How do we know Jesus believes in us?
The gift He has give us demonstrates it!
Matthew 5:18 – 6:34
In our last (May 4, 2016) look at this passage, I expressed a different view that much of what I heard in messages as a child. Again, I remember hearing many messages about how we need to keep Jesus’ challenges. It is not enough not to be a murderer, Christians should never become angry with one another. Avoiding adultery is insufficient to please God. If we look at a woman with a lustful thought, we are subject to God’s wrath!
God warned against all of these ills of humanity, because they destroy individuals, families, and societies. God did not tell us that divorce was wrong in order to trap us in bad marriages! It is clear for all to see that divorce leaves a scar on the couple, the children, and on the blended families that may result later on. Look at the result of murder across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the remainder of the world. God did not say, “Thou shall not kill” only to keep us from exacting revenge. God knew that murder tears at the fabric of entire cities and nations, not only the families that suffer!
Can we not admit that living by God’s original commandments is tough enough, without interpreting Jesus’ statements as even tougher laws to be followed? That is why I look at the words of Jesus as something much different. Jesus was not making the laws tougher, He was calling us to set our goals higher! We should not “settle” for not being guilty of murder when our goal should be not to allow our anger to overwhelm us! We should not “settle” for not committing adultery when our goal should be never looking at another with lust in the mind!
If we found it impossible to live by God’s first standard, how are we to accomplish Jesus’ greater goal? While it is inspirational to know that Jesus believes in us, how do we fulfill such belief? Is this passage about Jesus’ love for and belief in us or about our failure to achieve the higher goals?
We know God loves us because he gave us Jesus, and it is Jesus that makes the life He mentions possible! It is only through the freedom from sin’s control that the higher (and better) goals could become reality. We know that Jesus loves us, because He gives us Himself. We are not trapped by laws we cannot obey, but we are free in Christ! Now that is the picture of love. You think about that!
Praying for more to be His,
Reggie Hundley
Executive Director
Mission Services Association, Inc.
the missions network
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