Tithing >> Be faithful in your tithes >> Unfaithfulness nullifies your tithe

(250f) Priorities >> God’s prerequisites >> Sequence of priorities >> Natural then the spiritual (obedience then anointing) -- Do we want to carry the torch of the anointing? Do we want to do something great for God? We must first mend relationship with people before we can proceed to spiritual things. We cannot leapfrog over personal issues and expect God to hand us His power and authority. If we are not mature enough to maintain relationships, then we will fudge the spiritual things too, and people will get hurt. See also: Relating to God and man; Mat 5-25,26; 161i

Mat 5-25,26

(161i) Works of the devil >> Seduction >> Carried Away by Condemnation >> Condemnation based on evidence of sin -- Here we see the sequence of events that lead to bitterness and the fallout of its terrorizing consequences. First, we understand that Satan wants us bitter and unforgiving, so he masterminds a hostile environment in the world to make it seem normal to be bitter. Once we build up resentment for someone it takes over our mind and carries us to a milieu of dungeons wherein we are tormented day and night, or we could just learn to forgive and be free. See also: Relating to God and man; Mat 5,27-48; 94e / Forgiveness; Mat 5-29,30; 190b

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5,27-48

(94e) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective >> God’s Perspective on the Church -- These verses go with verses 21&22. The beatitudes are where we learn the true heart of Jesus and how He lived in the flesh. It is also where our own sinful nature is strongly admonished; it is where we see the long way to go before we approach becoming like Jesus in our behavior. After all, how can we live like Him in a world full of need and greed? That is the point -- We keep forgetting that Jesus is with us and will supply all our needs. If we partially fulfill His word, then no one will benefit; but if we live for Him every day, people will come to realize that we are with God and God is with us. There will be those who will persecute us, but if we live well, others will respect us and want the secret to our success. We will be at the heart of a spiritual war simply by loving our enemies through faith in Jesus without even saying a word. Then imagine what will happen when we open our mouth and release the word of God! See also: Relating to God and man; Mat 5-23,24; 9j

Mat 5-27,28

(22i) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Lust of the eyes – The one who is enslaved to lust is very discontented, frustrated and unhappy. Lust is death warmed over by death (Jm 1-14,15). Temptation is one thing, but paying attention to it is another, reanimating it like a zombie that comes after us, seeking our life that we received from God. Temptation turns to lust, producing death, and once lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; the process is set in motion with no way to stop it. That is why Jesus said not to even look at her. We think sin is like a beautiful butterfly that floats on the air currents without a care in the world. That is the promise of sin, but it never delivers. Lust is like the chrysalis that the caterpillar builds imprisoning itself, knowing that a transformation internally is occurring but knowing nothing about how it works. Both James and the Lord concur that once the larva has formed, it is only a matter of time before the adult stage of the insect will emerge, not as a beautiful butterfly but as a stinging locus that consumes the fruit of our labors and destroys us in the end. Jesus is outlining the transformative process of temptation from lust to sin. The only control we have is to avoid paying attention to it, or sin will become irresistible. See also: Lust; 74b

(74b) Thy kingdom come >> The heart >> God wants a relationship with your heart – Jesus is revealing the true nature of our relationship with God by giving us an example of the opposite. He taught that meditating on thoughts of adultery is equivalent to the act itself. Therefore, the opposite must also be true in regard to faith. As we meditate on the Scriptures, our thoughts about God are more than just wishful thinking; they are the very substance of His kingdom. Literal as He takes our adulterous thoughts, so He takes our desire for righteousness. Renewing our minds through prayer in the Scriptures, meditating on the thoughts of God, sensing the elation of His presence, our experiences with God are just as real as the man who meditates on thoughts of adultery. As we grow in the things of God and in the power of the age to come, these are more than emotions; they are the very pillars of God’s kingdom being built in our lives. If God takes our thoughts of adultery literally, then He takes our meditations on Him just as literally. To the extent that we feel God’s Kingdom established in our heart is the extent that God is literally establishing His kingdom in us. It is more than a feeling (as Boston put it). We can have a special time with God in our prayer closet or a praise and worship session at church with a body of believers and truly sense the presence of God; if our thoughts of adultery are the same as the act of adultery, then our thoughts and feelings about God are just as real. See also: Lust; 134j

(74j) Thy kingdom come >> Heart of man is sinful >> Sin is conceived in the heart

(134j) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Adultery >> Physical adultery – The old covenant was based on laws and ordinances, whereas the new covenant is based on the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and knows the thoughts and intensions of the heart (Heb 4-12). This can be divided into two considerations. In the new covenant case, when looking upon a woman to lust for her, the sin has already been committed; it is not a question anymore as to whether the man has sinned. In the old covenant case, the man goes through with his lustful thoughts and has an adulterous affair. We have the wishing on the one hand and the doing on the other. Jesus is saying that the doing is the result of the wishing, that if we hadn’t wished for an adulterous affair, it wouldn’t have happened. Jesus is getting to the root of sin, suggesting that the new covenant is the root of the old covenant. If we mow down the weeds in our garden, it will spread the seeds evenly throughout the garden while leaving the roots intact; they will just grow again and spread more seeds. What we must do is get on our knees with a digger and root out the weeds in our garden one by one and cast them in a pail and dispose of them before they propagate and overrun our garden. Our wishes and desires are hindering God’s will in our lives, and if we let them go, they will eventually manifest. Supposing a man had thousands of weedy thoughts over the years, but had only one adulterous affair, suggests that all the weedy thoughts produced the one act of adultery. If we don’t do anything to keep our passions and desires in check, inevitably they will manifest. See also: Lust; 22i

(47c) Judgment >> Hell is a place of sorrow >> Hell is to be avoided at any cost – If you are so committed to repenting that you are willing to poke your eyes out and cut off our hands, then we should be committed enough to repent without having to maim ourselves. Jesus knew that, so was He being literal here? No, He wasn't being literal about maiming ourselves, but He was being literal about committing ourselves to whatever extent it takes to avoid hell. See also: Hell; 190b

(189i) Masochism (Key verse)

(190b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Masochism (Self-made martyr) >> Taking your sinful nature by force -- Let's face it, even if we cut off our hand, if repentance were not in our heart, we would simply find another way to sin. Even so, Christ wants us to become separate from our old ways. Although Christ did not mean that we should really harm ourselves, our level of commitment against sin should rival the commitment it would take to cut off our limbs, expressed in more practical ways. After all, once we repent God could use our hand for His own purposes, so leave them on. Salvation is a free gift; our sins are forgiven, and there is nothing we need do to get saved, so can we continue in sin and expect God to forgive us? God would say we had the wrong idea about salvation. Since He has saved us from our sins (Mat 1-21), it would be preposterous to still live in it (Rom 6-1,2). Christianity is more than believing in a set of doctrines; we believe in God; we believe in His attributes and in His character, and sin is the antithesis of that. The problem with many people in the Church today is they are not interested in doing God’s will; many live however they feel. Christians today act like wild animals that take His food but want nothing to do with Him; do we receive His blessings and want nothing to do with Him? God wants us to subject our sinful flesh to His will, that we might choose Him over our corrupt desires, harnessing our bodies and putting us to work for his purpose. See also: Hell; 209g / Forgiveness; Mat 5,43-48; 31b

(209g) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Righteous saved with difficulty >> Righteous saved with casualties -- Symbolically, the word "casualties" means our fingers and our eye balls, but literally it means that some will not repent, and their sin will cause them to wander from the faith and lose their souls. To them, Jesus was speaking literal about dismembering their bodies to avoid hell if that is what it takes. Better go fetch the axe. See also: Hell; 232b

(232b) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Count the cost >> The cost is more than you can imagine so don’t count – If hellfire obliterates its inhabitants, then how could Jesus' statement be true? If hell only involved temporary pain, wouldn’t it be worth living a self-centered life as a sinner, to go through only a few moments of terror before annihilation? The sinner would be thrown into the lake of fire and when he hit the liquid-hot magma, his body would instantly vaporize; that doesn’t seem any worse than living without a hand or an eye. If the consequence of hell is just a flash in the pan, then sinners should use this life as one long heathen-fest and exploit their bodies to extract as much pleasure as possible before their lives are terminated; however, this is not what Jesus is telling us in these verses. Hell is eternal punishment, where its residents remain alive forever, defined as consciously aware of their existence, environment and circumstances. Whatever it takes to avoid hell, that is the level of commitment we should have to seek heaven. See also: Hell; 246c

(246c) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Literal manifestations >> Literally set free from bondage – This is one of Jesus' many scary statements that make us fear God. He was saying that bondage to sin can lead to hell. Most people don’t know what to think about hell. Evangelicals and Baptists don’t seem to have a problem with it; they’re saved and going to heaven, so they don’t have to worry about it. The era of fire and brimstone preaching has come and gone, ridiculed to death, so now churches don’t usually preach about hell. There are other groups who look more seriously at hell as a place of eternal torment, being why Jesus said it would be better to go lame or become a Cyclops, than to keep our body parts only to be thrown into hell. He wasn’t spiritualizing it or being figurative; he was speaking literally; it really would be better to temporarily suffer a self-inflicted wound than to suffer forever in hell; there is nothing figurative about that. However, before we harm ourselves, we should consider that if our commitment against sin is serious enough to lop off a hand, we would quit sinning before we severed an appendage. See also: Hell; 47c

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5-31,32

(3f) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Divorce because of your hardness of heart – Marriage with a good sexual relationship is usually a good marriage, but marriages have been known to dissolve even when the couples have common interests, usually because of personality clashes. Also, people with similar personalities can break up from a conflict of interests. Either way selfishness is at the center of divorce. They say opposites attract, yet couples break-up because of differences; divorce is rampant because the couples are not alike in their souls. The mixture must be just right for the marriage to work from a human standpoint, but in the eyes of God if both become less selfish, almost any marriage will work. It is about setting priorities; first, our intended should have a working relationship with the Lord, then the couple should be compatible. Combine that with a few common interests and a healthy sex life, and these marriages endure for a lifetime.

(2a) Keep your commitments (Key verse)

(2e) Responsibility >> Keep your commitments >> it is better not to vow at all – God has made an oath in Heb 6,16-20; however, Jesus strongly advised against us making oaths. For man to give an oath is gambling with his weakness and his lack of knowledge; but for God to make an oath is sure to happen. When we swear to do something, it makes us obligated to do it. It is no longer something we should do, but something we must do, but we cannot break an oath we never made. People are not particularly good at keeping promises, and so they invented the paper-promise, the signature, and since we started signing our name, our word has come to mean little to nothing. Now people say things and renege seeming without any repercussions, but their conscience is destroyed. Moreover, there are things that occur in life that make it impossible to fulfill our vows, such as a case in the book of Acts when a band of thugs made an oath to kill Paul before they ate another meal. Meanwhile, Paul caught wind of it and was escorted from His jail cell to an undisclosed location, so the thugs were not able to keep their oath (Act 23,12-25). Do you think they starved to death? Of course they didn’t; they ate and broke their vow. Their life was more important than their word, but their word became worthless, and back then their word was everything. A person can try to excuse himself, saying, 'Circumstances occurred that were beyond my control,' but there is always one thing we can always do, and that is to not vow at all.

(85k) Thy kingdom come >> Words of your mouth >> Better not to say anything >> Words will make you obligated

Mat 5,38-48

(34n) Gift of God >> Be generous like your Father >> Love your enemies -- These verses go with verse 7. Jesus wants us to love not just our friends and family but also our neighbors and even our enemies. Loving our enemies is one of the hardest things a Christian will ever do by faith. Jesus knew how hard this commandment would be on our sinful nature, but He didn’t care. He absolutely expects us to walk in love without letting others determine whether we love them. We are to love everyone no matter what they do. That doesn’t mean we should make ourselves a target for their abuse, though Jesus said in verse 39, “Do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” This is making ourselves available to abuse, but Jesus was trying to communicate that if the guy actually slapped us the second time, it would bring conviction to his heart to finally open his ears and listen to the gospel that we are preaching to them. In other words, it is an evangelism tool; this is how we get people saved through love. Letting the guy slap us communicates to the person that we are willing to endure his abuse for the sake of his eternal salvation. See also: Love your enemies; 43j

(43j) Judgment >> Satan destroyed in the absence of sin >> Perfected in love – Loving our brother completes our faith, but loving our enemies is tantamount to being perfect. God is not interested in us having mental ascent; instead, he wants us to show Him that we are His children. God has indeed perfected us through the blood of His Son so that we stand before Him perfect and complete, but then He wants us to demonstrate our standing with Him to prove we are His children (Jm 1,2-4). If we all put these verses into practice, what could Satan do to us? His so-called power over the world would crumble without saying a word. See also: Love your enemies; 124j

(124j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love your enemies >> Love your enemies because God loves His -- This is the most anti-war rhetoric that in all literature. They might also be the most difficult verses to read and accept as a way of life, yet they confirm how right we are in believing in Jesus. I am proud to be a Christian, because His cause was only good; I am confident that He will never lead me to harm another person, since He never did any harm to anyone. If everyone everywhere together were to put these verses into practice, it would solve every problem in the world. See also: Love your enemies; 192c

(192c) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Gain by losing >> Life for life >> Losing your identity to gain God’s identity -- I cannot over-stress the term "Process of substitution." God does not ask us to give up anything that He will not replace. With God we must lose to win, we must give up our lives to receive His life, we must lose our identity to gain His, but at a small price. We must love our enemies as He loved His. See also: Love your enemies; Mat 5,43-48; 31b

KJV    WEB  /  Parallel Gospel  /  Navigation Bar

Mat 5,43-48

(31b) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you as a servant – Jesus is the exact representation of the Father, and He called us to love our enemies because He loved His. God is one to forgive a sin, to overlook an injustice. He is gracious to those who spitefully use Him, and the result was salvation for the world, because we did these things to Him. It may be a hard thing to ask to love our enemies, but we must remember that it is to our salvation that God loves His enemies, for in this way He forgives our trespasses. The love we show those who hate us will complete God’s purpose for pardoning us. Jesus said to do it as His sons and daughters, and if love will be the norm in heaven, then He wants us to pay it forward and behave as we will in His presence. See also: Love your enemies; 122e / Forgiveness; Mat 6-12; 119g

(122e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Confidence in yourself as you die to sin >> Confident in your salvation – If a person were racist, and someone of a different color did nothing against him, it would be easy to love him, except that he is racist. How much more do the sons of God love their enemies, who are not racists? This is what develops confidence in God. We can do a host of things; we can become relief workers, running behind hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes, helping victims of natural disasters, and still lack confidence in our salivation. However, that is not the case when we love our enemies, because it is unnatural to our sinful nature. Only Christians do this; the world does not teach us to love our enemies. Rather, the world teaches to be nice. Being nice and loving our enemies are two different things. Being nice is a humanistic form of love, based on principles and definitions that we determine for ourselves, but to love our enemies, if someone takes our shirt, we must let him have our coat also. Jesus was the least materialistic person on earth, though he owns everything in heaven. He owns the universe, but in this life He showed no interest in material things, which can only mean that He feels the same way in heaven. He doesn’t take pride in His possessions, though He may remind us occasionally that He is our creator. He takes pride in His character, in the fact that He loves His enemies. See also: Love your enemies; 124k

(124k) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Love your enemies >> Love your enemies that you may not become like them – The truth of this passage is undeniable, for the sun really does shine indiscriminately on everyone, and it rains based on weather patterns, not based on the people who live there. Loving our enemies is one of the greatest works of our faith, because it demonstrates that we are the children of God more than anything else we could do. Ungrateful and evil men are those who blame God for the darkness and evil that is in them and in the world, yet Jesus said that His Father is kind to them. God takes credit for every good thing in a sinner’s life as though giving directly to him: a warm spring day, a balmy summer afternoon, a grilled steak and a glass of ice-cold water.... See also: Love your enemies; 246j

(156da) Witness >> Validity of the believer >> Evidence of salvation >> Loving your fellow man is evidence of salvation >> Love your enemies -- These verses go with verses 11,12

(235h) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Giving (your inner self) >> Be liberal in your giving like God

(246j) Kingdom of God >> Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm >> Demonstration of God’s kingdom >> God demonstrates His glory >> Outward demonstration of an inward work – We have the opportunity of a lifetime to demonstrate God’s love and kindness, because in heaven we won’t have enemies. Imagine being in heaven having never been given this life, bragging that we would love our fellow man regardless of the circumstances. It would all be conjecture since we could never prove it, but now we can. Jesus said that His Father causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. The rain does not discriminate between the righteous and the wicked, though the Old Testament prophecies indicate that God will literally rain on the righteous and not the wicked during the Millennium (Zechariah 14-17). However, during our current era of randomness the natural forces are not capable of making decisions about where to rain. Look at the apostle Paul; he was a persecutor and a violent aggressor against the Church when Christ called him into service. Just as God naturally loves His enemies by sending the sun and the rain on them, so He wants us to joyfully love our enemies, to be indiscriminant as the rain, even as God drenches the earth with essential water. Therefore, if God commands us to prove we are His children in this life, it suggests that God intends to manifest His kingdom in the natural realm. Heaven is not just a spiritual place, but also a physical place. For this reason He wants us to manifest our faith in the physical realm, because God is the kind of person to think that if it doesn’t manifest in the natural realm, then it isn’t worth a plug nickel. Had God designed us a spiritual kingdom with no potential to manifest in a physical sense, it would be good for nothing, and if God intends to give us such a life, then we should be preparing for it now, behaving like His children, loving our enemies. If showing a simple gesture of greeting a stranger would make a difference in the world, how powerful a testimony is loving our enemies? See also: Love your enemies; Mat 5,43-45; 88a

Mat 5,43-45

(32i) Gift of God >> Father will honor you if you die to self >> Father honors His word in you -- These verses go with verses 11&12

(45k) Judgment >> Spiritual warfare >> Subjecting your flesh >> Satan VS the saints >> Defeating Satan in weakness of sinful flesh – People spread rumors in the community as a way of persecuting the Church; that is what they did to Jesus trying to make Him into a monster, and after 3½ years the only evidence they had against Him was the statement He made about the temple being torn down and rebuilt in three days, and the Good Confession He made as the Son of God in their kangaroo court. Even then the only way they could get Him crucified was to cause a riot and threaten to bring down the whole city if they didn’t get their way. If they are pushed to prove their accusations, they can spin the argument however they wish. They tried the same tactics on the Apostle Paul, and he went through the legal system, which demanded proof of their accusations, and since they had none, Paul’s accusers were no-shows in court, which ultimately led to His release only after years of incarceration, where he wrote the majority of his epistles, many of which were added to the New Testament. 

(88a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith produces works >> Relationship between faith and works >> Works establish your faith – Loving our enemies develops confidence that we are indeed the children of God, which in turn encourages us to love our enemies all the more, which will help us to further realize that we are the children of God. This snowball effect will cause the world to stand up and take notice. It is a known fact that the Church has always increased spiritually and numerically in times of persecution and martyrdom. If there is a snowball effect that builds faith as we love our enemies, then there is also a snowball effect that erodes our faith if we don’t love our enemies. Just like persecution and martyrdom affects the world for good, causing salvation, so refusing to love our enemies will have a negative effect on the world, influencing people to reject the gospel of Christ. So do we have a choice to love our enemies? Not really! See also: Love your enemies; Mat 5-44,45; 33b

(207la) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Salvation verses >> The kindness of God >> God is kind to sinners >> He calls sinners to repentance – Jesus didn’t use all kinds of superlatives to explain God’s love to us; instead, He died for our sins; that is what we needed. Emotional expressions of love are not from God. To look for something that a person needs and give it to him; that is the love of God. To the degree that the sun is indiscriminate on whomever it shines, models for us to be indiscriminate on whomever we love.

(33b) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> Believers are His sons and daughters -- These verses go with verse 9. For the person who seems to have faith but doesn’t have confidence, the best advice for him is to love his enemies, for this promotes confidence in our salvation like nothing else. Note the word that is missing in this verse: “like”. Jesus did not say we might be like sons and daughters of our Father in heaven, but that we would in fact be His sons and daughters. This is our confidence before God that we love our enemies, frankly that we love all people. When Jesus told us to love our enemies, probably the first thing that comes to mind is stark terror, but if we don’t love our enemies, then we are not His children. The second emotion that passes through most of us after reading this verse is serenity, knowing that God doesn’t stop loving us when we sin anymore than the sun stops shining on us when we sin. See also: Love your enemies; 208fa

(35d) Gift of God >> God is willing to Give >> No partiality with God’s generosity -- Just as there is no partiality with God's judgment, so neither is there any partiality with His kindness and generosity. They work the same, only they are opposites. A person can receive good things from God His whole life even without believing in Him, and then die and be judged by God with the same impartiality that he enjoyed on earth. 

(124g) Love Your Enemies (Key verse)

(126j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Patience >> Have the patience of God

(208fa) Salvation >> The salvation of God >> Personal relationship >> Being the friend of God >> Relationship with God through obedience >> We resemble Him through faith – The most succinct way to demonstrate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is to love our enemies; nothing communicates the gospel better than this. Ironically, our enemies persecute us, and we respond by loving them, and we get persecuted all the more because of it. Sometime our enemies open their eyes and finally see the gospel when it’s demonstrated through flesh and blood, but usually it is the people who are observing us who become beneficiaries of our faith and love. It says that when we love our enemies, we are acting most like God. Jesus didn’t tell us to love our enemies so we may be like God or be like His sons and daughters but actually be His sons and daughters. Therefore, if we don’t love our enemies, we are not His sons and daughters. His children love their enemies, because God love His, sending rain on the just and the unjust alike. We live in a fallible body and make mistakes on a regular basis, and we don’t always love our enemies. If we had one opportunity and failed, that would be it, but we have many opportunities to love our enemies, and so the question is how often we succeed? On those rainy days we look outside and see it raining on our lawn and see that it is also raining on our neighbor’s lawn, whom we caught stealing from our garage, and when we confronted him about it, he called us names and threatened us with physical violence. Our neighbor’s lawn is nice and green because of all the rain. When our enemies do these things to us, they are doing them to God too. When we see our neighbor’s healthy lawn, we are seeing God’s love for His enemies, and if He loves them, so should we. God performed many miracles for Moses, and Jesus performed many miracles through His Father; Moses was a son of God, and Jesus was the Son of God; therefore, performing miracles is a sign of being children of God, but loving our enemies is an even greater sign. When we think of feeding the five thousand with a hand-basket of food, the fact that Jesus loved His enemies was an even greater sign of being the Son of God. In fact, while hanging on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Lk 23-34); this was a greater sign that He was the Son of God than the miracles He performed. If God is unwilling to perform miracles through us, we can always love our enemies, which is a miracle in itself, then maybe He will let us perform other miracles. We know one thing; if we don’t love our enemies, He won’t perform miracles through us. How do we even know we are His sons and daughters if we don’t love our enemies? See also: Love your enemies; Mat 5,38-48; 34n

(43f) Perfect (mature) (Key verse)

MATTHEW CHAPTER 6