Monthly Archives: August 2022

ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH

Christian Life, ,

ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH

“Again you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep your oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by you head because you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes,’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

This is Jesus’ yoke on speaking the truth.

Why should Jesus have had to speak to people about not taking oaths? Was it because taking an oath meant that they had to tell the truth, otherwise their word could not be trusted? Nowadays people have to swear on the Bible in court or take an oath to tell the truth and then they still tell lies under oath when it suits them.

The religious teachers of Jesus’ day insisted that if people verified their words with an oath, they had to swear by the gold of the temple because it was more binding than just swearing by the temple (Matthew 23:16). Jesus pointed out the foolishness of that kind of thinking. The temple, the gold and the God who dwells in the temple are joined together. The same with taking an oath in the name of heaven. It does not matter what a person swears by, in the end God is there and hears the words.

The problem with taking an oath to verify ones words is that it implies that, unless you take an oath, whenever you speak, you are lying. We live in a world that is steeped in dishonesty. People’s word cannot be trusted, even if they take an oath or sign a legal document. 

How important it is that followers of Jesus are people whose word can always be trusted. If they make a promise, they can be trusted to do what they have said. If they say there will be at a certain place at a certain time, they can be trusted to be there on time.

God is present everywhere. He is aware of every word we speak. We cannot hide anything from Him because He even knows our thoughts before we think them. What purpose is there in taking an oath in order to speak the truth so that at other times we can tell lies and think we will get away with it?

As followers of Jesus, we are to be like Him. Jesus always spoke the truth even if it offended people. The truth exposed the darkness in people’s hearts, and they did not like to be exposed.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20

“Jesus…said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12.

Jesus said, “I am the truth…” How important it is for us to be truthful, always so that we can reflect Jesus in the way we relate to and treat people.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

JESUS’ YOKE ON DIVORCE

Christian Life, ,

JESUS’ YOKE ON DIVORCE

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:31-32.

In yesterday’s study, we talked about adultery being more than sleeping with another persons’ spouse. It begins in the heart by bringing another person into the union between husband and wife and breaking that union; it destroys the purpose of marriage, unity; and it disrupts God’s plan for the whole universe functioning together as one, as an expression of who He is – God is one.

Jesus did not say that divorce is an unforgivable sin. He said, firstly, that men should not divorce their wives for any old reason and, secondly, it should be done in the proper way. A man had no right to send his wife away if she displeased him over some minor thing she had done. He had no right to treat her like a bit pf property which he could throw away when he got tired of it.

On another occasion (Matthew 19:1-9), when the Pharisees asked Jesus if was alright for a man to divorce his wife for any reason, Jesus replied that it was not God’s plan from the beginning. Marriage is much more than two people coming together in a legally binding agreement which can be dissolved by a court of law if the husband decides he doesn’t want her any more. Marriage is of God. When two people marry, God joins them together and they must not be separated.

However, there are things that break a marriage long before spouses are divorced. Jesus called it “marital unfaithfulness.” Adultery is not the only form of marital unfaithfulness. There are also other things that break the unity between a husband and wife, for example, abuse, failure to provide, even secretive or deceptive behaviour, can disrupt the unity between husband and wife.

Before a Jewish couple were married, they drew up an agreement between them, witnessed by two witnesses, called a ‘ketubah’. The ketubah was especially designed to protect the wife.

A husband could not simply send his wife away. In the ketubah, he agreed to provide his wife with food, clothing and marital rights. He also agreed to pay a certain amount of money if he divorced her and inheritance rights if he died before her. It was not a mutual agreement. The wife only agreed to accept the husband’s proposal of marriage. The witnesses were there to attest to the husband’s actions, promises and statements and the wife’s agreement to his proposal of marriage.

Because of the husband’s agreement to pay money if he divorced his wife, it forced him to think carefully before he contemplated divorce. The fact that a divorce required a scribe and a specially convened court and witnesses also protected the wife from a husband’s hasty decision.   http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/465168/jewish/The-Marriage-Contract-Ketubah.htm

In accordance with Rabbi Hillel’s teaching, some of the rabbis in Jesus’ day had become lenient about divorce. Others followed the teaching of Rabbi Shammai who was much stricter about the reasons for divorce. The Pharisees came to Jesus because they wanted to know who was right.

Jesus said it was wrong for a husband to look for an excuse to divorce his wife so that he could marry someone else. That was the worst form of marital unfaithfulness. By getting rid of her so that he could marry someone else, he put the blame for the breaking of unity on her and made her the guilty party.

People get divorced because of selfishness and sin. When we are followers of Jesus, we have been given new hearts, a new nature and the Holy Spirit who helps us to live with our husband or wife in unity and harmony instead of in conflict. True Christian marriages are to be a reflection of the unity that exists between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ANOTHER INWARD LAW

Christian Life, ,

ANOTHER INWARD LAW

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27, 28.

If murder is more than taking someone’s life, what did Jesus have to say about adultery?

First of all, what is adultery? Is it just about having an intimate relationship with someone who is married to someone else or is it more than that?

Before we can answer that question, we have to ask another one. What is marriage? If we try to answer that question by looking at the way people interpret and experience marriage today, we will have a wrong idea about what it is.

Jesus answered questions like these by going back to God’s original purpose. When the Pharisees asked Him what the legitimate reasons were for divorce, He replied, “Divorce was not in God’s original plan. It was permitted because of your hard hearts. God’s plan from the beginning was that marriage was to be the permanent union of two people, a man, and a woman, to show the world that God is one and that He created man in His image.

“So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27.

“For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24.

God is one. That does not mean than the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all one person. It means that they are three persons in complete unity, in who they are and in what they do. God made the whole universe to function as one – like a well-oiled machine with every part working in harmony because He is one. That’s how it functioned in the beginning until Adam and Eve destroyed the unity by disobeying God and setting up their own rules.

God’s first action after He created Eve out of Adam was to bring them together in marriage so that they could be one again. This was to be His pattern for marriage from then on. When sin interrupted and spoiled God’s plan, it also brought disunity into marriage. People are selfish. Instead of submitting to one another in love, they want their own way. This destroys unity and causes marriages and families to break up.

When someone starts looking around and sees another woman whom he thinks would be better than his own wife, he has already destroyed the unity with his wife long before he has slept with another. Adultery is much more than having sex with another person’s husband or wife. It’s about destroying the unity between oneself and one’s spouse by one’s words, actions, or attitudes.

The Apostle Paul pointed to Jesus and His church as the model for the attitudes of husbands and wives towards each other.

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church which is His body of which He is the Saviour. Now, as the church submits to Christ, so also should wives submit to their husbands in everything.

“Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church – for we are members of His body.

“‘For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you must also love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5:22-33.

Marriage is intended, first to be a declaration and demonstration of the unity in the Godhead. When that unity is destroyed by unloving attitudes or actions, adultery has already happened, and the rest is inevitable.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

THE LAW IS ALSO INWARD

Christian Life, ,

THE LAW IS ALSO INWARD

We are on a journey through the Sermon on the Mount to try discover what Jesus taught that made Him different from the other rabbis and their disciples. How did He interpret the Torah? What was His yoke?

The Pharisees thought they were okay with God as long as they obeyed the Ten Commandments. They did not understand that obedience to God’s Law was not only doing the right thing, but also having the right heart. This is where they came short of perfect obedience to the Law.

Jesus began by quoting a commandment.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool,’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Matthew 5:21-22 

God’s perfection goes much deeper than just our outward actions. It starts in the heart. The Bible teaches us that God is love. Whatever He does is always motivated by His love, be it towards His children or towards those who hate Him.

“…He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked…”  Luke 6:35b.

Because we are His sons and daughters, He wants us to be like Him.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36.

When we are angry with someone and hate him, we have already killed him in our hearts even if we have not actually taken his life. In God’s eyes, anger is just the same as murder because anger nullifies love.

If God expects such a high standard from us, how can we ever reach that standard? Without His forgiveness for our failure and the help of the Holy Spirit who is in us if we have faith in Jesus, we can never be what God expects us to be.

The amazing thing is that, because we have been forgiven for our failure to obey God perfectly, and because of our trust in Jesus to be our Lord and Master, God gives us the gift of Jesus’ perfect obedience which He calls “righteousness”. Now He doesn’t see us any longer because we are “in Christ”. He sees Jesus only because we are hidden in Jesus. When we fall short of God’s holy standards, He forgives because of Jesus. The Father treats us as His sons and daughters because we are covered in Jesus’ righteousness and washed clean in His blood.

If we try to be perfect on our own, we will fail. When we trust in God to forgive our sins and we rest in Jesus because He obeyed God’s laws perfectly for us, He will enable us, through the power of the Holy Spirit who is in us, to love instead of hate and to forgive instead of being angry with people.

Acknowledgement

SCRIPTURE TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

JESUS TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY

Christian life, ,

JESUS TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 5:19-21.

Jesus had a lot to say about money because money rules our lives. Without money, we cannot live. We need money for everything we do – we buy food and clothing; we pay rent for our home, or we buy a property if we have enough money; we need money to pay school fees for our children, for fuel for our vehicles or for bus or train fares, and so on. Unless we are like the animals who live off the land, we all need money.

The problem is that we never seem to have enough. However much or little we have, we always need a little more. One of the reasons is that we have the wrong idea about money and the wrong attitude to our money and possessions. Jesus taught His disciples, and that’s us too if we truly want to follow Him, how to handle our money so that we will always have enough.

It may sound crazy, but Jesus said that the best way to have enough money is to give some of it away. Like anything we hoard, what we selfishly keep for ourselves will get stale, become rotten or get stolen. The best way to save our money is to put it in the bank of heaven. There it cannot get stolen. Jesus said it this way:

How can we store up treasure in heaven? There is no “Bank of Heaven” in town where we can deposit our money.

Money is the currency we work with on earth and faith is the currency of heaven. To protect what we own, which belongs to God because He gave it to us to use as He directs us, we have to become partners with God. Every time we help someone in need, we make a deposit in our heavenly “bank account”.  When we are in need and we ask God for help, He prompts someone who is listening to Him to give to us because we have a deposit in our account.

This is the way God has chosen to keep His resources circulating. He gives us the strength and skill to earn a salary, but He also tells us how we must use that money. If we use it all up on ourselves and do nothing to help another person in need, we have nothing to draw from when we need extra money. When we put a deposit on heaven by giving some of our money away, God will take care of us when a crisis arises, and we don’t have enough money to pay.

Jesus said that if we are selfish and greedy, we have a “dark” eye. That means that we are always looking after ourselves and care nothing for other people. If we are generous, we have an “eye of light”. That means that we can see beyond the end of our own noses. If we only live to make money so that we can become rich, we cannot serve God as well. We will serve what we love – either God or money, not both.

Disciples are to be like God the Father and Jesus, His Son – generous and kind to everyone.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.