Study of Matthew |
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Matthew Chapter 5
Those poor in spirit are they that are humble in spirit. Blessed means happy. Happy are they that are poor in spirit. They recognize they are not good in themselves and need help from the Lord. They are more likely to seek the Lord for salvation as opposed to the proud who think they have need of nothing. The only one who can fill that need is the Lord. The gospel is to be preached to the poor because the poor and humble are most likely to receive it. They are truly blessed indeed for they shall inherit God's kingdom. Usually the poor in material possessions but rich in the spirit, is also blessed. We live in a day of the prosperity gospel which sometimes if taught out of context with other scriptures may lean heavily toward despising the poor. There are church congregations that are well to do and poor struggling ones. Some have to be careful if they are blessed with wealth not to be haughty assume they are more blessed of God than the ones that are poor. If we find ourselves poor and lacking in substance we must never assume we are out of God's favor. Not so. God may allow some to be rich to see if they will help their brethren. We must never assume the poor are out of God's favor. That is the very opposite of what the scriptures teach.
Until the coming of Jesus to make all things right, fair and just, we will have the poor among us. We must do what we can according to what we have to help them but bringing them the gospel is a priority that has to come first. Many times to bring the gospel and then teach them how to make a living might bring them out of poverty better than just handouts that expire after a while and they are still in need.
So we see from the scriptures that giving to the poor helps us in eternity. Not that we are saved by works alone for we all must come through Jesus Christ for salvation and He alone is the author of our salvation but our reward will be greater if we do what He commands us to do in areas that become available to us.
Happy are they that mourn for sin and are grieved when they see evil prevail. Happy are they that mourn because the world has turned aside after Satan and do not fear the Lord nor regard His word. They truly shall be comforted by the Holy Spirit and comforted in eternity when Jesus returns to reward the faithful who kept the faith and did not deny His name. Happy are those that mourn for the coming of the Lord and are anxiously awaiting His coming. Happy are those that mourn because their loved ones have died because the Holy Spirit is their comforter. Actually the Holy Spirit will comfort now before the coming of the Lord in all the above circumstances. When we truly mourn, it shows that we have compassion and really care. Sad is the day when society gets so full of apathy that they don't care anymore for another person's suffering.
Happy are the meek or those that have a quiet gentle spirit. They will inherit the earth in the day the Lord returns. God resists the proud and haughty that assume they are rich, increased with goods and have need of nothing. The meek shall inherit God's blessings, not the proud.
A church that is comfortable and assumes since they have plenty that God has blessed them, they are in His favor and they have lost their fervent love for God, love for souls and love from His word. God help us to remember the ones that need the gospel and that have other needs as well if we are in a position to be of help.
To hunger after righteousness is our goal. To those who desire holiness and righteousness in their lives, shall receive and be full. There is a danger of coming to Christ for salvation and then living any way the flesh desires. We are to seek the righteousness of Christ continually. It is not a one time thing. We need to be filled with the spirit constantly. We must hunger and thirst for the things of the spirit of God. When we do, we receive more and more. God will surely give to all who diligently seek Him.
Studying God's word in context is vital to keep us from being deceived. Once we have the attitude that we want to know this God who saved us and we desire to keep His word so we begin to devour His word, we will be filled. It also builds our faith.
If we forgive men their trespasses, God forgives us. When we show mercy, God shows us mercy. There is a story Jesus tells about a man who was forgiven by his creditor but refused to forgive a fellow servant:
Forgiveness helps us. To hold grudges hinders us from living in the joy of the Lord. Its impossible to be happy in the Lord and full of love, joy, and peace if we have unforgiveness within our inner soul. There is a dispute among some of us that according to God's word we are only required to forgive if someone asks. I'm not really sure whether or not we are held accountable to forgive if someone doesn't ask but it is better for our own happiness to do so rather than carry that weight around. We never know whether or not God has forgiven them so we might be holding onto something that God has put away from them. So it's better not to be unforgiving that usually turns into bitterness. This type of thing even causes wars and death.
They shall see God because the sin which separated them from God previously has been washed away by the blood of Jesus and they continued in the faith, not turning back into the lusts and impurity that they had before coming to Christ. They kept themselves pure. They shall see God.
We are not to return to the corruption of sin after we have found salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We are to be sanctified which means both being set apart and cleansed to be in the Lord's service. We now live for Him in holiness and sanctification. This is not taught as it once was but just because we do not teach it does not make it null and void.
Hebrews confirms that without holiness no person shall see God. If we live unholy lives and are fighting all the time with people, we are not peacemakers.
Peace makers are the total opposite of those that are carnal and walk in the flesh. I use to know a lady who loved making peace. Instead of repeating evil, she would repeat good things. For instance, if one person would compliment another person, she would be quick to tell the other person the good that the first person said about her. The flesh wants to hear gossip, repeat gossip and sow discord. The flesh loves to see two people dislike each other hoping to benefit by siding with the offended person thus making a friendship based on mutual dislike of another person. This is not good. If we have two friends who are angry with each other, we need to work toward their reconciliation not try to benefit by their estrangement. I remember one lady who wanted her friend's boyfriend for herself, so she went to the boyfriend and told things that his girlfriend had said behind his back in girl talk and confidence. It split the two up. The two girls who once had a close friendship was separated. All three relationships are now split. I remember warning the guy involved that he should never listen to a person who tries to break up a friendship by repeating something said about him behind his back. Gossip can destroy a church worse than a fistfight. We are not supposed to use false flattery and say things that are not true but to speak and criticize a person behind their backs does not do one bit of good either for the hearer or the one being talked about. It does no good for that person since they don't hear it. This is evil, God forgive us but we are all guilty of this at one time or another and it is not good. It can't possibly edify or heal a congregation of believers in Christ. The exception to this of course is when a person teaches a false doctrine and a whole congregation needs to be warned. If a person is a predator or someone who would endanger another's life, well being etc., then we may have to say something to keep the innocent from harm. In normal everyday life in dealing with people, though we need to walk in love and not sow discord among the brethren. Endeavor to make peace and we will be blessed of God.
To be persecuted for the kingdom of God's sake will be rewarded highly at the Lord's coming. Peter talks of this:
To those that endure persecution without wavering, their reward is great. Many are enduring that right now is some countries. They have to deny Christ to save their lives but most do not but allow themselves to be killed rather than deny the Lord. We see this in the book of Revelation. We see those that were beheaded for the gospel's sake awaiting God to avenge their blood.
If we sat down to eat and the food was bland with no salt, we then take the shaker and salt our food only to discover the salt had lost all flavor. I've never had this to happen myself but if it did, we would see what this saying of Christ is all about. If believers lose their testimony, water down their message and have no power, we become good for nothing. We will make no impact upon society and no souls will be saved. The letters to the seven churches in Revelation is a good example of what can happen when a church falls away from its first love, gets into false doctrine, compromises with the world, becomes dead spiritually, gets rich and comfortable and so forth. In all cases the solution was merely to repent. Repent means change, turn around go back to the first love, make all things new and live in righteousness.
John wrote for us to walk in the light as He is in the light. We are supposed to be the light of the world not dull, dead and polluted. We are suppose to shine the light of Christ from within us and live so that others may find the light of the gospel. We are not to hide the truth or suppress the truth covering it up with unrighteousness. We can do this by teaching or adding doctrines that the Lord did not give thereby covering up the simple gospel that saves the soul. We can do this by teaching truth but not living it in our own lives thereby bringing reproach upon the gospel so that others will reject it because of what they see in us. We can do this by being afraid or ashamed of the gospel and not sharing it with the world around us. Either of the above methods will stamp out the light of the gospel and people will not be saved.
This is to be done in a way to bring glory to God not self but our lights must shine so that people see Christ in us and see that we are different.
The death of Jesus as a sacrifice for sin, fulfilled all the law that condemned us to eternity in hell because we broke that law in some point during our lifetime. Jesus paid the price and fulfilled the requirements of the law so that we could go free from the condemnation of the law and not be lost for eternity. He didn't do away with it making it of no effect. Instead He fulfilled it so that all who accept what He did and believe in Him will inherit eternal life. They will not have to pay for their own sins because He paid that for them in His sacrifice on the cross. Animals were sacrificed in the Old Testament law as a substitute for the people that sinned. The law says that the soul that sins shall die. The blood of animals though could not take away sin permanently. As soon as they sinned again, they would have to make another sacrifice. Jesus made the final sacrifice so that the one who believes in Him can be cleansed of sin by the blood of Jesus and have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome and not return to sin. Animal sacrifices pointed to this perfect way but the power was not in man to give him complete victory over sin and its condemnation. We need the Holy Spirit for that.
The commandments are still in effect but after we come to Christ, we are given power over the desire to sin if we keep yielding to the Holy Spirit and resist the temptation to return to sin. The commandments are instead written upon our hearts. God's word comes into our spirit or our inner man. We get a new desire to serve the Lord and not sin. Jeremiah foretells of this day:
This promise is to Israel and as a nation they have not yet come to this good way but the new birth was given also to the Gentiles and what is promised to Israel in those verses can be for anyone who comes by way of Jesus Christ, repents of sin and receives God's spirit in their lives. We become born again by the spirit of God. Also for Israel to become reconciled to God they too must come through faith in Jesus the Christ or Messiah.
Religion will not save anyone. We can try on our own without Christ as long as we want but nothing we could do would be enough to save us from the penalty and condemnation of the law that says we have sinned. We must be covered by the righteousness of Christ. When we confess our sins, God forgives our sins, we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ and then we are clothed not by our own righteousness but by the righteousness of Christ. That is the only way our righteousness can exceed the so-called righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. We must have the righteousness of Christ. We must be born again by the spirit of God. It is freely given to all who will believe in Jesus and trust in Him to save them from sin.
We have to be careful not to allow the root of bitterness inside us after we come to Christ. First of all we can love everyone and never harm anyone and still be lost without Jesus Christ but after we come to Christ, we are capable of still getting angry and allow roots of bitterness to ruin our testimony for Christ. We then can become salt without flavor and our lights will be very dim and will not point anyone to Christ.
This shows our giving is to be with a pure heart and our relationship with our fellow believers should be without malice, envy, bad feelings or hate. Our gifts are vain if we are giving without having love.
Be very quick to make restitution and not be estranged from a brother or sister in the Lord. Forgive and make things right if an offense is made.
This is a strong message but if Jesus said it, it is true. Adultery is still an offense that will destroy the soul if it is not repented of. God looks on the heart so even if we desire these things in our heart, it is adultery. If someone has the attitude that they can divorce one wife, marry another and then ask forgiveness, thinking it is ok, that attitude is not one of genuine repentance. One can genuinely repent if this does occur but God knows whether the repentance is genuine or not. We are taking marriage so lightly and that might be why the door was open so wide that the whole nation is making a mockery of marriage and allowing marriage that is really no marriage because God does not ordain it. Only God can make one married. Marriage is what He made it in His word. We have no right to change that either by making laws or by a court ruling. It doesn't change the real law that God made. God ordained that a man is to marry a woman. He meant that marriage work until one of them dies, then they are free to marry again. He did not ordain plural marriages, those that are of the same gender joining in marriage, marriages to animals or any other type that is forbidden in the written word He provided for us. I didn't say this, God did in His written word. I didn't make this ruling or commandment. It is God's word. He decreed this, not me, not my family, not the president; but God. There are other laws that center around this. God's moral laws are still in effect. We can get forgiveness for breaking them if we repent and allow the righteousness of Christ to cover our sins but if we don't, we are lost and without God no matter what the law of the land we live in says. God's law is above all laws.
Stay away from things that cause our weaknesses to surface. If any are a former alcoholics, stay away from places that serve alcohol for example. Whatever can cause us to forsake Christ and return to the world, should be what we should stay away from. If one marries a wife and a former girl friend causes him to be weak in his faithfulness to his wife, then stay away from that former girl friend.
This is one part of God's word that we have desired to get around. People that want to divorce and remarry love to quote John 3:16 and trust in God's salvation but still ignore what Jesus says here. It is adultery to divorce and remarry whether we like it or not. We can be forgiven of this if we forsake this desire in our hearts but if we merely ask forgiveness but still desire to divorce and remarry, the sin is still there and we are not forgiven. It is not sin to divorce and not remarry but we may cause the one we divorced to remarry and then cause them to sin. The exception to this rule is in the case where a spouse is guilty of fornication or sexual impurity, having an affair, etc. If a spouse also wants to leave and we can do nothing about it, we are not under bondage in that case either according to the writing of Paul. If a person has done all these things before coming to Christ then he or she can be forgiven and cleansed of sin just like the woman at the well in John 4. After Christ though, there should never be divorce and remarriage if at all possible. However, we can't force this on anyone. If the unbelieving depart they depart.
Like I said though this sin can be forgiven but if we are really glad we divorced and remarried and glad we sinned in that manner and are not really repentant, then we are still guilty. If we are truly sorry that we couldn't make it work, sorry that we sinned against God and we grieve that we broke His law, then I believe that is true repentance that can be forgiven.
It is better not to make promises or vows because we do not know what tomorrow may bring and we don't want to become liars. All these sins can be forgiven if we come to Christ but we are to forsake the sins and not keep doing them. My Dad used to say, "If it's the Lord's will". He would never make a promise.
Isn't that the truth? Foolish jesting and idle talk causes more trouble than we can imagine and it does not edify the believers. Some people call this stuff fellowship but its not biblical fellowship.
God's word is so delightful and guides us in every part of our lives. To depart from it brings much heartache and grieve. God's laws are perfect converting the soul. He makes them for our good.
Vengeance, law suits, getting even with people must go if we belong to Christ. Rather we should suffer the wrong rather than be the one doing the wrong. How grievous it is to hear of churches suing one another. I read where a Christian writer of a certain song sued a church for using his song without permission. How grievous that was to read about? Here is what Paul writes about this:
That brothers and sisters in the Lord is true holiness.
Perfect love casts out all fear. If all of us would be made perfect in love, we would not commit adultery, we would not be suing anyone at law, we would not be taking vengeance and we would not break the least one of the commandments. The answer to the whole law is to love the Lord with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves. If we could do this, we could keep the whole law. This brings us into a state of perfection. Perfect love will not gloss over sin but rather reprove sin but it will forgive, it will not want vengeance and it will love the souls of the enemy. I remember a preacher's wife that was
murdered several years ago in Akron Ohio. When the men who did this
were sent to prison, that preacher went to visit them and said that
he forgave them. Paul writes:
Our righteousness can only be greater than the Pharisees by going through Jesus Christ and being covered by His righteousness. Praise God for this great gift given to all who will just simply receive it. DC
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