BEATITUDES
Beatitudes is the collection of the blessings proclaimed by
Jesus Christ mentioned in Mt 5:3-12. The word “blessed” in beatitudes
refers to the fortunate state, as defined by Christ. The beatitudes
highlight the inner characters that Jesus expects in His followers.
There are two sources of blessing - God and the
world. The blessings from God are very much different from the blessings of the
world. In the world, we are called blessed on the basis of the powers, the
positions and the possessions we have. The beatitudes talks about Godward
blessings and not the world ward ones. The blessings from God are
eternal. The significance of the beatitude is the emphasis on the inward
change, required to attain the blessings offered by God through Christ. It
highlights the efforts required from our side to receive the true blessings of
God. Beatitudes lists out Godward attitudes like spiritual poverty,
mourning, purity and spiritual hunger and manward concerns like meekness,
mercifulness and peacemaking. It concludes with needed long suffering in
the midst of persecutions
Poor in spirit, means our spiritual
depravity. It starts with recognizing our spiritual inability to live up to the
expectations of God. It would mean understanding our spiritual need and resting
on God to meet it.
Godly sorrow refers to the
realization about our inadequacy to meet the standard of God. In 2 Cor 7:10, we
read that Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation. Someone
said, Godly sorrow is a gift of the Spirit. It is a deep realization that our
actions have offended our Father and our God. It is the sharp and keen
awareness that our behavior caused the Savior, to endure agony and suffering.
Meekness would mean being soft
natured and not easily provoked. This refers to the willingness to take wrongs
done to us patiently. Being meek does not mean weakness but the gentle strength
that exhibits goodness and kindness.
Hunger and thirst for righteousness would
refer to our spiritual appetite. It is the sign of our spiritual status and
growth. Spiritual hunger will drive us to seek the ways and will of God,
leading us towards deeper spiritual life.
Being merciful would mean forgiving
all who did wrong to us, being sensitive to the needs of others and making
possible efforts to address those needs. God is merciful towards us and this
has to prompt us to be merciful towards others.
Being pure in heart would
refer to purity in our inner life. It emphasize the purity in thoughts,
imaginations and desires. Being pure also would mean being reliable, honest and
faithful with respect to our relationship with others.
Being a peacemaker would
mean actively seeking to reconcile people to God and to one another.
Peacemaking process is not easy and it demands extra commitment and
determination at times. When we get actively involved in peacemaking, we
reflect an essential attribute of God in our daily life.
Being persecuted for righteousness is
different from other beatitudes. We pursue all the other beatitudes but this
beatitude will pursue us when we commit ourselves to follow the footsteps of
Christ. How do we react when we face persecution is what matters.
SALT OF THE EARTH
In Mt 5:13, we read Jesus Christ calling His
disciples as the salt of the earth. In those times, salt was used
for seasoning, as preservative, as disinfectant, as a component of
ceremonial offerings and as a unit of exchange. The salt had two main
purposes then, one was to preserve materials and another was to add flavor to
food. By calling his followers as salt, Jesus made the point that
his followers are preservatives in the world that is facing moral and spiritual
decay. He meant that His followers would be ones, who enhance the
flavor of life in this world. As followers of Christ, we are expected to
influence the world for good, like the salt that adds flavor to the food it
seasons.
In the phrase, you are the salt of the earth, “you” refers
to everyone who made a conscious decision to follow Jesus in this world
and “are” refers to the being, the internal character of the follower
of Christ. The followers of Christ are different from others by their
character, life style and behavior. By calling His followers as
salt, Jesus was highlighting their usefulness and their role in purifying
the morally decaying world. Jesus conveyed the importance of His disciples
to others in the world. Jesus meant the impact his followers can
make in the world. He calls His followers for a holy and righteous
life in the world. The phrase, you are the salt of the earth refers to two
possible divisions - the salt and the world. We are either the salt
or the world. We can either be the disciple of Jesus or the world.
In Mt 5:13 we are also told that if the salt
loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for
anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. This verse carries
the information that as salt can lose its saltiness, so we, His followers can
lose our purpose and a warning to us to take care of our position and
responsibility in the world. If we lose our inherent character, we are good for
nothing. By failing in our purpose to fight deterioration, we become useless in
the body of Christ. In Luke 14:34,35 we read that when salt
loses its taste, it is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile but it
is thrown out. When we live careless lives, tainted by sin and the world,
we become absolutely useless to the Lord as His witness in this world.
Salt makes an impact. We can be one who is
perishing or the one who preserves others from perishing. By being called
as salt, we are reminded about our responsibility to influence the world in
godly way. God has kept us in a specific place with a purpose. It is
important that we understand that purpose and fulfills it. Salt enhances
flavor. Salt changes everything it touches. We deny the salt function
when we fail to mingle with people that are lost and make efforts to bring them
to Christ; we deny the function of the salt when we fail to be kind, merciful
and a peacemaker. Jesus did not say, you might be the salt of the earth
rather He said, “You are the salt”. Someone has said: “If we
are not affecting the world, the world is affecting us”. It is
essential to introspect ourselves and amend our ways so that our calling and
standing in Christ will not become waste.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Someone said that the fundamental principle of
Christianity is to be what God is. In 1 John 1: 5, we read that God
is light and there is no darkness at all. In John 8:12, Jesus said that He is
the light of the world and he who follows Him would have the light of
life. In Mt 5:14, we read Jesus directly calling his followers as the
light of the world. By calling His followers, as light, Jesus divided the
people in to two main groups – one that belongs to the light and the other that
belongs to the dark. By identifying his followers as light, Jesus emphasized
the importance of blameless and holy life that is to be displayed by his
followers in the sinful wicked world. Paul in Eph 5:8
says, “for you were once in darkness, but now you are light in
the Lord”. The clear contrast between darkness and light in this
verse, denotes the moral standard expected in His followers as they live in
this world.
When Jesus calls us as the light of the world, our call is to
be a light to those around us. It is easy to compromise with the values of the
society and to conform to the pattern of this world. We are not called to
go with the flow, living a life with less resistance, staying within our
comfort zone. But, as followers of Christ, we are supposed to be
different. We are expected to be the light to others in deeds and actions.
We are chosen to set an example to others in speech, in conduct and in purity.
Light exposes darkness. Throughout history, anything that is
good is referred as light and anything that is evil is referred as dark. The
light of truth removes darkness from its way. The light is stronger than
the darkness. The light influences the darkness. The light has an impact on
darkness. We as followers of Christ, need to make a difference and
positive contribution in the lives that are in contact with us. The light
that people see is the good works that we do - our obedience to the living God,
our conduct and our testimonial life. In Mt 5:16 we read as, in the
same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in heaven. Like a city upon the hill, we are
not hidden. People will look at us and observe our character and
behavior. Paul says in Philippians 2:15, that you may
become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as
lights in the world. Our faith is active when it is accompanied by
good deeds. In Ep 2:10, we read as “for we are God's handiwork, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works”.
Our ability to do good works is proportional to the intensity
of our fellowship with God. The power for witnessing life comes from the Holy
Spirit. What should be the purpose of our good life and good deeds? What
should be our motive and driving force behind our every action? Jesus
said it is to bring glorify to God and it should be so.
We are the only light the world will ever know. Imagine
that if the very light of the world is hidden from shinning, there is no light
to the world. The light is different from darkness. The light never mingles
with darkness. The light will never compromise with darkness. We are
called to be different from the world, set apart from the world for God.
We are called as beacons in the dark world.
BETTER RIGHTEOUSNESS
In Mt 5:20, we read Jesus saying “For I tell you
that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers
of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven”. People in
those days respected the righteousness of the religious leaders and
thought that they would never be able to match them in their acts of
righteousness. Jesus shocked them by stating that entrance into God's kingdom
was available only to those whose righteousness exceeded that of the scribes
and Pharisees. Jesus is differentiating the external righteousness
displayed through acts with the internal righteousness that proceeds from the
heart. Jesus was teaching his disciples about how to be righteous and not
how to look righteous.
While reading Mt 5: 17-48 we understand that Jesus
is not giving a new law but He uncovers the real intentions of the law. He
raised the standard and explained how sin begins in the mind and goes on to
control us. We would understand the will of God when we realize the principle
behind the law and not by taking it superficially. In people’s court, we
are punished for the wrong doings but in the eyes of God, the thoughts and
motives are noticed. Jesus gave the deeper meaning for the laws and
provided ways to enforce it. He gave few illustrations of what it
means to fulfill the law. Murder is wrong and so is the hateful attitude that
leads to it. Adultery is wrong and so is the lustful look. The
marriage relationship should be permanent. We should be honest in our words and
deeds. We have to practice non-resistance and non violence. We should love our
enemies.
Jesus forbade cherishing the anger in the heart that leads to
murder. An offering to God would mean nothing if a grudge or grievance is not
set right. Jesus forbade cherishing the lust in the heart that leads to
adultery. In the days of Moses, a wife could be dismissed at whim but Jesus
goes back to the fundamental meaning and purpose of marriage. The bond made
when the two became one flesh is lasting. Jesus also taught how to
react when we face physical abuse, illegal compulsions and loses. He expected
His followers to be yielding and non violent. He taught them to suffer physical
violence, to yield to legal contentions, to be willing to do more than what is
legally applicable and not to refuse helps when requested.
These teachings remain important templates for our
discipleship. Jesus elevated the conditions for discipleship, challenging his
followers to deeper spirituality and observance.
He dealt with the most fundamental human emotions; anger
and hate on one hand and love on the other hand. Jesus Christ demands a
high quality of ethical conduct in His followers. The passage ends with a
statement in Mt 5: 48, stating that be perfect therefore as your
heavenly father is perfect. It signifies the standard kept by Jesus Christ
for His followers. Though it looks impossible to practice the teachings
highlighted here, if our heart can be changed to become like Christ, the
impossible becomes possible.
FALSE PIETY
In Matthew 6:1-18, we read about the outward and inward
expression of piety. Jesus picked up three Jewish customs like almsgiving,
prayer & fasting, that were wrongly practiced by the Pharisees and taught
valuable lessons to His disciples. The acts of righteousness were common in
Judaism and Jesus assumed that his disciples were already practicing those
acts.
Alms were acts of charity and were sought by the unfortunates.
Pharisees used to sound trumpets under the pretext of calling the poor but
inwardly they were seeking a vain glory for their charity. The public prayer
was uttered at set times of the day. The devout Jews stopped wherever they were
at the set time and recited the prayers in standing position. But the Pharisees
used to position themselves in prayer where they can be easily noticeable by
others, like in street corners. Their motive was not that God might accept them
but men might admire them for their piety. Fast in Jewish context meant going
without food from sunrise to sunset. Fasting twice a week was considered as a
sign of devotion. Jews used to disfigure their faces and put ashes on their heads
during fasting, as a sign of mourning.
Jesus drew a contrast between his disciples and the hypocrites
by instructing his followers to examine their motives. Jesus exposed the
motives of pseudo spiritual class and cautioned the disciples to guard their
life against such hypocrisy. Jesus demands us to consider our motive of what we
do and reminds us that if our motive is "not of God" then "not
of God" is what we will get. Jesus says if our aim is to be hailed as
spiritual and generous ones or to gain recognition for what we do, we have
obtained what we have sought. Why do we do what we do?
The point in saying that not let our left hand know what our
right hand does is to keep our good works and generous giving concealed as much
as possible. We have to do good work because it is a good work not because it
would earn us a good name. Our motive in helping others and serving others has
to be, bringing glory to God. In 1 Cor 10:31, we read as “whatever you do, do
it all for the glory of God”.
Jesus emphasized the importance of personal and private
prayers. Prayers are not meant to show our piety. We are taught to avoid vain
repetitions in prayers. Prayers said in secret are more effective and are
pleasing in the sight of God. Secret prayer is the secret of effective prayer.
Our prayer can be simple but it has to be sincere. And this does not mean that
Jesus dismissed the corporate prayer which is done publicly.
Jesus rejected external displays during fasting. Jesus asked
his disciples to apply oil to the head and to wash their faces, which was
normally done for joyous occasions. The point is that we should not seek vain
glory for our spiritual efforts and activities. We look at the outward acts but
God looks at our motives.
Whatever we do on earth is watched by our God, who is
omniscient and omnipresent. We should be convinced that our God who sees us in
secret will reward us publicly. The most important thing in our Christian life
is not what happens to us externally but what we become internally as we live
in Christ.
WHERE IS OUR TREASURE?
In Mt 6:19-21, we read as “Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not
break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also”.
Here we find a command to stop some action that is
already in process. We are exhorted to be heavenly minded with respect to the
relation we hold on to the wealth. We are told to stop the habit of
storing up temporal treasure on earth, which we cannot take with us to heaven.
Jesus makes it clear what our relationship ought to be with respect to the
material things by which we are surrounded and with which we have to deal.
We notice two types of earthly treasures mentioned here which
are liable to be corrupted or taken away. First we see Garments, which
may be destroyed and found useless for wearing. Secondly we find valuables,
which may be stolen by thieves. In this context, the treasures points to a form
of eastern wealth - the costly garments of rich material, often embroidered
with gold and silver. The rich delighted in displaying their treasures through
apparel embedded with beautiful and richly ornamented articles. The moth is a
small insect that finds its way to clothes and garments. The moth would destroy
their apparel and thus all their treasure would be wasted away. The houses then
were made up of mud walls and it was easy for thieves to dig through the walls
and take away the valuables. The point highlighted here is that no sort of
worldly riches and treasure is safe and can be depended on. Jesus urged His
followers to seek true wealth, because earthly wealth, though gathered, may be
rendered useless by earth's chances.
Jesus warns us of the snare that comes through the love of
money and love for earthly things. Christ dissuades us from covetousness and
worldly mindedness. He warns us not to hold on to anxious care and concern to
hoard up plenty of worldly things for ourselves, making no use of them at
present for the good of others. Here, Jesus is not advocating poverty as means
to spirituality. It is right to provide for our families, to make reasonable
plans for the future, to make wise investments and to have money to carry on a
business while giving to poor and supporting the Lord's work. It is being
dishonest, greedy, covetous and stingy about possessions that are wrong. To
honestly earn, save and give is wise and good. To hoard and spend only on
ourselves is not only unwise but also sinful. To lay up treasure in
heaven is to do anything on earth whose effects last for eternity.
It is said that worldly-mindedness is a common and fatal
symptom of hypocrisy. The Scripture teaches that the heart is the control
center of our life. We must guard our hearts and watch over them so that our
heart follows after the things of God and is not distracted by the things of
this world. It is the right time to ask ourselves these important questions for
our spiritual welfare. Where is our treasure? And where is our
heart?
CONTROL YOUR EYES
In Mt 6:22, 23 we read that the eye is the lamp of
the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But
if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then
the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Eye is
the physical organ of sight, one of the chief channels of information for
us. It enables us to see the things, but it must be a healthy eye to
fulfill this function. Jesus seems to be teaching that His followers need to
maintain a clear, healthy sight to live a life acceptable to God. The
effectiveness of our spiritual life depends on how well, we manage our
eyes. In Mt 18:9, we read that if your eye causes you to stumble,
gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye
than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. Here, Jesus
conveys that our eyes have the potential to drag us to sin. If we are not
controlling the lust of our eyes and think that we are doing well in our
spiritual life, we are simply deceiving our selves.
Eyes are not only the windows through which we see the world
but they are also the door for the filthy and lustful wicked things of the
world to enter our life. Eyes are influenced by lust. Satan uses the
lust of the eyes as an avenue for temptation. The lust of the eyes is the
desire to possess what we see or to have those things which have visual appeal.
We are often entrapped by our lustful look. Lustful look is
different from passing glance, it is a willful, calculated stare that arouses
ungodly desires. The coveting of money, possession, or other physical things
are not from God but from the world around us.
In Bible, we read about many persons who ended up on the wrong
side because of their failure in managing their eyes. In Gen 3:6 we
read that Eve looked at the forbidden fruit and saw that it was pleasing to the
eye and this triggered the desire in her to go with the suggestions,
offered by the Satan, which in turn caused the fall. Satan used a visual image
to entrap her. In Gen 3:10, we read about the wrong deceptive look of
Lot that drove him in making a wrong decision to go and live in Sodom. In
Joshua 7:21, we read about the confession of Achan, narrating how he was
carried away by the covetous look that led to his destruction and the failure
of Israelites in a tiny battle. In 2 Sam 11:2, we read how David was
driven into various sins, when he failed to control the lustful look
initially. At times, we promote our pride through our haughty look. In
Pro 6:17, we read that haughty eyes are abomination to God. 2
Pet 2:14 says about the class of people whose eyes are full of
adultery and they never stop sinning.
In Proverbs 20:27, we read that our eyes are never satisfied
with what they look for. In 1 Jh 2:16, we read that those who
are controlled by the lust of eyes are not from God. In Titus 2:12,
we are told to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live
self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Let the
prayer of Psalmist in 119:37, be our prayer as well. O Lord, turn our
eyes away from worthless things. Amen.
TWO MASTERS
In Mt 6:24, we read as No one can serve two masters.
Either you will hate the one and love the other or you will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
This verse talks about two masters. One is God and the other
is money. Money is personified as a kind of god of this world. What Jesus seems
to be conveying is that we cannot serve the true God and at the same time, be
engaged in going after the riches of this world. Jesus talks about the
possibility of opposing factors that are likely to discourage His followers
from following God faithfully while they get engaged in pursuing riches of this
world.
God is our master because He has created us, redeemed us and
preserves us. But money becomes our master by intrusion. Serving God
would mean ascribing the worship that is due to Him, having high regard for His
commandments and a ready cheerful obedience to His will. Serving money would
imply a devotion to the world, under the perception that riches and material
possessions are the true seat of human happiness.
There are various ways by which we may use our money. We may
delight simply in possessing and hoarding it and such possessions may be quite
useless to anyone. Or we may use them completely for our selfish gains. But God
wants our riches to be distributed to the needy. In 1 Timothy 6th chapter, Paul
offers some practical suggestions with respect to managing riches. If we are
not rich, we are told not to try to become rich but to be content with what we
have. If we are rich in this present world, we are told not to put
our hope in wealth but to put our hope in God, who richly provides us with
everything for our enjoyment. And we are advised to be rich in
good deeds and to be generous and willing to share with others in
need.
No man can serve two masters, who have contrary interests,
issuing contrary commands because he cannot divide his heart between God and
the world. His affections and obedience would be divided. He cannot give his
commitment to two services at the same time. He cannot follow two callings
successfully. The affections can be fixed on only one. The servant of God
cannot at the same time obey him and seek treasures on earth. It is impossible
to be faithful to God and at the same time be a servant to riches. One interferes
with the other and one or the other must be given up.
We understand the impossibility of loving the world and loving
God at the same time. He who gives his heart to the world, robs God of it. God
claims our supreme love and our undivided service. The service of heaven cannot
be combined with the earthly inclinations. It is dangerous spiritually to set
our hearts upon riches and giving up our lives to be controlled by money. The
followers of Christ will have to shun covetousness of all kinds and has to give
their life's devotion to their God and Saviour. God must be the
undisputed master of our lives. We must always ask and seek, "What does
God wish me to do?"
Our Father, we thank you for the reminder to serve you
wholeheartedly. Enable us to be watchful and to have the right understanding
with respect to our relationship with money
THE MODEL PRAYER
In Luke 11:1, we read that after Jesus finished praying, one
of His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. In response to his
request, Jesus taught them a model prayer that we read in Luke 11:2-4 and
in Mt6:9-13. Appearance of phrase “WHEN YOU PRAY” few times in the context
conveys that His people are expected to have the habit of praying. Praying is
not an option but an obligation for the followers of Jesus Christ. We are
called people of prayer, the worship place of God is called the house of prayer.
Prayer is something that every one of us can do.
“OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN” identifies with the relationship we can
have with our creator and the ruler of the universe. Father is a wonderful word
picture highlighting the kindness and love of God. It conveys that He is near
to us though He is in heaven. God is not only majestic and holy but also
personal and loving towards us. He is both transcendent and immanent. In prayer
we can approach God as a loving Father and not as a distant deity.
This model prayer provides us a pattern for prayer. This
prayer is not a selfish prayer; it does not have requests for our individual
needs alone, but for the needs of all. The prayer has two main divisions - the
first three requests are concerned with God’s expectation on us and the next
four are the requests concerning our physical, mental and spiritual needs. The
first part conveys to us that we are to pray for the fulfillment of God’s plan
in our lives and in the world. In this prayer we are taught to pray for God’s
will to be done and not our desires. The implications of the model
prayer is the glorification of His name through us, extension of His kingdom in
our life, execution of His will in our life, our dependence on God for our
daily needs, seeking forgiveness for our sins and seeking His protections from
the trials and temptations.
The purpose of acknowledging GOD’S NAME AS HALLOWED or
holy is that God might be glorified among us and be treated with the highest
honor in our words, thoughts and deeds by submitting ourselves to His lordship.
By praying that HIS WILL, WOULD BE DONE ON EARTH, we are surrendering
ourselves for the execution of God’s will in our lives, in our family, in our
church, in our ministry and in our country. Like Jesus, we have to submit
to the will of the Father in everything that we do!
“GIVE US OUR DAILY BREAD” teaches us to ask God for the
things we need in our daily life. We can depend on God to provide for our
present and future, physical and spiritual needs.
“FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS” teaches
us to confess our sins to God and to turn from them, and also to forgive others
as God forgives us.
“LEADS US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVERS US FROM THE EVIL
ONE” is a request for help in achieving victory over sin and a request for
protection from the attacks of the devil. We are asking God to help us to
recognize temptation and to give us the strength to overcome it.
This model prayer teaches us that we can approach the holy God
and ask Him to provide for physical and spiritual needs, forgiveness of sins
and divine deliverance from the evil one. May we be encouraged to keep this as
a model prayer in our life.
DO NOT WORRY
In Mt 6:25, we read as DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE.
Someone said, “Worry is like a rocking chair-it keeps you moving but doesn't
get you anywhere." Anxiety is something which all of us have,
irrespective of our age, possessions, our social positions and other
accumulations in our life. In a study, it is learnt that 85% of our worries are
about the things that would never happen or happened. 97 percent of our
worries are not much more than a fearful mind punishing us with exaggerations
and misperceptions.
When Jesus said, therefore I tell you, in the starting of the
verse, He linked this statement with the other teachings He had given on
treasure and money. Then the understanding we derive from this context is that
Jesus would have referred about the over concern we have to accumulate things
in order to keep our future more secure and comfortable. When a man sets
aside the God of righteousness and accepts the god of material things, he
becomes greedy, covetous and totally preoccupied with material possessions.
When we cease to trust God for our needs, we become enslaved to material
things. When seeking after the material things occupy our life, possessing and
keeping things would be the goal of our life. This makes us over anxious for
our material and physical needs. When we see people with a higher standard
of living than our own and feel pressure to match with those standards, we look
for ways to make more money. In the process we would end up taking work with
longer hours, taking high pressure jobs and compromising on business ethics.
This will end up causing more worries on a daily basis
When we worry, we convey that means in life are more important
than our life. When we worry we miss the real meaning of life. When we worry we
display the unbelief in God. When we worry we behave like non believers, who
have not tasted the nature of a true living and personal God. When we
worry about certain things, those things would be the first thing we think
about in the morning and the last thing we think before sleep. It would occupy
our spare time and conversation. It would become our master and will eat out
all the happiness of our daily life. A worried mind means a chronically
stressed brain, and chronic stress generates serious
problems. Worry gives a small thing a big shadow. Worry is the
interest we pay on tomorrow's troubles. Worry is an indication that we think
God cannot look after us.
Worries shift the focus from the sufficiency of Christ to our
human insufficiency and insecurity. Worry is a sin because it displaces God in
our life and it distracts us from the things that really matter in life.
Jesus does not convey that we can quit working because God
will provide. The point is that we do not have to be anxious because God is our
shepherd and provider. We have to do our work but at the same time, there is no
need to be anxious about its outcome. We should not spend our life worrying
like the non-believers. God values us much more than the birds and He can be
completely trusted for our needs. Worry is unnecessary because we have a
father in heaven who loves us and cares for us. The people belonging to God
have to keep worry aside. Worrying is an unfruitful effort.
The Cure for Anxiety is in seeking His Kingdom and its
righteousness. Also, Prayer helps to overcome worry on a daily basis (Ph4:6).
May God enable us to cast all our worries on Him, as He cares for us (1 Pet
5:7).
DO NOT JUDGE
In Mt 7:1, we read as, “Do not judge or you will be
judged”. When Jesus said, do not judge, what did He mean? – Was He forbidding
one from making moral evaluations? Did He suggest that we should keep our mouth
shut, when we notice immoral and wicked practices in our midst? Certainly not!
This verse is one of the most popular bible verses of our day.
We use this verse in an attempt to silence our critics. If we read verses 15
and 16 of the same chapter, we notice that Jesus was commanding His followers
to know people by their fruit and for knowing their fruit, some sort of
judgement is necessary. Jesus does not oppose offering correction, but forbid
providing correction with a wrong motive. In John 7:24, Jesus says, “Stop
judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly”. Here, Jesus seems to
be highlighting that we have to make judgments in the right sense and should
not indulge in criticizing others in censorious manner. By telling, “do not
judge”, Jesus does not suspend our critical powers. We are equipped to discern
right from wrong and righteousness from wickedness. In Isaiah 5:20, we read as,
“Woe to those who call evil, good and good, evil, who put darkness for light
and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter”
When the Bible says “Don’t judge or you too will be judged” it’s talking about
condemnation. Jesus does not want us to take the function of judge, dispensing
judgement upon others. Jesus is speaking against being judgmental, that is,
judging the motives of others, that is truly known only by God. We would be
able to judge the fruit of a man, but we can rarely judge their motives with
accuracy.
We should stay away from judging superficially. Passing judgment superficially
on someone based only on appearances is sinful and wrong. It is foolish to jump
to conclusions with incomplete information and without knowing the facts.
We should avoid judging hypocritically. Most of our judgment in regard to
others is wrong, not because we judge according to a standard, but because we
are hypocritical in the application of that standard, ignoring such standard in
our own life. We judge others by one standard and ourselves by another
standard, being more generous to ourselves than others.
To be the salt and light of the earth, we have to make sound moral judgments.
Evil teachers and evil men must be exposed and purged out of the body of the
Christ. In 1 Tim 5:20, we read that the sinning ones need to be reproved
publicly, so that the others may take warning. We are to gently confront erring
brothers or sisters in Christ. But we are not to display a critical
fault-finding nature or being negative with judgmental attitudes. We should
stay away from critical judging, eager to find faults. As believers, we have to
make Spirit-led right judgments, but not in an unloving & unkind manner.
The judgment is one of the noblest faculties of our moral life. We need to
examine the spirit out of which our judgement on others, spring out. We must
judge ourselves before judging others and we should not make our word a law to
everybody. Everyone has untold stories of pain and sadness that make them live
a little differently than we do. Let us try to understand others before coming
to conclusions. May God enable us to judge rightly and not to get indulged in
passing judgments in censorious manner.
PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER
In Mt 7: 7, 8 we read that Ask, and it shall be given
to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you: For
every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks
it shall be opened. These verses are well known to most of
us. Does this passage convey that God will give us anything we ask in
prayer? Is this an open promise with no conditions? Is God obligated
to give us whatever we ask Him in prayer?
If we take these verses out of context, it would convey that
we would get whatever we ask in prayer. But we have to understand the verses in
their immediate context and in the context of teachings on prayer in the whole
Bible. Reading these verses along with 11th verse of the same chapter would
mean that what we ask, must be good in God’s estimation. Thus we are told
to ask and seek those things that are in line with the will of God. Here
the emphasis is on the persistence in prayer - to ask and keep on asking,
to seek and keep on seeking, to knock and to keep on
knocking. ASKING suggests dependence, SEEKING suggests
yearning; KNOCKING suggests persistence. Theologian Lawrence O.
Richards explains these verses as follows: Jesus describes prayer as
asking, seeking, and knocking. “Ask” is the act of prayer in its simplest form.
“Seek” conveys intensity, and “earnest sincerity.” And “knock” pictures persistence.
We ask what we wish, we seek what we miss and we knock
believing that the shut doors will be opened. All these efforts need
faith, diligence and persistence. The earnestness, diligence and perseverance,
we need in prayer are highlighted here. From 1 John 5:14, 15 we learn that
prayers offered according to His will, will bring answers. So we have to pray
according to His will. In John 16:24, it is conveyed that what we ask in
the name of Jesus will be given. This means that we have to pray for things
that would be approved by Jesus. From Mt 21:22, we learn that we
will receive whatever we ask, believing. This conveys that we have to pray in
faith. John 15:7 clarifies that if we remain in Christ and His words remain in
us, then we will receive whatever we ask in prayer. This suggests that our
fellowship with Christ is an important factor to get answers for our
prayers. Reading James 1:6-8, 1 John 5:14, Lk 18:1-18, Heb 10:22 reveal
that we have to pray in faith, according to the will of God, sincerely and
persistently.
In Isaiah 55:8-9, we read that God's ways are not our
ways. God is not obligated to say yes to our every request. We may not always
understand His will or His timing. At times, we need to wait for God's yes to
be manifested. And in other times, we must be willing to accept NO for an
answer. God desires both our persistence and our submission.
The Bible encourages us to pray for our needs. There are many
examples in Bible who are engaged in persistent prayers. Paul pled with God
three times before receiving an answer. David made repeated requests to God in
Psalms. Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane. Persistent prayer develops in
us a dependency and submission to Him. Persistent prayer reminds us about
our weakness. We need His grace, guidance and provisions to fulfill our
needs. So let us ask and go on asking, let us seek and go on seeking, and let
us knock and go on knocking.
The verses mention the action required from our side to get
help from the all knowing, almighty and omnipresent God. Jesus provides
motivation and reason to ignite our prayer life. Ask, implies asking for a
conscious need. Seek, involves asking added with action. Knocking add
perseverance to the prayer till we get answer. It means that we have to
pray persistently, expecting answer. The verb tenses in the original Greek
could be translated as “keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking.”
There are times in our life, when doubts, fear, worries, etc.,
become inhibitors in our prayer life. Jesus is our shepherd and He can be
trusted to provide for our needs. He knows our need and answers the prayer
that is offered in faith and in line with His will. We can bring our
needs, desires, wishes and worries to God in prayer. He is inviting us to ask
for help.
Prayer is active approach which includes asking for the need,
making efforts to understand His will concerning the need and having
steadfastness in prayer to meet the need. Persistent prayer teaches us to
depend on God instead of rushing ahead to get what we want.
GOLDEN RULE
In Matthew 7:12, we read that “So in everything, do to
others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the
Prophets”. This verse is considered as the golden rule. This verse is
synonymous to the second great commandment, which says “Thou shall love
your neighbor as yourself”. This is the essence of the entire Sermon on
the Mount, mentioned in 5th to 7th chapters of
Mathew gospel. By saying that this sums up the law and the prophets, Jesus
presents the golden rule as summary for the entire moral law. This verse is
linked with the teaching to "love thy enemies" in Matthew
5:44. In Luke 6:31 the rule is present in the context of
teachings about loving our enemies.
Golden rule is all about the principles of relationship.
Relationships would be at its best when we use this rule in our
relationships. What we wish upon others, we wish upon ourselves. It
conveys to do the same actions that we want others to do to us. It conveys us
to guide our behavior in the same way that we want others to behave. If we
regard other people’s possessions, families, job and ministry in the same way
we regard our own, the impacts, changes and transformations it can make are
unlimited. The passage “Do to others what you would have them do to you” would mean
that if we want respect, we ought to respect others. If we want love, we
need to love others. If we want to be helped, we have to help others. If we
want to be listened, we have to listen to others. Practicing the golden
rule would mean empathizing with other people, including those who may be very
different from us. It is the ability to experience how others view and feel. It
would mean placing ourselves in the shoes of another person and trying to
understand others in their perspective. Do to others what you would have
them do to you would mean that we make efforts to understand how
others want to be treated, and then doing that.
Generally we keep our eyes shut to the needs and troubles
of others. If we understand another person, and feel what they’re going
through, there is possibility to take some actions to ease their suffering in
some way. Without the love for neighbor, the love of God remains a
barren emotion. Though we are conditioned to control people, the
golden rule is not about controlling others but providing freedom, autonomy and
trust. Though we have the tendency to strike back when we’re treated badly the
rule is about treating others well, despite how they treat us.
When we start applying the golden rule, our daily life would
change. We would behave responsibly in public. We would listen more, help
more. We will try to see the similarities between us and others,
despite the differences. We will hold back criticism and instead
learn to interact with others in a positive way. We will not take
advantage of someone. We will not lie or cheat to get ahead because we would
not want others doing that to us.
By making a decision to do to others what we would want
others to do to us, we open up to a process of change. It's a way of
denying self and allowing a gradual transformation to change our character from
the inside out. May God enable us to do to others what we would want
others to do to us.
TWO ROADS
Two roads diverged in a wood, I took the one, less traveled by
and that has made all the difference, so said Robert Frost. In Mt 7:13 and
14, we note Jesus talking about two types of roads. He said, “Enter
through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that
leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and
narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. Jesus Christ
compared the way to life with the narrow road and the way to destruction with
the broad road.
Broad road is the easy way of floating downstream, in the
course of this world. One can easily sail into it without much effort and
thought. It takes in multitudes and keeps them. This way does not require
spiritual maturity, moral character, commitment and sacrifice. Jesus said
many will enter through the wide gate and move through the wide road. The
“many” would probably refer to all who do not take the words of Christ
seriously. The broad road is easy, pleasing and attractive. There are few
rules, few restrictions and requirements. Here, sin is tolerated and the truth
is diluted. Here, the word of God is pronounced but not studied and applied.
Here, the ways of God are admired but not followed.
On the other hand, narrow road is the way of holiness and is
hardly chosen. The narrow road is not smooth and walker friendly. Few go
there, traveling mostly in solitude and singularity. We are not in heaven as
soon as we pass through the narrow gate, we would be walking through the narrow
road with all inconveniences and wilderness type of experience. Here, we are
likely to be persecuted and face oppositions. Here, we have to deny ourselves
and would be asked to give up our inclination to the world. Entering in
the narrow gate would require efforts and diligence. Here, one needs to
strive and swim against the stream to keep going. Walking through the narrow
road would mean keeping our lust under control, wining over temptations and
overcoming the desires of the flesh.
We can have many paths to take in life, but God's way is the
only one that leads to eternal life. We cannot walk on two roads, in
two different directions, at the same time. The fact that “everybody does
it” is no proof that what they are doing is right. Surprisingly, only
small number of disciples chose to follow Jesus by the end of His ministry. The
thousands that followed Him, like a celebrity apparently left him on the way.
Jesus wants us to be on the right road, where the entrance is
somewhat difficult, for it demands self-denial and calls for strictness of
obedience. Following Jesus requires crucifying our flesh, living by faith,
enduring trials with Christ like patience and living a lifestyle set apart for
God from the world. May God enable us to choose the right road and move on
steadily along with Christ in our daily life.
WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING
Take a look at the popular preachers and teachings of our day.
Do the preachers show righteousness, humility and faithfulness in the way they
live? Check, whether their teachings are rooted in God's Word or centered in
human concepts, appealing to ears? Are those listening to them, grow in Christ
or merely being entertained? Your answer would determine the type of teachings
and the preachers you are exposed to. In Mt 7: 15-20, Jesus warns us
to be aware of false prophets, and gives us very concrete and practical
guidelines for our discernment.
Like the presence of false prophets in Old Testament, there
are counterfeits in our time who promote easier religion and spirituality,
while in reality; they neglect God's true demands. We are told in Mt 24:11
& 24 that there would be more and more false prophets in last days. We
must be aware of false prophets who claim to be a prophet from God and utter
falsehoods in the name of divine prophecies. Jesus said that false
prophets come to us in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous
wolves. They come as wolves dressed as sheep - the most ravenous of
animals disguised as the most harmless of animals. This is the deceitfulness of
the false prophets. Unfortunately, we are more influenced to believe
anything in religion if it comes from ordained ministers and famous preachers.
Many are deceived by the outward appearance of counterfeits.
They are trained and professional in deceiving even the very elect. In Mt
7:16-18 Jesus describes how false ones can be recognized. Their actions end up
revealing their true nature. They may be able to hide their deadliness but
eventually they will be exposed. They may look like sheep but they will always
end up behaving like wolves. They appear harmless like sheep but they
always seek to further their own interests at the expense of the flock. They
preach a certain amount of gospel truth. They talk about prayer, Jesus and the
Bible but under the layer of truth is the trap of error. Paul describes
the nature of false ones in Philippians 3:18, 19 as, they are the enemies of
the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly and
whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.
This is the age of deception. The Bible warns us to "test
the spirits" (1Jn 4:1) and to be aware of deceivers (2Ti 3:13). If a
blind lead a blind, both are likely to fall into the ditch. We need to
very careful about the teachings, reaching us today. If the teaching does
not draw us to holiness, inspires us to imitate Christ, then it would be better
to ignore them. Sound doctrine and holy living are the marks of true
ones. The way to identify a counterfeit is to know the original. The
best safe guard against false teaching is the regular study of the word of God.
Neglecting the earnest study of the word of God, makes us easy prey to the
ferocious wolves in sheep’s clothing. May God enable us to be
vigilant and equipped to recognize the counterfeits and grow in the right
spirituality.
FALSE PROFESSING
In Mt 7:21 we read that “Not everyone who says to me,
'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven”. These words find their place in the
concluding remarks of the great sermon on the mount. This verse confirms that
there is a place called heaven and those who do the will of God will enter
there.
Jesus seems to be suggesting that many who are thinking that
they are on board to heaven may get disappointed. Jesus speaks about the
religious people, who are duped into a false sense of security thinking that
they have a direct entry to heaven, while in reality their destiny is not
different from non-believers. Our entry to heaven is not based on our religious
activities but is truly depending on the question, if we are doing the will of
God. Professing is one thing and practicing what we profess is entirely another
thing.
“Not everyone” in the verse indicates that some of those
Jesus is talking about are true believers. Their declaration of "Lord,
Lord" is genuine, because it comes from their regenerated hearts.
They seems to be self-deceived, brought in to a kind of thinking that they have
become the citizens of the Kingdom of God whereas in reality they still belong
to the kingdom of darkness and are under the power of sin and Satan. They may
have God’s name in their mouth, but rebellion is witnessed in their lives.
In Mt 7:22 and 23, we read as “Many will say to me on
that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive
out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them
plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” These are told
about those who base their works in the name of Jesus, who pray and heal in the
name of Jesus, who preach and teach in the name of Jesus, who build huge
churches and ministries in the name of Jesus, who claim to have relationship with
Him, but in reality they are different. There are many who say
“Lord, Lord,” and their religion ends there. They have a form of godliness and
are satisfied with the shell of religion. They desire to do things that will be
most seen and prefer to minster in those places that brings them great honors.
Jesus sends them away, not with commendation for their good
works done in His name but by disowning their every deed and word, saying that
He would never know them. There are times when God, in His sovereign will and
for His purposes, will empower even unbelievers to perform miraculous deeds.
The spectacular deeds in ministries do not always certify the life approved of
God. We need to be more vigilant from being deceived.
True believers are like the good trees that produce good
fruit, like the true sheep that look to Christ, depending on Him, believing in
Him and following Him. Doing the will of God would mean seeking the will of God
and simultaneously making conscious efforts to fulfill the will of God in every
part and aspects of our life. We have to turn from considering religion as
something for quieting our conscience to a practical influence that affect our
lives and conduct daily.
WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS
Towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used a
parable to emphasize an important point to His followers. Jesus told a story
about two men: one who built his house upon a rock and another who built his
house upon sand. The house built upon a rock weathered the storm and the
builder is called wise; but the house built on the sand collapsed during the
storm, and the builder is called foolish. We read this in Mt 7: 24-27.
The interpretation of the parable is in verse 24: “Everyone
who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man
who built his house on the rock.”
This parable speaks about two types of followers of Jesus and
the emphasis is on understanding the teachings of Jesus and practicing it. The
parable is about two men who are involved in building houses - one is carefully
preparing his foundation and the other is careless about his foundation. The
houses looked similar. The fundamental difference between them is the
foundation, on which the house is built. And the foundation is normally hidden.
The parable talks about two different classes of Christians
who look similar outwardly but are different inwardly. Both classes are
professing Christians who are familiar with the Bible and the teachings of
Jesus. The foolish is the one who hears the words of Jesus but does not
practice it. The wise is the one who understands the teachings of Christ and
practices it. The difference lies in how their understanding change and
transform their inner lives.
A wise Christian is not content with listening to exhortations
to repent, believe in Christ and to live a holy life. He actually repents,
believes and ceases to do evil. He leaves what is sinful and clings to what is
good. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water, bearing good works
throughout his life. The floods of sickness, sorrow, poverty, disappointments
will not shake his faith and trust in God.
The foolish builder is like the man who listens to the
Christian teachings and does not move further. They believe that all is right
with their life and are content with the feelings, convictions and desires for
spiritual life. They are not breaking off from sin and casting aside the spirit
of the world. They lay hold of Christ and are not committed to take up their
cross. They have conditioned themselves to be just listeners of truth and
nothing more.
Each one of us is building our life. The proper foundation for
our life lies in understanding the teachings of Jesus and obeying them
sincerely. We need to be careful not to stop with just hearing good sermons or
attending Bible classes. God’s will is that His words be understood correctly
and that we will practice it. His word has to become the foundation for our
lives. Everything in the world seems to be causing us to turn away from God’s
word. And our own feelings, at times would pull us away from the plain
teachings of the Christ. But we need to be wise enough to make efforts to
follow the words of Christ, despite these pressures.
