Sometimes,
you'll hear spiritual leaders say that you should put God first, then family,
then church, work, etc. I suggest,
however that you think of your life as multi-dimensional. In every aspect of your life, you should be
thinking about how your actions will reflect on God, how they will affect your
family, how they support or destroy your personal values. For additional thoughts on this subject
matter, see the following blogs.
http://thepennedknight.blogspot.com/2012/11/single-dimensional-one-dimensional.html
What
does it mean that the letter of the Law kills but the Spirit of the Law gives
life? Is life really all about following
a long list of rules and regulations? In
fact, Jesus sums up all the law and the prophets with 2 statements, 'Love the
Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your
neighbor as yourself.' Jairus complains
about all of our rules at home. I respond that our house really has very few
rules. The most important for Jairus is,
'Honor your father and mother.' What
does that mean? Does it mean 'Don't jump
on the furniture'? Yes. Does it mean 'Behave yourself in a way that
represents your parents well'? Yes. Do I need to delineate 1000 rules to
precisely define what he should and should not do? No, Jairus needs to learn the Spirit of the
law. We ask him to consider what it
means to be a Wolfe. What is the
character and reputation that he should purport? Consider what it means to bear the name of
Christ (Christian). Now remember that
one of the 10 commandments is, "Do not take the name of The Lord God in
vain." This is much more
significant than using God's name in a profane statement such as "God damn
it." In fact God is the only one
who could damn something... No, look
over God's indictment of His people in the prophets of the OT (see Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Amos, Malachi). Look at Jesus' parable about the vine growers (Mark 12:1-12).
Think about what Paul means when he says that God cut off the natural
branch (Israel) in Romans. God's people
must act like God's people. The only way
to do that is to live by the Spirit of the Law.
We must have the mind of Christ, taking every thought captive, putting
off the old man, putting on the new man, and walking in the divine nature
granted us.
Week 5 –
Real Relationships
Living
like Christ requires intentional behavior and actions on your
part. You do not become accidentally
Christ-like. How is this truth
solidified by the readings this week?
Can you
connect your need for living the Christian characteristics to the spiritual
battle we are all facing?
Spiritual
warfare is real. The battle is waging
for your heart, your mind, and your body.
Where does sin begin? Why is it
that Paul says that we must take every thought captive? How does this factor into spiritual
warfare?
Matthew
5:21-48 (NASB)
21 "You have
heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL
NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever
commits murder shall be liable to the court.' 22 But I say
to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the
court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You
good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme
court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be
guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23 Therefore if you
are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother
has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the
altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present
your offering. 25 Make friends quickly with your opponent at law
while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over
to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
27 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.
31 "It was said, 'WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.' 34 But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36 Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil.
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.' 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Law
and the Next Level
Would you
consider yourself a serial killer or a serial rapist? I'm hoping
your answer is "no". But Jesus explains that the Law (presented to
the Israelites at the hand of Moses and the word of God Himself) is not
concerned with just physical behavior, but rather with the heart. The letter of the Law says don't kill
other people while the spirit of that same Law is don't hate
others in your heart. The letter of the
Law says don't commit adultery while the spirit of
that same Law is don't lust after others in your
heart. As Paul states in 2 Corinthians
3:6, we are servants of the new covenant which is not of the letter, but of the
Spirit; whereas the letter kills, the Spirit gives life.
What
exactly does all of that mean? The
letter of the Law explained what not to do in order to stay out of
trouble. It is a set of rules to
demonstrate that we are not perfect. It
is debilitating when one realizes that we are not able to meet God's
standards, but this is exactly what the Law was designed to teach us. We need a Savior. This is not to say that God wants us to be
debilitated, on the contrary, the Law leads us to the Savior (see John 5:39 and
Galatians 3:24-25), and in Him, we have the new covenant which gives life. How is it different? The new covenant that we see fulfilled in
Christ no longer tells us not to do things, instead it instructs us on how we
should live (as opposed to the instructions of how we should not live). Jesus says that we should seek reconciliation
if we are angry or if another is angry at us.
He also tells us to seek purity – to radically cleanse ourselves removing
those things in our lives that lead us to sin.
Do you see the difference?
Both lead
us to Godly living. Letter - Godly
living results out of regulation and fear.
Spirit – Godly living results out of relationship and love.
Tell the
Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth
Jesus says
that we shouldn't swear that we're telling
the truth. The Law indicated that one
should not swear falsely (Leviticus 19:12).
Liberty Commentary (referencing another text) does a fine job of
explaining that in the Jewish culture at this time, there were levels of
swearing that would quantify how true something was. As an example, I swear by the church steeple,
and you swear by the marble that comprises the steeple. Our culture today is rampant with those who
want to lay blame or evade responsibility of their own actions. We are hard pressed to find an honest
man. Diogenes in the days of Alexander
the Great, walked around town in the daylight with a lantern. When asked what he was doing, he responded
that he was looking for that which could not be found, an honest man. How true are these words today? Jesus' words
here describe the noble characteristic of a Christian, honesty. Let your yes be yes. If you have to tell someone that you're not
lying, then something is wrong with your character. If at some point, your integrity and
reputation do not defend themselves, then you are defending a lie. As believers, every word from our mouths
should be truth, so that there is no question about the nature of our words,
and there is no need for us to swear to its veracity.
Above and
Beyond
Jesus
directs His followers to be different, unique, peculiar. These final instructions in this series are
in exactly the same vein. Unless we act
different than the world, we are no different.
Jesus says, 'Love your enemies, give to those who
take from you.'
Basically, these instructions are opposite of our natural
tendencies. Once again, we are to have a
new nature in Christ. If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation says Paul (2 Corinthians 5:17). Are you walking in this new man, or are you
living just like the rest of the world? "Be perfect
as your Father in heaven is perfect."
Week 5 Daily Readings
Monday
Read Exodus 20:1-25. This passage includes the Ten
Commandments. When you consider the
physical aspects of these commandments, most likely you are doing well in
complying with them. Think about Jesus' claims
that He fulfills the Law. When you weigh
your actions, character, and motives against the meaning and implications of
Christ's instructions to His followers; are you
living a Christian life? Remember that
Jesus never diminished the Law; He did not come to destroy it but to fulfill it
(Matthew 5:17). Jesus called us beyond
the rules and regulations to a relationship.
Tuesday
Read Galatians 3:1-18. The Galatians were being led to
believe that their works were required to maintain salvation. We are not saved by good works; we are saved to good works. There is a beautiful intricacy
between works and faith. Consider your
own life. Does your relationship with
God depend on your behavior? The quality
of your relationship does, but the relationship itself does not. Your spiritual value is found in the very
simple fact that Christ chose to die for you.
He established your relationship.
Your works can neither build nor destroy that relationship. They can only help develop your relationship.
Wednesday
Read Galatians 3:19-29. Should a believer know and keep the
Law? Why? Christ says that He did not come to diminish
the value of the Law, but rather to fulfill the Law. What then does that say should be our
response to the Law? Read James 2:14-18. Works demonstrate our faith. Faith comes from God, however, works are
evidence of faith. You cannot be a
believer until you act like a believer.
If I state that I trust you, but never act on that trust, then what good
is that trust? Does it really exist?
Thursday
Read Romans 7:1-13. The Law taught us what sin is. The Law can become burdensome to us when we
consider the legalistic standards that many try to impose on us. The Law can be used against us effectively by
the enemy in our spiritual battle (don't forget
that Satan used scripture to tempt Jesus – see Matthew 4:1-11). The value of the Law is to point us back to
the Savior. As believers, we can't hate the
Law since it is holy (vs 12), we must hate the sin that infects us. This sin that pervades our natural bodies and
desires is the evil that we combat every day.
Christ has told us however, that He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
Friday
Read
Romans 7:14-25. You are going to lose some
battles in your Christian life. You are
going to fall into sin. You are going to
struggle. Paul states that he doesn't do what
he should and he does the things that he knows he shouldn't do. If you don't
struggle, then you are not normal. Paul
also recognizes that deliverance only comes from Jesus Christ. John tells us that we are sinful, but we have
access to forgiveness through Christ (1 John 1:8-10, 2:1). Are you free from the legalistic routines of
serving the Law? Are you free to serve
God as He calls?