Murder and sinful anger (Pt. 1)

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.”
Matthew 5:21-22

What is the connection between murder and sinful anger?

First, all anger is not sinful. God gets angry and God cannot sin. Our anger is frequently sinful because it is not righteous anger. The difference between sinful anger and righteous anger is that:

• Sinful anger is selfishly motivated. It is about ME. It is motivated by my pride.
  Righteous anger is on behalf of God or someone else who is being violated or treated unrighteously. It is motivated by a love for God’s glory.

• Sinful anger desires vengeance.
  Righteous anger desires justice, knowing that vengeance belongs only to the Lord! (I pray we all know the difference!)

• Sinful anger is almost always merely emotional.
  Righteous anger is more cerebral and spiritual.

Sinful anger is connected to murder, while righteous anger is not.

Second, the connection between sinful anger and murder is that sinful anger both begin in the heart. Murder begins in the heart and is acted out. Anger likewise begins in the heart, is often proclaimed with the mouth, and may even be acted out physically—but stops short of taking another person’s life.

Since God judges the heart and not merely the outward manifestations (or lack thereof), Jesus is saying that before God, angry and murderous hearts (and every shade of gray in between), are equally damnable.

As I have said for years, “All sins are equally damning (before God), but not all sins are equally damaging (in practice).” We’ll unpack that concept a little more next time.

“But I say...”

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.”
Matthew 5:21-22

Another introductory observation on this section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-48) are the words, “You have heard it said… But I say…” Jesus frames all five of His examples of the spirit of the law with these words. Why?

It was common in Jesus’ day for the legal scholars (the scribes and Pharisees) to begin their statements citing another eminent Rabbi using the words, “Rabbi So-and-So said…” Pointing to precedent set by another, they sought to attach authority to their words. Jesus was no doubt referring to this practice of citing some other authority to bolster their own authority.

But what did Jesus say? “You’ve heard it said… But I say!” He needed no other authority than His own. Why? Because He is almighty God! Old Testament prophets frequently introduced their prophecies with the words, “Thus says the LORD.” Jesus took it further than the OT prophets. He was not only saying, “The LORD says,” He identified Himself as the LORD!

What faithful commentators say about what God says is often helpful to better understand God’s Word. But the words of pastors, preachers, and teachers (including mine!) are not the Word of God! God speaks for Himself and His words are infinitely authoritative. Jesus is God and His words are the Word of God.(1)

(1) The Church recognizes all of scripture as the inspired Word of God. But that is limited to the Bible and includes no words but the Bible as having such authority. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Next time: The letter and spirit of God’s Law regarding anger.

The spirit and the letter

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.”
Matthew 5:21-22

Having completed the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-2), the rest of chapter 5 contains six examples of how we should understand the spirit of the Law. Jesus addresses six topics from the Law, explaining the higher standard of the spirit of the Law, rather than thinking we are keeping the Law based on a cursory observance of the letter of the Law.

Don’t miss that thinking only of the letter of the Law often results in the abuse of legal loopholes. You know what legal loopholes are. They are a way of excusing disobedience to God’s Law, as He intended it to be obeyed, while seeking to justify ourselves and our disobedience.

The six examples are an illustrative rather than an exhaustive list. In other words, these six are not the whole of what Jesus would have us learn about the Law. The lessons contained in the six examples are to be applied to every aspect of God’s law. God does not want legalistic, half-hearted, partial obedience. He wants spiritual, whole hearted, complete obedience.

No one but Jesus ever has or will keep God’s Law as God requires. This is why we need a Savior. Jesus is the one and only Savior because He is the only one who: (a) kept the law perfectly for those He came to save; (b) died to pay the penalty for every sin committed by those He came to save; and (c) rose from the dead to defeat sin, death, and Hell for those He came to save.

I do not know if it is intentional, but I notice that all of these six examples are of sins of passion: Anger, Lust, Divorce, Oaths, Vengeance, and Love. Oh, that we would be more passionate about the Lord and obedience to Him more than being driven by passion for sin!

Next time: The difference between what we’ve heard and what God says…

Gratitude, love, & new hearts

"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:20

Last time we spoke about the first of two main themes of the Sermon on the Mount (SOTM). The first theme is the impossibility of earning one’s way into Heaven by keeping the law. Jesus accurately raised the bar of the law, instructing us regarding the importance of the spirit of the Law, as opposed to mechanically obeying the letter of the law. Jesus pointed out that the most righteous of all, the scribes and Pharisees, were not righteous enough for Heaven, so how could anyone else be righteous enough?

The only hope, therefore, is to trust in a forgiving Savior, namely Jesus.

The second of the two main themes of the SOTM is instructing those who trust in Jesus what the life of a believer is to look like. Believers are not called to obey either the letter or the spirit of the law to earn salvation. Not at all. We are to obey the letter and the spirit of the law because we have been forgiven. As those who are forgiven, we obey the law for three reasons:

Believers obey the law out of gratitude (Romans 8:12). We owe the Lord an infinite debt of gratitude for His gracious forgiveness we have received by faith alone in Christ alone.

Believers obey the law out of love. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). So compelling is His love that we may have reason to doubt our salvation if we do not love Him!

Believers obey the law because we have received new hearts and are new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Salvation only begins with forgiveness. It must necessarily continue with a new set of affections—for Christ and to follow Him. Those who are only interested in a Savior who lets us into Heaven when we die but to whom we have no affection, ought not rest easy concerning their salvation. Salvation includes a growing measure of spiritual mindedness (Romans 8:4-10). Believers follow and obey Christ because of who we are in Christ.

Of course, none of those who believe follow obey perfectly 100% of the time. We are in process as we grow in grace, culminating with our glorification in Heaven. But until that time, we are serious about obeying the letter and the spirit of the law as outlined by Jesus in the SOTM.

How good is good enough?

"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:20

In Matthew 5:20, Jesus summarizes one of the two major themes of the Sermon On the Mount (SOTM).  What is it?  The impossibility of earning entrance into Heaven by being righteous.  Most people sincerely believe that we must earn entrance into Heaven by what we do—or stated another way—by how righteous we are. A common (incorrect) way of thinking is that as long as my good deeds are better than the bad deeds of so-and-so, I am a shoo-in for Heaven.  And of course, most choose to compare themselves with someone less righteous than themselves. Being better than someone else is not the standard by which God judges. His standard is His sinless perfection.

Jesus demolished the “at least I ‘m not as bad as so-and-so” mindset by saying: “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  You see, in Jesus’ day the scribes and Pharisees were believed to be the most righteous people of all.  People believed they could never be more righteous than these religious elitists.(1)

Was Jesus saying that we had to become more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees?  No.  He was saying that it is impossible to become righteous enough to earn Heaven.  He said this so that in despair we would cry out to God for a forgiving Savior, since we cannot save ourselves.

The greatest news is that God has provided a Savior—the one and only Savior: Jesus. Forgiveness is graciously given to those who trust solely in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins.

I said there are two major themes of the SOTM.  That is the first.  What is the Second?  Next time.

(1) The scribes’ and Pharisees’ righteousness could not earn them entrance into Heaven either. Their righteousness was imperfect self-righteousness, which is no less damning than no righteousness at all.

A warning to those who discount God’s Law

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:19

This verse is a serious warning to many today who actively teach that the Old Testament law (and indeed the entire OT) does not apply to New Testament believers. This kind of teaching is serious error.

There was a teacher a few years ago who criticized the evangelistic methods of Living Waters (Ray Comfort) for using the OT law evangelistically with Gentiles because, according to that teacher, the Law was only for Israel and not for Gentiles. His flawed teaching said it is not a sin for Gentiles to break the OT law. Preposterous! We may call it the OT law, but it is God’s Law.

Beware of those who discount the importance of the OT for Christians today (particularly Gentile Christians).

Properly understood, the OT law, and indeed the entire OT, is just as much the Word of God as is the New Testament.

That does not mean that keeping God’s Law is a means of salvation. It has never been and never will be. But it is by God’s Law that we are made aware of our guilt before a holy God, causing the elect to flee to Jesus for forgiveness.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Under the Law, or not under the Law? (Pt.2)

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

Last time we explained that believers are not under the condemnation of the law because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross. We are free from condemnation, but not from obligation. The Law still stands for believers to instruct us how to live as followers of Christ.

And yet! There are some aspects of the Law that Christians are not under obligation to follow, and that we must NOT follow. What are they, and why?

There are three aspects of the Law: Moral, Ceremonial, and Civil.

In reverse order, the civil aspect of the Law regulates the civil and criminal laws for ancient Israel. No one is under those laws because ancient Israel no longer exists.

The ceremonial aspect regulates the religious laws for the Jewish religion, most specifically regarding the priesthood, the temple, and the sacrifices required by the Jewish religion. No one is under those laws for two reasons: (A) Because Jesus fulfilled every detail the of Ceremonial law that pointed to Him (discussed in detail in Hebrews 9 & 10). And (B) Because the biblical Jewish religion has not existed since 70 AD when it was violently dismantled, never to be reinstituted. It is important to point out that Christians must not offer sacrifices for sin because to do so is a declaration that Jesus’ sacrifice was not sufficient!

Lastly, the moral aspect of the Law is for all people throughout all of time. Keeping the Law has never been a means of salvation for anyone. The Law cannot save, it only condemns those who fail to obey it perfectly—which includes everybody! (Romans 3:10-20). The Ten Commandments are recognized as the initial statement and summary of the moral law. The moral law is throughout the Law—both explicitly and implicitly—in particulars and in principles (even in the civil and ceremonial Law).

Christians are not under condemnation of the Law. We are under obligation to live according to God’s moral law, but not the civil or ceremonial aspects of the Law.

Let us be clear: obedience to God’s law has never been, nor will it ever be a means by which anyone is saved. Living in obedience to God’s moral law is the reasonable response (Romans 6:1-2, 12:1) of those God has saved by His grace alone, received by faith alone, in Christ alone!

Under the Law, or not under the Law? (Pt.1)

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-18

This is not new territory, but is still misunderstood by vast numbers of Christians.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17-19 are clear that He did not come to destroy (abolish, set aside, or nullify) the Law. Yet Paul wrote in several places (in Romans and Galatians) that Christians are not under the Law because we are under grace. Which is true? Both! How are we to understand that?

Because of what Jesus said in Matthew 5, clearly the Law is still in effect.

Because of what Paul wrote, there must at least be some aspect of the Law that is no longer in effect for Christians. What aspect of the Law is no longer in effect for believers? The condemnation of the Law (Romans 8:1). Why? Because on the cross Jesus took our condemnation for us. Freedom from the condemnation of the Law is applied only to believers after trusting in Christ.

The condemnation of the Law is still in effect for those who do not trust in Christ—as it was for believers before we believed. In fact, according to Galatians 3:19-25, it is the Law that condemns us for our sins, so that if/when we understand that, we will flee to Christ for forgiveness.

But even in the lives of believers, for whom the condemnation of the law has been extinguished, the Law still stands instructing us regarding right and wrong, and how to follow Christ as those who have been given new hearts—who want to obey God’s Law.

Those who do not trust in Christ are under the condemnation of God’s Law unless they believe.

Those who do trust in Christ are no longer under the condemnation of the Law, but we are under obligation to follow God’s law about how to live as children of God.

Wait! Aren’t there some aspects of God’s law that Christians are not under obligation to follow? Yes! Glad you asked! We’ll sort that out next time…

Doing things to be seen?

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Though this verse is part of Jesus’ teaching about His disciples being salt and light, as a stand alone verse it teaches a valuable lesson.

Jesus warned in the Sermon on the Mount (specifically in Matthew 6:1-18) not to give, pray, or fast to be seen and applauded by people. The error Jesus addresses in those passages is about doing things to be seen for human recognition and for our own glory.

Matthew 5:16, which may seem contradictory (to chapter 6), says to do good things to be seen—but not for human recognition or selfish glory. Instead, we are to do good things in such a way that we point people to God for His glory. How do we do this?

First, we must analyze our motives. Are we doing what we do for our only glory, or for God’s? It all begins here in the heart. How we do what we do will reveal our true motives, often to people, but certainly to God! This is the most crucial first step. We need also to be aware that we can deceive ourselves pretending not to care about receiving recognition, when recognition is exactly what we want. How do we test ourselves on this? How do we respond when we do not receive thanks? Even the slightest twinge of resentment reveals the truth about our hearts.

Second, we must do what we do making it clear that we have no interest in the applause of people. This is accomplished only when we have adequately addressed the first step regarding our hearts and true motives. When we have, we do what we do cheerfully, never grumbling or grudging. And if or when people do acknowledge and thank us for any good we have done, point the praise to God, deflecting attention away from ourselves. This is more than merely saying, “Praise the Lord,” though that is a good start. Go forward from here by explaining that the little that you do is not worthy to be compared with the incredible mercy God has shown you by Christ Jesus dying to forgive you of your sins! The point is to make clear that we do what we do because of all God has done for us!

That is a little about how to “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “

The Light of the world

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

So far we’ve given most of our attention to the “salt” aspect of Jesus’ words. Let give some thought to the “light” aspect. After declaring that disciples of Christ “are the light of the world,” Jesus points out that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. The city’s elevation mattered, especially in those days when warfare was largely based on walled cities defending themselves from invaders. The walls mattered, and if the walled city was elevated, it was all the more defensible. From atop the walled city on a hill, the people in the city could clearly see their attackers, and those outside could see how strong the city was.

Having given that illustration, Jesus employed a similar illustration of a lamp. A lamp on the floor does not illuminate the room as fully as a lamp on an elevated lampstand. Worse still, a lamp covered by a basket gives no light at all and is therefore virtually worthless.

Jesus then connected the two illustrations with His point. As “the light of the world,” God’s people are to shine in such a way that we cast the light of Christ and the gospel in the broadest manner possible. We dare not hide our light or we make ourselves worthless. We must position ourselves where the light will shine the brightest. As important as our homes and churches are, if we shine only in these hiding places, we are not acting like “the light of the world.” Disciples must get out into the spiritually dark world for our light to be seen and for people to be drawn to Christ.

Verse 16 is not about performing righteous acts for our own glory. It is about illuminating the sin-darkened world with the light of Christ and the gospel so that people will “glorify our Father in Heaven.”

One final thought on this: We are not the source of light, nor do we have any light in and of ourselves. We are more satellites than lights, in that sense. Jesus is “the Light of the World” (John 8:12). Our responsibility is to be “in Him,” and “abide in Him” so we most accurately and fully reflect His light to our world. It is Jesus the world needs, we are but His agents!

"Good for nothing"

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

Jesus said that His disciples are “are the salt…” and we “are the light…” These are not things we are to aspire to be or to become, they are who we are! The question for us to ask ourselves upon self-examination is “How salty are we, and how brightly are we shining?”

Regarding our “saltiness,” Jesus warned that when salt looses its saltiness, it is “good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot.” What does that mean?

First, it means that salt can loose it’s saltiness. Spiritually, when the salt loses its spiritual and moral preserving properties, it is because the Church is not inhibiting the putrefaction of the world, but is either doing nothing, or worse, is being putrefied along with the world. Not only can this happen but, sadly, Church history is marked by recurring seasons in which this happens. We are living such a season.

Second, when the salt loses its saltiness, it “good for nothing.” In other words, if our influence is not standing against the spiritual and moral putrefaction of the world, it doesn’t much matter what else we are doing!

Third, when the salt looses its preserving influence, the world stomps the Church under its feet—disregarding. mocking, and even persecuting the Church. Do we not see this happening in our world today?

But consider this: because Christians are salt—and because there is always at least a remnant of Christians who are retaining their saltiness—we are a problem for the world. Consider the moral insanity of our day. People march in the streets for the “right” to murder babies in the womb. People loudly promote the lie that gender either (a) doesn’t matter, or (b) can be changed because a mentally ill person does not “feel” they are the gender into which they were born (this lie is being taught to children in government schools, no less!). Who is standing against this spiritual and moral insanity? Not the government. Not the fields of science and medicine. The biblical Church is the last bastion that says, “No!” I say biblical Church because there are many who claim to be Christian, but are not, who have joined the insanity parade.

Biblical Christianity is not only the minority in the world but, sadly, biblical Christianity may well be in the minority among those who claim to be Christian.

This is a major reason the world hates us! Nevertheless, we must graciously, but resolutely say, “No!” to the spiritual and moral putrefaction of the world in which we live—even if we who stand are small in number. We do not want to become “good for nothing,” do we?

It is what we are, not what we are to become.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16

“You are the salt… You are the light…” These statements are not imperatives—telling us what we are supposed to become. They are indicatives—declaring what we are. We are salt and we are light. The question is, how salty are we? The question is, where are we shining, and how brightly?

This reminds me of the difference between justification and sanctification. God’s justified people are declared to be righteous in God’s eyes even though we are not always so in practice—which is why we are being sanctified, or growing in righteousness. May we not only be salt and light, but let us grow in our saltiness, and in how brightly we shine!

In Jesus’ day salt was a seasoning, but more importantly, it was a preservative. I cannot help but believe it was the preserving aspect of salt that Jesus was referring to. The sinful world is putrefying and rotting from within due to sin and rebellion against God and His ways. God’s people are a preservative, inhibiting the spiritual and moral decay that is the natural result of unrestrained sin. I use the word unrestrained, knowing that the world is not as sinful as it could be if it were not for God’s restraining grace. But do we understand that God’s people scattered in and throughout this rotting world are His agents of restraining grace?

It is as we live moral lives, and are a voice declaring both law and gospel, that the salt preserves what otherwise would be rotting. It is God’s work, but He has ordained us as His agents. When salt loses its saltiness—or ceases to be a preserving influence, the salt is good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

More on what that means next time.

Persecution: first words, then actions

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

There are two forms of persecution: Words and Actions.

We were told as children, “Sticks and stone can break my bones, but words can never (you complete the saying.)” I knew you could!

Words may seem innocuous compared to actions. But as words reveal what is in one’s heart (Luke 6:45), words are frequently precursors to actions.

A recent poll revealed that among a certain age demographic in the US (I’m sure you can guess who this group is), a majority believes and affirmed the idea that “misgendering” should be considered a crime.(1) They may only think and speak this way, but how long before those who even mistakenly call a man a man—even if he insists he is a woman—could be charged with a hate crime?

You might ask, what this has to do with persecution of Christians? Besides the fact that male and female are the only two genders, according to God’s Word, preaching the gospel would also be a hate crime to those who do not want to be told they are sinners in need of Christ the Savior.

What is in one’s heart is likely to leak from one’s mouth. And what one thinks and says is likely to end up as actions. To be clear, I feel genuinely sorry for the mentally ill who believe and even say that males can become pregnant. I would even defend their right to say what is false. But that same courtesy is not extended back by those who disagree. They insist, and will persecute, those who do not join their celebration of insanity. Add to that, the fact that the single greatest barrier to the furtherance of the anti-sanity agenda are biblical Christians who must believe, speak, and follow the truth, embodied by the One who IS the Truth—even Jesus.

Buckle up Christian friends, persecution is on the way. But be encouraged; our Lord promised:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

(1) According to Harvard Medical School “misgendering” as the following dangerous “health” effect: …this is both exhausting and demoralizing. When people are misgendered, they feel invalidated and unseen. When this happens daily, it becomes a burden that can negatively impact their mental health and their ability to function in the world.

It will never happen here?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

One of the most impacting books I ever read is not a best seller. The author is not a household name. But the book changed my life. The 145 pages of this little paperback book, penned by Jan Pit, is entitled, “Persecution: It Will Never Happen Here?”

The opening words of the first chapter replay a common occurrence on a passenger airplane. The flight attendant calmly says, “In the unlikely event of an emergency…” before explaining what to do in the event of an in-air emergency.

Who listens to this memorized spiel? First time fliers. The seasoned traveler doesn’t normally pay much attention because he hasn’t experienced an emergency, so the thought of one happening is remote enough to disregard the warning and instructions. Sound familiar?

The rest of the book is about places in our world where Christianity was a fixture of society, and persecution was not expected. Until it suddenly happened! The stories are gripping. So are the warnings of why we should plan for persecution and what to do to be prepared. Some highlights include:

• Understanding what the Bible says about persecution.

• The necessity of a life dependent on the Holy Spirit.

• The necessity of a life of knowing (and memorizing) scripture.

• The necessity of being associated with a local church.

• The necessity of training our children (persecutors always take the children and forbid child evangelism).

• Understanding spiritual warfare.

• Standing on Christ’s promise that His Church cannot fail!

If you want to borrow my copy of the book, I’ll gladly loan it to you. If you want to buy your own copy, though the book is sadly out of print, you can get one from amazon: Click Here

We should not be shocked that persecution happens if we read the Bible

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

Last time we spoke about two of three reasons we are sometimes shocked to hear of persecution. The first two were: (1)We are generally, and by comparison, almost completely sheltered from persecution. (2)We are ignorant of history.

We introduced the third with these words (promising to fill in more details this time):

We read the Bible selectively. We may be experts at quoting truncated portions of scripture such as, “I can do all things…” (Yes, there is more to that verse that is contrary to the way so many abusively treat the Word of God.). God’s Word overflows with encouragement but it also tells us the truth about the cost of following Jesus—including persecution.

The fact is, scripture is replete with the truth that life is hard, including persecution. Didn’t God tell Adam and Eve (immediately after their sin) that work will be a sweat, and childbearing will be painful (Genesis 3:14-19)?

Has God not established the fact that one of the ways He refines His people is in the furnace (Proverbs 17:3)? Has He not also demonstrated that he often disciplines His people by turning them over to their enemies (too many verses to cite!)?

Was Jesus less than clear when He warned us that following Him means denying self and taking up our crosses (the symbol of Christ’s crucifixion) (Matthew16:24-26)?

Specifically on the subject of persecution, did Jesus not say that as the godless hate Him, they will also hate His people (John 15:18-25)? And did Paul not instruct us that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12)?

My point is simply this, while we certainly recoil at the atrocities to which our persecuted brethren are subjected, that persecution happens should not be a shock—if we read all the Bible instead of only our favorite verses (often not even entire verses!) of encouragement.

Jesus spoke of both persecution and encouragement in the same verse:

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Let us remember our suffering brethren in prayer!

Why are we shocked to hear of persecution?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

The fact that we in America are shocked when we hear of the persecution that so many of our brothers and sisters in the world endure routinely suggests three realities about we in the USA.

We are generally, and by comparison, almost completely sheltered from persecution. First, I am thankful we do not experience persecution. But we who are insulated from persecution are the exception, not the rule. People in vast areas of the world are persecuted as a matter of fact. Second, we dare not think our blessed freedom from persecution is earned or deserved by us. We may still be living on the spiritual capital amassed by previous generations, but we in this day can in no way think we are somehow more deserving than the persecuted Church around the world. Our national sins, including the sins of the American Church, must be a foul stench in Heaven. Be assured that a lack of persecution is nothing less than the kind providence of a gracious God. Third, we had better not think, “It will never happen here!” More on that in an upcoming post.

We are ignorant of history. The history of Christianity is littered with persecution of God’s people. While there have been seasons of less persecution in Church history, persecution has been a recurring theme. Perhaps the most ghastly truth about the persecution of God’s people is that much of the persecution of the godly has been perpetrated by the rich and the powerful from within the Church. We may never know how many great men and women of God have been martyred by religious imposters parading as the leading elite of Christianity. And even in our day, those in the “progressive church” malign true believers for not standing with them against the Bible—and what the Bible teaches about everything from the deity of our sinless Savior, to the biblical difference between men and women, to the so-called “right” to murder babies in their mothers’ wombs.

We read the Bible selectively. We may be experts at quoting truncated portions of scripture such as, “I can do all things…” (Yes, there is more to that verse that is literally antithetical to the way so many abusively treat Philippians 4:13!). God’s Word overflows with encouragement but it also tells us the truth about the cost of following Jesus—including persecution. More on that next time…

Why to people hate Christianity?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

Christians are the most actively persecuted people in the world today. More people have been martyred for their faith in Christ in 123 years since 1900 than in the previous 1900 years since the establishment of Christianity. We in America do not feel the sting of persecution as do so many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world—for which we are grateful. But the more subtle forms of persecution we in America are facing are giving way to more aggressive forms of persecution.

Why to people hate Christianity?

Christians, by and large, are no threat either to individuals or to nations. Christians are commended by God in the Bible to love our neighbors (including our enemies!), and to obey our governments. So though we do not do these things perfectly, we should be the best neighbors and the best citizens.

So we ask again, why do people hate Christianity?

Christianity is by nature an evangelistic faith. We are commanded to tell others about Jesus. We cannot convert anyone. Only the Holy Spirit can do that—but we are to tell others about Christ and the gospel. Most people do not want to hear the gospel because they do not want to be told they are sinners in need of a Savior. So they hate the message and therefore the messengers.

People practicing other religions do not want to hear that their religions are not valid and cannot get them to heaven—which is the message of Jesus who insisted that He is the only way to the Father in Heaven (John 14:6). So they hate the message and therefore the messengers.

So the bottom line about why people hate Christianity is that they hate Christ. Jesus told His disciples we would be hated because the world hates Him (John 15:18). And why do they hate Jesus? Because trusting in and following Jesus requires acknowledging one’s sin, that one’s other religious beliefs are wrong, that Jesus is the only way, and that to follow Jesus, one must turn from sin to Christ.

This hatred of Christ is not always carried out consciously. It is most often simply the natural reaction of those who are spiritually dead in sin, and therefore living in rebellion against God.

Unless the Lord changes a person’s heart (regeneration), people naturally hate Christ and the gospel.

The persecuted are in good company

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

The prime example of why there is a blessing associated with persecution is in the text:

…for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (v.12)

Virtually every one of God’s Old Testament prophets were persecuted. Several were martyred. And they were blessed by God—which is why they were hated by so many people!

Jesus said John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets (Matthew 11:11). The other prophets foretold the Messiah who would arrive one day. John introduced the Messiah who had arrived already. And John was unjustly beheaded!

But the greatest Prophet of all was Jesus Himself, the One about whom all the previous prophets prophesied. Moses spoke of Jesus, calling Him a Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15). Of course, Jesus is more than a prophet. He, the Messiah, not only pointed people to God, but redeemed God’s people, reconciling them to God! He is the eternal Son of God, our Lord and our Savior!

As our Savior, Jesus was persecuted throughout His ministry—and ultimately, He was crucified.

Two differences between Jesus and the other prophets who were martyred: (1) Jesus was not martyred. No one took His life. He laid it down that He might take it up again (John 10:17-18). (2) Jesus rose from the dead! (Mark 16:6).

Christians who are persecuted and martyred are blessed along with the Old Testament prophets. Followers of Jesus who are persecuted are blessed along with our Savior, Jesus!

The blessedness of adversity

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

How can there be blessing in persecution? The persecution itself is not a blessing—but the resulting purity in our hearts and the grace God gives by which we may endure and even rejoice in persecution are blessings indeed.

Purity from persecution. The Bible speaks of spiritual refining as a result of fire (Proverbs 17:3). As precious metals are heated to separate impurities from silver or gold, so trials of any kind—but persecution in particular—accomplishes the same in our hearts. God “fires us” again and again, purifying those He loves. God’s purification, though it be by fire, is a sanctifying blessing.

Grace given in persecution. Apart from God’s grace, who could hope to endure? But wrapped in His grace, we truly can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. God’s grace, even when in the fire, is a sanctifying blessing.

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” (v.12)

Making peace through force

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9

Jesus said these words. He also said these words:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:34-37

Did He contradict Himself? Not at all. Truth is worth fighting for when necessary!

Parents must train their children in the Lord, even when the children resist. In such cases, coercion (force) must be applied for the sake of truth (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 13:24).

The church must sometimes speak out against serious error for the sake of truth. This can even escalate into “disfellowshipping” (expelling) one who disrupts the church with sin or other serious error (1 Corinthians 5:1-11, Titus 3:10-11).

The state is commissioned by God to punish evildoers for the sake of law abiding citizens (Romans 13:4).

Governments must sometimes wage war to halt forces that threaten the peace of its citizens (Romans 13:4).

Sometimes force is necessary to maintain peace instead of appeasing sin and other error.

Without any doubt, the greatest demonstration of this truth was when God the Father poured out His holy and just wrath on Jesus to secure forgiveness of our sins.