Heart Motivation And Outward Action(matthew 5:21-37)

by R. Armstrong, London, Ontario | Category: The Sermon On The Mount | Jun 1984

It has been said that "the Lord Jesus is God spelling Himself out in a language that man can understand." The Sermon on the Mount is a clear example of that principle. His message leaves no doubt as to the cost of discipleship. It is a faulty gospel that preaches remission without submission, alliance without allegiance. Christ does not reign where He does not rule. His teaching is as valid today as it will be in His future kingdom.

Murder and Anger Condemned

But I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire (Mat. 5:22). (For a short explanation of the expression "the hell of fire" see the first article in this series - Issue No.

8401, p.11.)

The Lord saw anger and name-calling to be of such a serious nature as to warrant severe judgement. Cain's anger was not placated until he had murdered his brother. Anger often runs close to the thin edge of violence; anger has frightening potential. Destructive anger and bad temper should have no place in the life of a disciple of Christ. In addition to being a sin for which forgiveness must be sought, it has been known medically to be self-damaging physically. But Ephesians 4:26 does say, "be ye angry and sin not." An expanded translation is, "angry with a righteous indignation", a healthy emotion when directed against sin and unrighteousness.

Removing the Barrier

If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift (Mat. 5:23, 24).

A brother treated with contempt or ridicule is a brother injured. A conscious barrier is erected. However impeccable and sincere our worship and prayers, God will not accept them. So long as someone is the victim of mental cruelty by our slander or gossip, so long have we forfeited our communion with God. The wrong must be made right, and the love of Christ allowed to flow again in healing and caring for that brother for whom Christ died. We need to remember that Christ patiently bore the hatred, cruelty, slander and insults of men, and the fearful judgement of God for those very sins, that He might bring us into eternal fellowship and reconciliation with Himself and each other. For a man to say he loves God and in his heart hate his brother, is hypocritical. "He that hates his brother is in the darkness... If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar" (I John 2:11; 4:20). In our experience the equivalent of the "gift at the altar" is the Lord's table and the breaking of the bread. Reconciliation with an offended brother must be made before sitting together in worship. Not only so, but whatever has caused the breach in relationships must also be dealt with by the offender. "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him (Christ)" (Rom. 6:6) is a truth which makes its claim on our lives to expose anger, resentment, jealousy, pride, bitterness or any flesh-borne carnal sin, and bring it to the cross to be crucified.

Debtors

Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge', and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing (Mat. 5:25, 26).

This is a word picture of an ancient lawsuit, where the accuser and the accused were given the opportunity to walk together to the court, and on the way do all possible to settle out of court. Reference by the Lord to this cultural practice urges a prompt settlement of debts, thus precluding legal action. It presupposes initially that there was a long-standing debt which necessitated court action. The word "adversary" used here, means "opponent, as in a court of law, or law suit."

Whether through poor business or domestic management or even circumstances beyond the control of the accused, the case was viewed by the Lord as serious. Litigation is not the Lord's alternative for a disciple in such a case. He laid down a principle for His people, that "out of court" settlement is established for such social irregularities as default in debts. Moreover, the debtor, once cleared of an obligation, must change his life style to avoid a repetition of long standing unpaid debts, which can only bring Christian testimony into disrepute. Romans 13:8 covers for all time the disciple's attitude towards debt:

Owe no man anything, save to love ...

In our "buy now, pay later" society some Christians may be amongst the millions who purchase on credit beyond their financial ability to pay, and are always in debt. This is clearly not in the Lord's will for His people.

Lust

But I say unto you, that everyone that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Mat. 5:28).

Our Lord also said, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication . . . These are the things which defile the man" (Mat. 15:19, 20). These hard hitting words of the Lord Jesus Christ touch all of us. His claims in discipleship demand absolute and uncompromising moral purity. Immoral actions are the result of immoral thinking. Whether committed in the secret closet of our mind, or physically, an immoral act is the tangible fruit of desire which forfeits our discipleship and a true following of Christ. Accompanying destructive guilt feelings rob a Christian of his or her communion with God. The Lord's penetrating words reveal that an imagined sexual experience, flashed on our mental screen in secret, is of the same essential nature as the overt act. Continued unclean thoughts become habit forming, and sooner or later result in immoral action. Heb. 13:4 warns that "fornicators and adulterers God will judge." King David's family and the whole kingdom of Israel were troubled for years after his affair with Bathsheba and the heartless murder of her innocent husband. "God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).

The joy and fulfilment of intimacy was designed by an all-wise Creator for marriage only. God's order for unblemished purity can only be safeguarded by walking daily with Christ, reckoning ourselves "dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:11). Then, if someone does slip and fall into sin, is our attitude one of sorrow or harsh condemnation? Following scriptural action by the church, should there not be prayer for a work of true repentance and restoration? When godly sorrow works repentance (2 Cor. 7:10), "confirm your love toward him", writes Paul (2 Cor. 2:8). If I mentally exalt myself above an erring brother or sister, by cultivating a secret satisfaction that it was someone else who fell, and not I, and lack the healing ministry of compassion, remembering my own weakness, then I know little of Christ's love at Calvary. If we abide in Him, we shall see everything through the eyes of Christ in purity and holiness.

Cutting off the offending hand or plucking out the lustful eye has a teaching deeper than the physical. The hand or eye cannot commit sins of themselves. The sinful motions of our members are slaves to the mind of the flesh. It is evil desire that motivates. Cutting off a hand would not remove the old nature of sin. This will of course always be with us in our earthly experience (Eph. 4:22), although God sees it as having been crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). We on our part must recognize the daily need to reckon ourselves dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:14). For "they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof" (Gal. 5:24).

Divorce

But I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the

cause of fornication, maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry

her when she is put away committeth adultery (Mat. 5:32, also Mat. 19:9).

Matthew, the gospel to the Jew, is the only one that records the "excepting clause" in the Lord's statement on divorce. It is submitted that the fornication referred to by our Lord was in fact the sexual impurity Moses alluded to in Deut. 22:14. This would have taken place with another man during the betrothal period, prior to the actual marriage ceremony. In Hebrew custom, betrothal meant that the woman was regarded as the man's wife. When Joseph discovered Mary was pregnant, he was minded to put her away. The angel's reassuring words put his troubled mind at rest. "Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife." Joseph no doubt had the Deuteronomy law in mind.

The Lord recognized Moses' law and it is clear that the "except for fornication" clause has reference to a couple in Israel who had not actually taken their marriage vows. Such understanding of the "exception" leaves us with the Lord's teaching, fully consistent with His divorce statements in both Mark and Luke, the universal law of God excludes divorce and re-marriage for any cause. "what God has joined together, let not man put asunder." This is a hard saying for the harsh reality of today's world. For the true believer it is the cost of discipleship, and let us remember that the word of God has all the right repair materials for troubled marriages. God's order for marriage and the family is designed to prevent divorce.

Whatever the strains and unfulfilled expectations in Christian marriage, divorce is never an option in God's plan. Only the healing ministry of Christ's love can provide the spiritual and emotional flame that will whenever necessary rekindle the love and joy of the permanent commitment to Christ and each other in the sacred covenant of marriage.

Truth

Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, swear not at all... by the heaven ... by the earth... nor... by thy head. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one (Mat. 5:33-37).

Perjury was forbidden in Israel, under the law (Lev. 19:12). The oath was given because of man's fallen sinful nature. It showed something was wrong. It admitted the possibility of lies. The Lord showed in the new law of the kingdom of heaven that pure truth needs no oath. Truth, as in the Lord Jesus, sets it above all possibility of falsehood. Only in the new nature in Christ is complete truth possible.

Only as His disciples are totally committed to Him and He dwells within (John 14:23), can truth remain constant in our hearts. He has taught us that we should say and mean "Yes" or "No" and never equivocate. Every Christian's moral and business ethics must have a basis of uncompromising honesty and truthfulness.

R. Armstrong, London, Ontario | Jun 1984
The Sermon On The Mount