16 May 2014; Mat 5:21-32

16 May 2014; Mat 5: 21-32

The interesting perspective about these verses are - it is not about you alone and how should you live your Christian life. It is also about how you relate and how you spur one another towards Christian living.

Verse 21-26 is about how you deal with anger.
Verse 27-30 is on lust
Verse 31-32 on divorce

In many aspect, it is not about if I don't do it - I live a righteous life and I am holy and godly.

v21 - you shall not murder - I did not
v27 - you shall not commit adultery - I do not

Murder start with being angry with someone. Jesus said - stop that in the first place before you go on and murder. Jesus also said - if you know of a brother that has something against you - go and make peace. That is if you know that someone is angry with you - go make peace, least that his anger turn into murder. Therefore it is not how you should live alone, but how you intent - and not about do and don't which is not a clear line drawn. It is also about helping others against committing sins.

Likewise - it is not about you have not committed adultery. And the cause of those who cause me to commit adultery - like the woman should cover up (so as to help the man). Jesus said - it is about the heart. It is not what you have done or have not - but the intent of not committing adultery. Likewise it is not about if your cutting out your eyes that cause you to sin - it is the heart and the intend.

It is not about divorcing a woman, but also about the intend to say it is ok to marry a divorce woman. It could be justifying that it is ok that I am not committing adultery because I marry a woman who is divorce. Divorce then is as simple for a man to write a paper of divorce. Of all the intend, the man may be force to do so, in order for another man to take his wife.

It is not about refraining oneself but also to prevent others from falling into temptation or to cause them to sin.

And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23 ESV)

Intent of the heart - intention.

As such, it is about intentional living as a disciple. The authenticity of one such disciple lies not about the do and don't but weigh on the action and consequence - the ending intention of the outcome.

I am not alone. As such it is not what I have not done or what I have done - both can be wrong. What I have not done can cause hurt. what I have done does not justify myself. Jesus you are the center so that the intend of doing or not doing speaks weight and conviction.

Open my heart to do what I am called to do and what I am called not to do. If relating to people - then it it be so - that my actions can help justify their godliness and all walk towards a closer walk with God.