The Sermon on the Mount

The Sermon on the Mount

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© 2023 Church of God, a Worldwide Association, Inc. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version (© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.). Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Authors: Mike Bennett, John Foster, Mike Hanisko, Jack Hendren, Dave Johnson, Erik Jones, Cecil Maranville, Bill Palmer and Joshua Travers

Publication Review Team: Peter Hawkins, Jack Hendren, Don Henson, Chad Messerly

Doctrine Committee: John Foster, Bruce Gore, Don Henson, Doug Johnson, Larry Neff

Design: David Hicks

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Introduction: Is the Sermon on the Mount Still Relevant Today?

The Beatitudes: Eight Keys to Blessings

From God

“You Are the Salt of the Earth”

“You Are the Light of the World”

Jesus and the Law

“If Your Right Eye Causes You to Sin, Pluck It Out”

Private Worship Toward God

“And When You Pray”

“Where Your Treasure Is”

“Do Not Worry About Your Life”

“Judge Not, That You Be Not Judged”

The Golden Rule, or “Do Unto Others”

“Narrow Is the Gate”

“By Their Fruits”

Is the Sermon on the Mount Still Relevant Today?

Nearly 2,000 years ago on a mountainside, Jesus taught how His followers are to live. The Sermon on the Mount remains important for Christians today.

It’s probably the most famous moral teaching ever given. Jesus Christ’s words recorded in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7 are often called the Sermon on the Mount. Why? Because Jesus “went up on a mountain” (Matthew 5:1) to deliver this message.

The Sermon on the Mount is the most concentrated and extensive record of Jesus’ direct teaching in the entire New Testament. Its contents explain and elaborate on the most important and foundational elements of genuine Christianity.

According to John R.W. Stott, “The Sermon on the Mount is probably the best-known part of the teaching of Jesus, though arguably it is the least understood, and certainly it is the least obeyed” (The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, 1973, p. 15).

The most relevant sermon ever Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount so that it would be relevant to anyone in any era of human history. Its practicality makes it so extraordinary and important. Since this sermon expounds on the most foundational teachings of true Christianity, we believe its teachings and message are vitally needed in our world today. If its most basic teachings were applied by everyone, some of our world’s biggest problems would be solved.

Within its contents are the keys to ending war and violence, reconciling relationships, experiencing true happiness and developing a close relationship with our Creator.

The world at large will likely continue to ignore Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount—but you don’t have to make that same mistake.

You can read, understand and apply it—and reap its benefits and blessings in your personal life today. By applying its many practical principles of living, you can reduce strife and tension in your life,

contribute to healing relationships, grow in true happiness and, most importantly, develop a deeper relationship with God.

Recorded by Matthew and Luke

An abbreviated account of Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount is found in Luke 6:20-49. You’ll notice slight differences between the two accounts—each Gospel author was inspired by God to focus on different aspects of Christ’s life and teachings. Together, these two complementary passages provide an excellent overview of the subjects Jesus addressed during His earthly ministry. Because Matthew’s account is more extensive than the one in Luke, we’ll use it to identify key messages that Jesus delivered for His audience in the first century and for us today.

Overview of the Sermon on the Mount

This booklet will explore each section of the Sermon on the Mount. Here are the main topics covered in the sermon and questions to consider as we begin our study:

• The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2-12). A description of attributes that will lead to blessings and happiness. How can you apply the Beatitudes in your life?

• How to be a Christian (Matthew 5:13-16). Jesus compares Christians to salt and light. What did these metaphors mean?

• God’s law and the Christian (Matthew 5:17-20). Are the 10 Commandments and the Old Testament still relevant for New Covenant Christians?

• How to apply the spirit of the Old Testament laws today (Matthew 5:21-48). How can we go beyond the letter and apply the spirit of the laws God gave?

• How a Christian should approach good deeds (Matthew 6:1-4). Should giving to others be a show or something much deeper?

• The proper approach to prayer and fasting (Matthew 6:5-18). To whom and how should a Christian pray? What is the proper approach to fasting?

• The proper approach to physical versus spiritual treasures (Matthew 6:19-24). Where must a Christian’s heart be in order to truly serve God?

• The key to overcoming worry and anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34). How can trusting God and properly prioritizing His Kingdom free us from debilitating worry?

• The proper approach to judging others (Matthew 7:1-6). What must we do in our own lives to prevent us from being a harsh and critical judge of others?

• The proper approach to seeking God and living by the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:7-12). How can we properly communicate our wants and needs to God? How can we apply the Golden Rule?

• How to distinguish God’s way from everything else (Matthew 7:13-23). What are some keys to discerning the differences between the paths and fruits of true Christianity and false Christianity?

• The foundation on which a Christian must build his or her life (Matthew 7:24-27). How can you build a foundation that will remain strong throughout the storms of life?

Let’s now explore the Sermon on the Mount to learn what Jesus said and how we can apply His words to our lives today.

The Beatitudes

Eight Keys to Blessings From God

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Jesus gave us keys, known as the Beatitudes, to being blessed by God. How can they help us experience lasting joy in our lives?

Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount listing eight spiritual traits that will lead to true happiness and to the Kingdom of God. They are:

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

8. 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 (Matthew 5:4-11).

What does the word Beatitudes mean?

These spiritual traits of character are known as the Beatitudes. It comes from the Latin word for happy or blessed, since each of these verses start with the word blessed (Matthew 5:3-11).

In Greek, that word is makarios, which means “happy, blessed, as a noun it can depict someone who receives divine favor” (Mounce Concise GreekEnglish Dictionary).

William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible gives a deeper look at this important word that leads into each of the Beatitudes:

“Makarios . . . describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life.

“The English word happiness gives its own case away. It contains the root hap which means chance. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy.”

Barclay explains that the blessedness described by the Beatitudes is something far more permanent than temporary happiness:

“The Christian blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable. ‘No one,’ said Jesus, ‘will take your joy from you’ (John 16:22). The beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow

and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.”

So, the blessing that comes from applying the Beatitudes transcends our circumstances in life and comes from a deep relationship with God—not the circumstances of life.

Additional explanation showing that makarios is not primarily focused on our temporary emotional state is given by John R.W. Stott: “And all Christians can testify from experience that there is a close connection between holiness and happiness.

“Nevertheless, it is seriously misleading to render makarios ‘happy’. For happiness is a subjective state, whereas Jesus is making an objective judgment about these people. He is declaring not what they may feel like (‘happy’), but what God thinks of them and what on that account they are: they are ‘blessed’” (The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, p. 33).

The pattern of the Beatitudes

The eight Beatitudes each follow a pattern or structure. That structure is:

1. The declaration of a blessing of happiness (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”).

2. A characteristic we must develop in our life to be blessed (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”).

3. A description of an aspect of the coming Kingdom of God that the person will be blessed to receive (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”).

Here’s how The NKJV Study Bible describes this threefold structure: “The Beatitudes are comprised of three elements: a pronouncement of blessing, a quality of life, and a reason why the recipient should be considered blessed. The first element is found in the word Blessed (see Ps. 1:1), which introduces each beatitude. The second element does not describe different groups of people, but a composite picture of the kind of person who will inherit Christ’s kingdom. The third element looks ahead to some aspect of the coming kingdom” (note on Matthew 5:3-12).

After each spiritual trait, Jesus Christ gave the outcome it will produce— the blessing it will bring. These blessings will reach their complete fulfillment in the Kingdom of God, but they also bring a blessing in this life.

Many of them can seem counterintuitive at first glance. How can someone who is mourning or being persecuted be blessed or happy? Let’s take a deeper look.

How can we achieve true happiness?

The average person living in a developed nation today enjoys a level of comfort and security unknown to those who lived in prior centuries. Compared to individuals living in poorer countries, people living in the more affluent nations have access to a wealth of resources, utilities, opportunities, conveniences and services.

But has prosperity of itself brought lasting peace and happiness? Sadly, no. Feelings of frustration, emptiness and dissatisfaction are prevalent in our world.

Why do so many people who have so much feel so discontented?

Along with seeking happiness, people want a peaceful life. The quest for peace, happiness and well-being fostered the self-help movement. Many seek peace of mind and fulfillment in exercise, relaxation and positive thinking. Others have found temporary excitement or relief in stimulants and depressants.

But neither self-help nor drugs and alcohol can bring real happiness. These approaches can offer only temporary relief from unhappiness. But they can’t offer true, lasting happiness that comes through being blessed by God because they ignore the necessary spiritual dimension. Jesus revealed that spiritual dimension in the eight Beatitudes.

In them, He revealed the spiritual traits of character that produce a state of joy that persists apart from and in spite of circumstances. True happiness comes from developing these characteristics inside ourselves. That’s why they can bring a deeper happiness that transcends our external circumstances.

What do the Beatitudes teach us?

Let’s briefly explore each of the eight Beatitudes.

This Beatitude shows us that real happiness isn’t based on feelings of personal adequacy and self-worth.

Being “poor in spirit” refers to someone who is humble enough to recognize how powerless he or she is compared to God—someone who is willing to fully submit to God’s power.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

For example, the apostle Paul recognized his weakness and dependence on God (2 Corinthians 12:9). But his trust in God allowed him to be courageous and to preach boldly (2 Corinthians 10:1; Philippians 4:13).

Instead of comparing themselves to others, those who are poor in spirit see themselves in comparison to God. This helps them to develop a healthy humility and to overcome feelings of inflated self-importance and ego (Job 42:5-6; Psalm 39:4-7).

Those who are poor in spirit have no illusions of pride and self-importance. They recognize their personal inadequacy and human frailty. They relate to God as dependent beings, looking to Him as the Source of all things. They put their confidence and trust in God, not in themselves or others.

God describes being “poor in spirit” in slightly different words in Isaiah 66:2: “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

That trust will be blessed, and they will find ultimate fulfillment serving with Christ in His Kingdom.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”

This Beatitude shows us that there are times for Christians to be somber. It is not a sign of spiritual weakness to mourn. There are many things about which a Christian might mourn:

• Repentance of sins. Repentance—the process of confessing one’s sins to God and changing to His way of life—is a very sobering process (Psalm 51). It starts with a godly sorrow over sins and leads to real change (2 Corinthians 7:9-11).

• Sorrow for the sins of the world. “Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your law,” the psalmist said (Psalm 119:136). It’s hard living in a world that is so opposed to God’s way, but God will ultimately protect those who sigh and cry over the sins of the world (Ezekiel 9:4).

• Mourning for the loss of a loved one and compassion for others who have lost loved ones. The death of a loved one is a painful thing, and Paul tells us to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15; see also 1 Corinthians 12:26).

Jesus was moved by the mourning of those grieving the death of His close friend Lazarus (John 11:33-36). He had compassion on a widow who had lost her son (Luke 7:12-13).

• Compassion for those who are suffering. Several passages point out Jesus’ compassion for people (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34), and we should follow His example.

God is the “God of all comfort,” and He promises that someday all sorrow will be wiped away (2 Corinthians 1:3; Revelation 21:4).

God provides much comfort through His plan, including the forgiveness of sins (which can comfort us from mourning for our sins), the return of Jesus Christ (which will solve the problems of this world that have led to so much suffering), and the resurrection of the dead (which provides hope that those who die will live again).

We are truly blessed to have the knowledge of God’s plan, and the hope that it brings should be a great source of comfort.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” This Beatitude shows us that real happiness comes when we bring ourselves under God’s control and sovereignty. For a Christian, meekness is about surrendering everything to God and being completely at His disposal.

God will not work with those who are proud and haughty (Zephaniah 3:11-12). Meekness is a characteristic of one who is teachable and following God’s way (Psalm 32:8-9).

It’s important to note that meekness isn’t weakness. We should be strong and bold, but temper those qualities by being truly submissive to God and allowing Him to guide and direct our life.

We should also be meek and gentle toward others. Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes, “To be meek toward others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit.”

Notice that Jesus said the meek would “inherit the earth.” This highlights an often-misunderstood truth: God’s plan is for His people to inherit a refreshed and restored earth, not go to heaven. The Bible tell us, “The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth” (Proverbs 10:30).

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled”

This Beatitude shows us the primary standard that brings happiness— righteousness.

There is only one standard of righteousness that a Christian should be interested in: the righteousness of God. God’s righteousness is to be of highest

priority and something that we are actively seeking (Matthew 6:33). We should seek God’s righteousness as we seek food and drink—as if our lives depend on it.

Psalm 119 clarifies the biblical definition of righteousness: “For all Your commandments are righteousness” (verse 172).

When we are truly hungry and thirsty, we are eager to fill that need. The hunger reaches the point where it consumes our every waking thought. God knows that mankind has an emptiness that we cannot fill on our own. But He will help us fill it if we go to Him (Psalm 107:9).

Those who make the commitment to God’s way of life and who repent, are baptized, and have the laying on of hands will receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The Holy Spirit is pictured as “a fountain of water springing up into [leading to] everlasting life” (John 4:14).

God is not aloof and forbidding. When we respond to Him by hungering and thirsting after righteousness, He will work with us to achieve that goal (Isaiah 55:1-3).

(The road to baptism isn’t complicated, but it does require commitment. See our article “What Is Baptism? ” for more about this important topic.)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”

This Beatitude shows us that real happiness comes when we extend mercy to others and when we receive mercy from God.

One of God’s most dominant characteristics in dealing with mankind is His mercy. Mercy is a part of everything He does (Psalm 145:8-9). Since mercy is such an important part of God’s character, those who hunger and thirst for His righteousness will see the need to develop the trait of mercy.

Jesus tells us, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36). He also called mercy one of “the weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23).

Mercy includes being kind, compassionate and forgiving to someone who offended you when it’s in your power to be otherwise. It also includes doing our best to have empathy and understand others’ feelings even when we don’t agree with their reasoning or choices.

Mercy brings happiness because it is a vital principle for enhancing and healing our relationships with other people. Those who fail to show mercy will have contentious and broken relationships.

Another key component of mercy is taking action. The merciful don’t just sit idly by when there’s someone in need. They also don’t stand on the

sidelines offering up advice to the downtrodden. Instead, the merciful seize the initiative and actively help others.

One of the best examples of mercy is that of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

This Beatitude shows us that real happiness comes from a life characterized by purity—a heart that is clean, unpolluted and morally pure—as opposed to filthiness.

Our actions matter a lot to God—but the motivation behind those actions matter a great deal to Him too. He pays close attention to what we are like in our hearts, where only He can see (1 Samuel 16:7).

For example, what is in our hearts can be sinful. Jesus magnified the commandment against adultery by saying, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The pure in heart are sincere in their desire and efforts to worship God (Matthew 15:8-9).

We need to go to God as King David did, entreating, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

The privilege of seeing God is eventually granted to one group in the Bible: those who are holy and pure in God’s eyes. As King David wrote, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord ? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4).

As the apostle John wrote: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! . . . Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).

Purity of heart is important because it will enable us to enter God’s family and have an eternal relationship with our Creator God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

This Beatitude shows that real happiness comes by being at peace with others—and God.

Some of the greatest keys to being a peacemaker have already been covered in the previous six Beatitudes. Some of the character traits that we need to become peacemakers are being poor in spirit, mourning over sin and the suffering of others, being meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, showing mercy and being pure in heart.

God views a peacemaker as one who lives in such a way that he or she brings peace to others. A peacemaker doesn’t just prevent conflict, but works to bring about the highest good for others.

In order to help bring peace to others, it is essential that peacemakers practice peace themselves. This peace is obtained by following the righteous law of God. “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165). Listening to and obeying God gives us peace.

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Following God in a way that is pleasing to Him will bring peace in the long term. True peace is a result of God’s Holy Spirit working in us (Galatians 5:22).

As Christians, God expects us to strive for peace: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

Those who internalize all of these traits and become peacemakers will receive perhaps the greatest promise in the Bible! That is becoming the very “sons and daughters” of God (2 Corinthians 6:18). The God of the universe has created you with the express intent of bringing you into His eternal family!

The children of God will inherit “all things” (Hebrews 2:8). The peacemakers—those who internalize and live by the traits listed in the Beatitudes by bringing peace to others—will become children of God and reign as “kings and priests . . . on the earth” (Revelation 5:10).

We will be ruling along with Jesus Christ, who also has the title “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). The Kingdom that we rule will be defined by peace (Romans 14:17).

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” This final Beatitude says those who are willing to remain faithful even when persecuted will ultimately be blessed with entrance into God’s Kingdom. Jesus warned that His followers would face persecution: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).

Notice that the blessing in Matthew 5:10 is promised to those who are persecuted for “righteousness’ sake”—not to those who are persecuted because of their sins or their lack of tact. When we “do good and suffer” and “take it patiently, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2:20). When we are punished for doing the right thing, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ (verses 21-23).

As a general rule, no one wants to be persecuted. Those who have responded to God’s calling now, however, can deal with it better by

focusing on the reward and taking joy when they are considered worthy to suffer persecution for God’s name (Acts 5:41; James 1:2-3).

In the modern Western world, persecution often takes the form of a lost job, being bullied or facing harassment at work or school for what one believes. In some areas of the world, however, becoming a follower of Christ carries the death penalty, and Bible prophecy shows such violent persecution will spread around the world in the end time. Jesus Christ prophesied about a time that will be worse than any other—the Great Tribulation at the end of the age (Matthew 24:21)—and this will include persecution of His people.

Jesus followed His eighth Beatitude with further explanation: “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 5:11-12).

Other passages show this reward is “reserved in heaven” to be “revealed in the last time” at “the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:4-5, 7). This will occur at Christ’s return to the earth, since He said, “I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me” (Revelation 22:12). As we saw with the blessing for the meek, Jesus and His saints will rule on the earth (Revelation 5:10).

If we are to be among those who are blessed for being reviled, persecuted and lied about, then we must endure by keeping our eyes on the wonderful promises God has given us throughout the Beatitudes and the rest of the Bible.

The source of real spiritual power

None of us can really fill the emptiness and the discontent that manifests itself as unhappiness in this world. That void can truly be filled only by God. We can’t generate lasting spiritual joy, nor can we find it in some outside circumstance.

We must acknowledge that the Creator is the source of all good things and go to Him.

Having the spiritual traits of character described in the Beatitudes will allow us to experience blessedness and happiness—now and forever.

“You Are the Salt of the Earth”

Jesus Christ called His disciples the salt of the earth. It’s a comment that conveys powerful lessons about how God’s people are to live their lives today.

Many of us use salt without thinking—sprinkling it on French fries, seasoning meat and eggs, bringing out the flavors in various soups and so on. We use salt with such regularity that it’s easy to forget how valuable salt has been in history. At some point the Latin word for salt, sal, became associated with the word for wages—a salarium, from which we get the word salary.

In the first century, everyone was vitally aware of the importance of salt. In that time, salt was used for preserving meats, for medicinal purposes, for seasoning foods and even as a sign of friendship. Salt was seen as a valuable commodity due to its many uses—a fact that Jesus made use of during the Sermon on the Mount.

You are the salt of the earth

After He finished the Beatitudes, Jesus told His disciples, “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” (Matthew 5:13).

Salt has some important characteristics—characteristics that Jesus said are essential for a Christian at any time, and especially when enduring persecution.

What is the meaning of “salt of the earth”?

Physically, salt has many uses and benefits. Spiritually, being “the salt of the earth” also carries great meaning for our lives. Consider these qualities of physical and spiritual salt:

• Salt is a preservative. Salt is used to preserve meats, so it represents the quality of lasting endurance. Salt is such a powerful preservative that it is the term God uses to describe His enduring covenant with David and His people (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5). It is this same endurance that God’s people are to demonstrate (Matthew 24:13).

• Salt is known for its purity. Based on its color and its ability to preserve foods, salt “came to symbolize purity” (bibletools.org). Salt represents the purity that Christians are to be striving to attain. This purity comes from not being too closely tied to the world (James 1:27), from recognizing that God’s commandments are

“pure” (Psalm 19:8) and by living in accordance with those commandments (Revelation 22:14).

• Salt accompanied the grain offering. In the Old Testament, salt was a part of the grain offering that God instructed Israel to give Him (Leviticus 2:13). Like all of the offerings, it pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s pure life, which was given in order that our sins could be forgiven and that we might be purified (Romans 6:10, 13-14).

• Salt enhances. One of the most common uses of salt in the ancient world and today is to enhance the flavor of foods—to enhance the experience of eating (Job 6:6).

Jesus Christ wants our lives to enhance the experiences of others around us in the same way that salt enhances a meal. One of the surest ways to do this is with speech that is “gracious”—filled with truth and kindness (Colossians 4:6, English Standard Version).

“If the salt loses its flavor”: how not to be useless salt

In the ancient world, salt was often extracted from salt marshes. This “salt” was not pure sodium chloride—it often included impurities. At times, these impurities were so intermingled with the salt that the entire batch had to be thrown out. Since this defiled salt was not useful, it was thrown out and, as Jesus said, was “trampled underfoot.”

Expositor’s Bible Commentary comments: “Strictly speaking salt cannot lose its saltiness; sodium chloride is a stable compound. But most salt in the ancient world derived from salt marshes or the like, rather than by evaporation of salt water, and therefore contained many impurities. The actual salt, being more soluble than the impurities, could be leached out, leaving a residue so dilute it was of little worth . . .

“The question ‘How can it be made salty again?’ is not meant to have an answer . . . The point is that, if Jesus’ disciples are to act as a preservative in the world by conforming to kingdom norms, if they are ‘called to be a moral disinfectant in a world where moral standards are low, constantly changing, or non-existent . . . they can discharge this function only if they themselves retain their virtue’ (Tasker).”

Jesus Christ was warning His followers that we must continue to be the salt of the earth, living rightly so that God will preserve us

and humanity. In the Olivet Prophecy Jesus stated that “for the elect’s sake,” the Great Tribulation would be ended before human extinction (Matthew 24:22).

If God’s people lose their purity or add nothing positive to the world around them, they ultimately become useless (Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:49-50).

Being the salt of the earth in times of persecution

Jesus Christ’s encouragement to be the salt of the earth is mentioned right after He promised a reward for those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. For followers of Christ in the end time, it’s not a matter of if the persecution will come, but when. (For more details, look at the “Olivet Prophecy” in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13.)

Persecution shouldn’t change how we react to people. Christ’s declaration that we are the salt of the earth is a reminder that we’re called to live by a higher standard than the world around us accepts, and God’s standard doesn’t change when persecution comes (1 Peter 2:19-20).

“Have salt in yourselves”

As the apostle Paul, who was no stranger to persecution himself, said, we should “walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Colossians 4:5-6, emphasis added throughout). Jesus connected salt with peace: “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another” (Mark 9:50).

God’s call for us to be the salt of the earth is not a light one. If we respond to this calling, it will affect how we act, think and talk, as well as how we treat other people. Being the salt of the earth demands a high standard of righteousness and purity that can be difficult in a corrupt world. At times, persecution sets in, testing our commitment to His way and the impact we will have on those around us.

Yet, no matter the challenges, this high responsibility will have an incredible reward. God the Father and Jesus Christ have called us to be nothing less than the salt of the earth!

For more on this subject, see “What Does ‘Salt of the Earth’ Mean? ”

“You Are the Light of the World”

Jesus Christ told His followers, “You are the light of the world.” What exactly did He mean? How should we be lights?

After describing His disciples as “the salt of the earth,” Jesus then used another metaphor to describe them: “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 5:14-16).

Just what does this series of statements regarding the visibility of light mean for us today?

What does it mean to be “the light of the world”?

The description “light of the world” conveys a responsibility that Christ places on the shoulders of His followers. Christians, who are to have the characteristics listed in the Beatitudes, are to be visible examples of His way of life to the world around them. Their examples are to be so powerful and dynamic that they serve as a spiritual light.

In a world full of evil and spiritual darkness, this becomes an increasingly vital responsibility for His people (Philippians 2:15).

Being labeled as “the light of the world” isn’t just a fancy title or a nicesounding phrase. Instead, it’s to be a description that affects every aspect of how we live our lives. Christians are called out of this dark world, and we are to walk “as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

We are to have nothing to do with the darkness that dwells in the surrounding world (1 Thessalonians 5:5). Our light has to shine brightly, regardless of the situation.

We should shine as a spiritual light—through our words, attitude and conduct—to everyone we come in contact with.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden

After stating that His followers are the light of the world, Jesus continued, “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

This expression has been used metaphorically by various religious and political leaders, ranging from John Winthrop in 1630 to American President Ronald Reagan in 1989. To those in Christ’s time, the city on a hill referred to a reality that His audience would have easily appreciated.

As a means of defense, ancient cities were built on hilltops. While this was done to help deter attackers, being at a higher altitude also meant that a city could be seen from a distance.

As Jesus Christ’s followers, our light should also be visible from a distance. Spiritually, we are to be the model nation that God wanted the ancient nation of Israel to be.

God told ancient Israel that He gave them His laws to be “your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has God so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?”

(Deuteronomy 4:6-7).

But physical Israel failed in that responsibility (1 Corinthians 10:1-11). As spiritual Israel, followers of Jesus Christ are to succeed where physical Israel failed. Our light has to shine brightly, showing people what the ways of God look like in action.

Our light should affect those who are around us. And not just the people we personally know. Sometimes our example can have a great impact even on people who quickly pass through our lives—the restaurant waiter, the hotel receptionist, a chance visitor in the workplace.

Peter said that our example should be such that those we encounter “may, by [our] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

Lamp on a lampstand

Jesus continued, “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” (Matthew 5:15).

Unlike a city on a hill, a lamp cannot normally be seen from a distance. A lamp doesn’t always put out a far-reaching light. Yet everyone within that lamp’s sphere of influence enjoys its benefits.

The light of God needs to be evident in our lives to those around us. While our light should not be obnoxious or glaring, God’s people should not cover their light or hide it so others can’t see it.

There are times when we might hide our own lights. The apostle Peter was one of Christ’s closest friends, yet he denied Him in front of multiple people because he was afraid for his life (Mark 14:66-72). Like Peter, we may find ourselves tempted to hide our lights in an attempt to protect ourselves from life’s difficulties.

But Christ doesn’t give us that light so we can hide it. Instead, God calls us to shine—to use our gifts to serve others and to serve Him and further His work (Matthew 25:14-30).

Peter learned to be a light, as we can see by his powerful example of preaching the gospel in the book of Acts. And he also gave this advice about how to prepare to be a light: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

Even if our personal lights are small and not very far-reaching, they can still be bright. Those within our sphere of influence should be positively influenced and shown a part of God’s character through how we live.

“Let your light so shine before men”

Jesus continued, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). This final verse about light reveals the purpose behind our light and why it matters so much.

Our light doesn’t come from us, but is actually a reflection of God’s light. The Bible describes the law of God as a light. The law serves as a light that shows us how to live His way of life and helps keep us from stumbling in the dark (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:23-24).

Jesus is the light of the world

The Bible also explains that the true source of light is Jesus Christ, who declared, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Whatever light we have comes solely from the light that Jesus Christ gives to us.

As Christians reflecting Christ’s light, we must recognize that it’s not about getting praise for ourselves by the brightness of our light. Instead, we’re to make sure that Christ and the Father receive all the glory for our good deeds.

Our lights cannot convert people to Christ’s way of life—that requires God’s calling (John 6:44). But when our examples are shining brightly— individually and collectively—we can make it easier for others to glorify God when they are called.

Those God is calling now are to be shining examples in an increasingly dark world. We are to be the light of the world.

4Jesus and the Law

What was the relationship between Jesus and the law? Did He do away with God’s 10 Commandments? Did He then give a new commandment that replaced those laws?

After describing the example He expected His servants to set, Jesus transitioned to the topic of God’s law.

Jesus understood that people could have the false impression that He, as the Messiah, was wiping the slate clean and bringing an entirely new code of conduct. Did the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of a New Covenant mean that the Old Testament laws were now abolished and irrelevant?

Jesus addressed this head-on, emphasizing He absolutely did not come to destroy the standards of conduct revealed in the Old Testament laws.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets”

Jesus Christ said, “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).

In other words, since heaven and earth continue to exist, the law remains unchanged and will continue to be in effect. Not “one jot or one tittle”— perhaps similar to saying “not one dot of an i or one cross of a t”—was being changed by Jesus Christ.

Jesus continued, “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 shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (verse 19).

Then, in a society that assumed that the scribes and the Pharisees were the epitome of law keeping, Jesus made an even more surprising claim: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (verse 20).

The disciples surely wondered how this could be and what Jesus meant in these teachings about the law.

Jesus’ new commandment

But many may ask, What about the “new commandment” Jesus talked about elsewhere in the Gospels? Did this do away with the old commandments?

Here is what He said: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

The apostle John also talked about this new commandment, but he said it was not really new (1 John 2:7-10). In his second epistle he summarized

it this way: “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another” (2 John 1:5).

The command to “love your neighbor as yourself” was not new at all. The command to love others goes all the way back to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 19:18).

But Jesus did expand it with His addition, “As I have loved you.” Jesus is love; He demonstrated that great love by laying down His life for us!

As Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:13-14).

Jesus’ perfect example of love is the new standard—the new commandment!

His life became the perfect example of how to show perfect love in accordance with the law of God. He showed how to perfectly apply the spirit and intent of God’s law.

The two great commandments

Confusion begins when we conclude that demonstrating love somehow replaces keeping God’s law. It’s important to understand that God’s law is a law of love.

Later Jesus explained that love can be expressed in two great commandments love toward God and love toward your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-39).

The way we love God is explained by the first four commandments (Exodus 20:1-11). The way we love our neighbor is explained by the last six commandments (verses 12-17).

Thus, Jesus summarized the 10 Commandments under two great summary laws: love God and love your neighbor. Jesus did not teach that the 10 Commandments were done away. He showed how they are grouped under two great laws.

Jesus and the law: fulfilling and magnifying the law

So, in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus said that He fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17), what did He mean?

The word translated fulfill means “to make full, to fill, to fill up . . . equivalent to ‘to fill to the full’” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). In the remainder of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus illuminated the meaning of the law. He revealed its spiritual purpose and intent.

For example, in magnifying the Seventh Commandment Jesus stated, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

By saying this, Jesus magnified the law against adultery, revealing that a lingering, lustful thought breaks the commandment as much as the physical act does.

In other words, it’s not enough to just abstain from committing the physical act of adultery—the intent of the Seventh Commandment must also be applied in the mind by not even desiring intimacy with someone who isn’t our spouse.

This was a magnification of the commandment far beyond what was revealed and expected of the ancient Israelites.

The spirit of the law

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus explained that the commandments speak to our innermost thoughts in addition to our actions—because thoughts are the doorway to actions. So, we must obey not only the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law too.

The scribes and Pharisees were known for meticulously obeying the letter of the law. But Jesus set the example and taught that we must also obey the spirit of the law. This is the kind of righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. They did not focus on the spirit, or intent, of the laws they so rigorously obeyed.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus also magnified the Sixth Commandment, which forbids murder, by explaining the spirit of the law. In addition to not committing the physical act of murder, His disciples should not even harbor hateful and demeaning thoughts and attitudes about another person (Matthew 5:21-22).

What is clear about Jesus’ teaching is the intensity He gave to loving God. He brought forward the teaching of the Old Testament to love Him “with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). At the same time, we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39).

Instead of doing away with or replacing God’s laws, Jesus affirmed the law, stated His commitment to it and built His sermon on that foundation. He had strong words for any who claimed to worship Him and failed to obey God’s commandments, both in the letter and the spirit.

Jesus said those who disregarded and taught against God’s commandments would be called “least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).

The danger of lawlessness

Everyone who desires to have a relationship with Jesus Christ must practice what He taught. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord . . .’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

According to Jesus, lawlessness (living as if there is no law) would absolutely keep someone from entering God’s Kingdom.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught the importance of God’s commandments. Christ said, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He made sure everyone knew He meant the 10 Commandments by naming several of them in this passage of Scripture (Matthew 19:16-19).

After His death and resurrection, Jesus’ apostles—including the apostle Paul—also taught the necessity of keeping the commandments (Romans 7:12; 1 Corinthians 7:19).

John stated that keeping God’s law is one of the identifying characteristics of a Christian: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-4).

A call to repentance

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus upheld the commandments and magnified their application and intent. Understanding the commandments and obeying them is the basis for a relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ. It begins with repentance and accepting Christ as Savior.

Repentance means understanding that we have done wrong by breaking God’s commandments and desiring to restore our relationship with God. Paul said that having knowledge of the commandments brings an awareness of what sin is (Romans 7:7). The apostle John defines sin as breaking or not obeying the commandments (1 John 3:4).

The law of God, first revealed in the Old Testament, is still very much relevant and binding on Christians today.

“If Your Right Eye Causes You to Sin, Pluck It Out”

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Jesus used startling statements to make a vital point—that our spiritual condition is far more important than our physical condition. Sin must be removed!

The Sermon on the Mount is full of shocking statements that went against the grain of Jesus’ society—and ours. Some of them have been repeated so many times that we might miss their full force. Focus on how these would have struck His audience:

• Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44).

• Turn the other cheek (verse 39).

• Judge not (7:1).

• “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (5:28).

Jesus expanded on the letter of the law to show the spiritual depth and intent of God’s commandments.

“If your right hand causes you to sin”

After giving the spirit of the law against adultery, Jesus made a surprising statement that seems to encourage self-mutilation:

“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (verses 29-30).

Wow! His listeners must have sat in shock and horror.

And this wasn’t the only time. Later, in the context of not offending little ones, Jesus said:

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire” (Matthew 18:8-9).

What Jesus didn’t mean about your eye and your hand

Was Jesus literally advocating plucking out your right eye? No.

How do we know? First, consider that Jesus said “if.” Does your eye or your hand actually cause you to sin? No. Sin starts in the mind and the heart. Removing our eye or hand wouldn’t prevent sinful thoughts.

“One might put out his eyes without in the least quenching the lust to which they ministered,” as the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary explains.

There are no examples in the Bible of people of God cutting off their hands or plucking out their eyes. Consider three examples of sexual sin.

David was plagued by lust that led to his adultery with Bathsheba, but he didn’t blame his hands or his eyes. Instead, he repented and asked God to cleanse his heart (Psalm 51:7-10).

When Jesus encountered the woman caught in the act of adultery, He simply told her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

When the apostle Paul reprimanded the adulterer (and the church) in Corinth, he didn’t tell the man to pluck out his eye. He told the congregation to put the man out of the church till he repented and ended the sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 11; 2 Corinthians 2:6-11).

What must we really cut off?

God wants repentance—real change in our thinking and actions—not penance or self-flagellation.

He wants us to have the godly sorrow described in 2 Corinthians 7:1011: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (Read more in our article “Godly Sorrow.”)

Instead of cutting our body, Jesus really wants us to cut off the internal dispositions and impulses that are at the root of our sins. In other words, He wants us to cut sin off at its cause.

The Bible uses the analogy of putting to death the “old man” and replacing our old carnal life with newness of life—the “new man.”

“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:20-24).

Through repentance, baptism and the gift of God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), we can start this new life no longer enslaved to sin.

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (Romans 6:11-12).

Study more about this in our article “Putting to Death the Old Man: What Does That Mean? ”

Dealing radically with sin

Jesus’ shocking statement about plucking out our right eye was meant to get our attention. He was using hyperbole as a teaching tool to show how evil sin is and how seriously we should be about getting rid of it!

The idea of plucking out eyes and cutting off hands should impress us with the need to “deal radically with sin” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary on Matthew 5:29-30).

Turn to God for help to cut off the old man—to control your hands and turn your eyes away from sin.

Follow the example of Job, who said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1). Use your hands and energy as Solomon advised: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” and, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 9:10; 12:13).

Cut off habits, entertainments, relationships, addictions—whatever contributes to sin.

Private Worship Toward God

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How did Jesus instruct His disciples to worship God? How did this personal, private worship toward God contrast with the practices of the religious hypocrites?

In Matthew 6 Jesus stated that His disciples should do charitable deeds, pray and fast. However, they were not to do these charitable deeds or practice their religion for the purpose of impressing others.

Why would Jesus be concerned about the need to keep their practices of worship private?

Examples of hypocrisy

Three times Jesus told His disciples not to worship like the hypocrites, whose desire in worshipping God was mainly to be seen by, and receive credit from, men.

“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (Matthew 6:2).

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (verse 5).

“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (verse 16).

In each case, whether doing a good deed, praying or fasting, the disciples were warned not to intentionally draw the attention of others to themselves. If that was their motive, then that—the adulation of men— would be their only reward.

What is the problem with hypocrisy? Putting people above God breaks the First Commandment and indicates a distorted view of the importance of the opinions of people, while ignoring the judgment of God. And religious hypocrites, by pretending to be godly, also break the Ninth Commandment by being deceptive.

Hypocrisy stifles a true relationship with God and can damage relationships with others. Jesus condemned hypocrites and hypocrisy in the strongest terms many times (see Matthew 23 for a powerful example).

God who sees in secret

Jesus explained that the real, important audience for our personal worship is God Himself. Performing for a human audience only distracts from such sincere, individual worship.

When our worship is directed toward God—and intended for God—the Father “who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18).

When you give

Jesus also gave His disciples this admonition: Do not do a charitable deed before men to be seen by them. “Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (verse 1).

The shortsighted desire to appear good to others actually diminishes our standing in God’s eyes.

Do not let your left hand know

Instead, “When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret” (verses 3-4).

What does this expression mean? The left and right hands are connected to the same body, so how can one hand not know what the other hand is doing? Notice what Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament says about this verse:

“This is a proverbial expression, signifying that the action should be done as secretly as possible . . . The encouragement for doing this is, that it will be pleasing to God; that he will see the act, however secret it may be, and will openly reward it.”

There are a number of scriptures that encourage charitable giving. One in particular says: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Our works of giving should be done for God’s glory. Keeping a mental tabulation of “good deeds” takes us in the wrong direction.

Jesus knew that if we emphasized our charitable giving with pride—to be seen by men—then we would only be hurting ourselves and miss out on the open reward that would come from God.

When you pray

Jesus then taught His disciples about the second act of personal worship—prayer.

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:6-8).

Now, there are times when an official prayer is made in public on behalf of others, as in asking for God’s blessing on a church service or over a meal. But Jesus said that a disciple’s own personal prayer to God should be done in private (a separate, quiet, private place), away from distractions and interruptions.

When we are alone with God, we can pray without pretense. He wants our undivided attention, and He commands that we put Him first (Matthew 22:37).

Jesus then presented an outline of prayer, often called the Lord’s Prayer, which included things to pray about to God (Matthew 6:9-13). All this was to be done in private—in the “secret place.” And the reward for doing so in this manner will be an open reward that will come from God.

We will examine this prayer in greater detail in the next chapter.

When you fast

The third act of individual worship toward God is fasting, which is going without food and water for a period of time. Everyone is commanded to fast once a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:32). However, faithful Israelites also fasted at other times, such as when they faced a crisis (Esther 4:16) and when they wanted to draw close to God in repentance (2 Samuel 12:13-18; Psalm 51).

Jesus fasted before He confronted Satan (Matthew 4:2), and He told His disciples that they would fast after His resurrection (Mark 2:18-20). The apostle Paul wrote that he fasted often (2 Corinthians 11:27).

Fasting is toward God. It is an affliction that helps us build humility and reminds us of our dependence on God. It is not just a ritual, like what the Pharisee practiced in Luke 18:12. He fasted twice a week and gained a feeling of personal satisfaction for going without food and water. It was not a humble fast, but one of pride.

Jesus’ instructions were: “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:17-18).

When we fast today, we shouldn’t make a show out of it for others to see. Instead, we should fast discreetly.

For further information on how to fast, please read our online article

“What

Is Biblical Fasting?”

Public, communal worship

Even though Jesus emphasized the quiet, personal and private nature of our worship of God in our charitable giving, praying and fasting, there are

other forms of worship that are done in public and are just as important.

One such form of worship is to assemble together on God’s Sabbath and holy days to honor God and to fellowship with fellow members of God’s Church.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Another form of worshipping God during church services is in singing hymns. The apostle Paul states the following: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

For more about public, communal worship, see our article “What Kind of Worship Does God Want? ”

Worship God as Jesus instructed Paul also reminded his readers, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

When all these forms of worship take place as Jesus instructed, they strengthen our relationship with God.

God promises to openly reward those who sincerely worship Him.

“And When You Pray”

People pray in many different ways. How do you pray? How did Jesus pray? What did Jesus say about prayer?

When you survey the wide variety of forms of Christianity, you find that there are many different practices and ideas about prayer. Consider:

Those who are Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox typically see prayer as the recitation of prewritten prayers. Roman Catholicism has hundreds of these prayers for people to recite in a variety of situations. Catholic and Orthodox traditions include the practice of praying to Mary, angels and saints as intercessors between God and man.

In general, the Protestant world is less liturgical about prayers. There are many different forms of praying in Protestantism—from emotional prayers spoken from the pulpits of churches to prayer groups that meet together to pray about specific issues.

There are also many people who frequently pray what is called “the Lord’s Prayer” found in Matthew 6:9-13. They believe that Jesus instructed His followers to pray this prayer verbatim.

But is this what Jesus Christ intended when He taught His disciples about prayer in the Sermon on the Mount? What did Jesus really teach about prayer?

“When you pray”

As we saw in the previous chapter, Jesus said, “When you pray” (Matthew 6:5), not “if you pray.” Prayer is designed as a means of communication to “draw near to God” (James 4:8)—to deepen our personal relationship with Him. In order to build a strong relationship with our Creator, we need to daily spend concentrated time praying to Him privately, one-on-one.

Jesus Christ didn’t just teach about this; it was a regular part of His life (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12).

Pray to the Father

Jesus was very clear that our prayers are to be directed to God the Father: “Pray to your Father who is in the secret place” (Matthew 6:6). Now that Jesus Christ is in heaven as the Mediator between God and man, we pray “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).

Jesus said we can ask the Father for anything in His name (John 14:13-14).

This is why we address our prayers to God the Father and often end them with a phrase like, “In Jesus Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.”

Pray from the heart

Jesus made another clear statement that is widely ignored: “And when you

pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

Christ was referring to the pagan practice of recitation and chanting prayers based on the idea that repeating a prayer will bring favor from God (or the gods). This form of repeating or chanting prewritten prayers is practiced extensively in many churches.

God doesn’t want prewritten prayers to be repeated over and over. This does nothing to fulfill the basic purpose of prayer, which is to develop a close, personal relationship with God.

If you do a study of the many prayers recorded in the Bible, you will notice that they are distinct, personal and heartfelt communication between the individual and God. Here are a few prayers that are helpful to study:

• 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1-10: Hannah’s prayer requesting a child and her prayer of thanksgiving to God after He provided her a son named Samuel.

• Psalm 51: David’s heartfelt prayer of repentance for his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah the Hittite.

• 2 Kings 19:15-19: King Hezekiah’s prayer for God to deliver Judah from being conquered by Assyria.

To learn more about how to pray real, meaningful prayers to God, read the article “Prayer From the Heart.”

Jesus Christ provides an outline for prayer

Then Jesus got more specific. He said, “In this manner, therefore, pray” (Matthew 6:9).

Essentially, Jesus was providing an outline to show the general structure and topics that should be included in our regular prayers to God. This outline would more accurately be called a model prayer.

It’s a model, or outline, of how we should pray to God. Each individual should fill in the details for himself or herself because God wants to hear genuine and heartfelt prayers—not recitations.

Let’s examine each of these categories.

“Our Father in heaven”

Although the Bible mentions many instances where Jesus was praying, only a few scriptures give us the words He used in specific prayers.

Jesus set us the example. Look at the beginning of the following prayers:

• Matthew 11:25: “At that time Jesus answered and said, ‘I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.’”

• John 11:41: “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.’”

• John 12:27-28: “‘Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?

“Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’”

• John 17:1-2: “Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.’”

Notice that Jesus begins by addressing His Father in heaven.

When we begin our personal prayers in like manner, we also recognize the deep relationship God desires to have with us. Those who are called and who respond to God’s calling can be, literally, children of God. That’s why we address Him as “our Father.”

“Hallowed be Your name”

To hallow God’s name means to honor it, to consider it sacred, to hold it in the highest regard and with very deep respect. Many of the Psalms show examples of how to praise and honor our great God.

Praising and thanking God for His goodness, blessings and kindness should be a regular component of our prayers.

“Your kingdom come”

We have the promise that God’s Kingdom will soon be established on the earth and that it will be ever-expanding.

As we see all the ills of this world, the debilitating diseases, upset weather, wars and political unrest all over the globe, we realize that only the Kingdom of God can give this world the true peace and security we yearn for.

Christ wants us to desire that Kingdom so much that we regularly pray to God about it! We should ask Him to send His Son soon, to take over this world’s governments and begin righting the many evils and wrongs of humanity.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”

(Matthew 7:21).

We should study to learn what God’s will is and then strive to bring our own will into harmony with His. Then we can incorporate those concerns into our daily prayers.

This also reminds us that whenever we ask God for something specific, we should ask for it in the context of His will, not ours.

“Give us this day our daily bread”

Not only does this remind us that we need to ask for and thank God for food and other physical things on a regular basis, but it can also include praying for God’s help to feast on His Word on a daily basis. God wants us to realize that Bible study helps us get to know Him and that the spiritual food He gives us is paramount.

We are to view the Bible like food. It contains God’s inspired words that guide and sustain us through life. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”

What debts do we owe? We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all continue to sin, and we need to continue to seek forgiveness.

John emphasized the importance of specifically confessing our sins to God: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

But Jesus also ties our seeking God’s forgiveness to our extending forgiveness to others.

If we don’t forgive the sins that we think others have committed against us, we have no chance at being forgiven ourselves. Jesus Christ said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Satan the devil is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) and the

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”

evil one. He is very clever, abounds in subtlety and hates those who love God. He will never give up in his vicious attempts to separate us from our Heavenly Father through temptation and sin.

But the all-powerful God can deliver us if we seek His help and draw close to Him (James 4:7-8).

We should regularly pray that God will remove temptations from us and strengthen us against the attacks of “the evil one.”

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” After His resurrection, Jesus spoke with His disciples for 40 days. They asked Him during that time if He was going to “restore the kingdom” then (Acts 1:6).

One of the things Jesus will do upon His return to the earth is to establish the Kingdom of God, and all the other kingdoms will be no more (1 Corinthians 15:24). What a glorious event that will be!

As Jesus would say later in this sermon, we should “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). That is demonstrated in Jesus’ teaching us to pray about that coming Kingdom at the beginning and end of our prayers.

It should regularly be on our mind and in our prayers.

“Amen”

The Gospels, almost all of the epistles (James and 3 John are the exceptions) and the book of Revelation all close with “Amen.”

Saying “Amen” means that we certify that what went before is true. In essence, we are saying, “So be it.”

Jesus indicated in Matthew 6 that we should begin our prayers by addressing our Heavenly Father and close them with “Amen.” We also have the incredible privilege to add, “In Jesus’ name” before we close (John 14:13-14).

Pray your own words!

The above amplification of the phrases that Jesus spoke to His disciples is definitely not meant to be our exact script as we offer our daily prayers.

As we add our elaboration, avoiding the vain (ineffective, unproductive and futile) repetitions Jesus mentioned, we’ll begin to develop a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ.

“Where Your Treasure Is”

Money can’t buy happiness, but we’d all like to find hidden treasure! Yet what do you value most? Jesus said where your treasure is, there your heart will be.

Shortly after sharing the model prayer, Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). To understand how this applies in our lives, it can be helpful to think about the whole concept of treasure—what we value most in life.

It’s fascinating to read about treasures, lost and found.

Hidden treasure in England

In November of 1992, a farmer near Suffolk, England, lost a hammer. He thought he had lost it somewhere in the fields of his farm; so after an unsuccessful search, he asked a friend who owned a metal detector for some help.

The search with the metal detector uncovered some silver tableware—and some ancient coins. They notified the authorities, and an archaeological team came in to excavate the site.

When the excavation was complete, nearly 15,000 Roman coins from the fourth and fifth centuries, along with silver tableware, had been recovered.

The assessed value in 1993 was about 1.75 million pounds (approximately $3.5 million)! The value in today’s currency would be considerably more.

What do you value most in life?

Though stories of treasure aren’t that uncommon, most of us won’t find buried treasure during the course of our lives. But we all face decisions about what we will value in life. Could we be sitting on a hidden treasure— or in danger of losing one?

Though most of us would be happy to receive more money, there is truth to the saying “money can’t buy happiness.”

J. Paul Getty, once one of the world’s richest men, is quoted as saying, “I would gladly give all my millions for just one lasting marital success.”

Neither money nor poverty automatically brings happiness. That is not to say that money can’t be enjoyed. Used rightly, wealth can bring many advantages and can be shared for the benefit of many.

But when determining what is truly valuable in life, we also need to consider the relationship between time and value. If something isn’t lasting, how valuable is it? Even if we manage to achieve or inherit a fortune in this lifetime, we can’t “take it with us,” as the saying goes.

Any fortune, no matter how large, becomes worthless to its owner on the day of his or her death.

Treasures on earth

Jesus Christ had some advice about what makes something truly valuable: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Jesus was describing the ways riches were acquired and measured in His day, as well as the ways those riches could commonly be lost.

For example, garments could be very valuable in those times, especially if they were acquired by trading and brought by ships from foreign lands. Garments, though, could be destroyed by moths.

Other riches, like coins or precious metals, were subject to becoming corroded or defaced. It was common for treasure to be buried in fields or hidden in houses. In both cases, thieves could discover and carry away the treasure.

Today, we have many other ways to acquire and measure wealth, along with several new ways to lose that wealth. But the basic principles remain the same.

How can we lay up treasures in heaven?

What did Jesus Christ mean when He said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven”?

He had demonstrated that the treasures on earth are temporary and physical. They can fill immediate needs and be enjoyed in this life, but their shelf life is limited. They don’t have lasting value.

By contrast, the treasures in heaven are eternal and spiritual.

King David wrote in a messianic psalm about resting in hope till the time when God “will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Though our inheritance and these eternal treasures are now stored in heaven, Jesus Christ will bring them with Him when He returns to resurrect the saints and rule with them on earth (Matthew 16:27; Colossians 3:4, 23-24; 2 Timothy 2:11-12; Revelation 5:10; 20:6; 22:12).

Learn more about this in the articles on the Life, Hope & Truth website titled “Is Heaven Real? What Is Heaven?” and “Do We Go to Heaven When We Die?”

The book of Hebrews gives similar advice about the enduring nature of true treasure. The author sought to encourage these early New Testament

Christians who had sacrificed to serve others and had experienced many trials.

He wrote: “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven” (Hebrews 10:32-34).

Both of these biblical passages tell us that something truly valuable lasts beyond the human lifetime. Both statements tell us that this true treasure merits more of our time and effort than temporary riches.

What is a real treasure worth?

Jesus had further words of wisdom concerning what true treasure— treasure that lasts beyond a lifetime—is worth.

He discussed this in two of the parables of the Kingdom, the parable of the hidden treasure and the parable of the pearl of great price.

Parable of the hidden treasure

Notice Matthew 13:44: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

The image again is of the practice of that time: burying treasure in a field. The treasure that is described here, though, is worth everything a person owns.

Parable of the pearl of great price

The parable that immediately follows contains the same message: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45-46).

The “kingdom of heaven” is described as the real treasure—a treasure worth more than we can possess in this lifetime. The analogy in the parables is one of trading personal valuables for lasting treasure.

The lesson? No earthly treasure is more valuable than the Kingdom of God. Seeking it should be the No. 1 priority in our lives (Matthew 6:33; see “Seek First the Kingdom of God”).

Where your treasure is

All earthly treasure is fleeting in nature if for no other reason than that the limitations of the human life span make it so. The ancient pharaohs of Egypt had their extensive wealth buried with them, but those treasures were either robbed or sent to museums.

Man doesn’t have a way to indefinitely extend the human lifetime, and what will happen to our wealth after death remains the same. All earthly possessions will cease to be ours when we die.

At the end of His lesson on earthly treasure, Jesus tells us how to live our lives with this in mind: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Again, in the context of an analogy about treasure and wealth, He tells us to order our lives according to what our priorities should be.

Jesus Christ’s words deserve some careful introspection on our part. The eternal truths of God and the coming Kingdom should be our life’s primary focus.

Where is your treasure? Where is your heart?

“Do Not Worry About Your Life”

How could Jesus Christ expect His disciples not to worry? Word pictures in His Sermon on the Mount help us understand a source of worry—and the solution.

Jesus walked and taught in the turbulent and dangerous first-century world controlled by the powerful—and often ruthless—Roman Empire.

And yet, in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, He instructed the multitudes to stop worrying: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).

He continued to elaborate on this point in verses 26-34.

How could Jesus expect the crowd of listeners, many of whom were poor, to live without worrying about physical things?

The answer lies in the metaphors He used leading up to the discussion of worry.

Treasures in heaven

The first metaphor Jesus used distinguished between two types of treasure: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (verses 19-21).

Jesus didn’t explicitly describe the treasures to be stored in heaven or the earthly treasures. He focused more on how those treasures may be lost.

The reference to moths identifies a danger posed to fabric, especially clothing. We might not think of clothing as a treasure, but in Judea and Galilee at the time, clothing was handcrafted and expensive. The ordinary person in that setting had fewer items of clothing, and fashion changed far less frequently.

For these reasons, when someone died, clothing that had not worn out might be passed on to heirs. In fact, when Jesus was being crucified, the Roman soldiers cast lots to see who might take His clothing (Matthew 27:35). Moths, then, were a threat to wealth in a way that modern readers might not consider. The point is, treasures on earth are vulnerable to corruption.

More durable items are subject to being stolen. The common firstcentury home offered little security to anyone saving a few coins or some costly ointment at home. A determined thief could break in to take whatever he could. In short, Jesus was pointing out how temporary everything in this material world is.

Rather than identify the earthly treasures, Jesus pointed out their vulnerability to decay and theft. The emphasis seems to be less on the treasure itself, and more on where it is stored.

God or mammon?

Jesus presented another metaphor in Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

To understand this metaphor, we must first know what mammon is. The word is Aramaic, and it refers to riches or material wealth. This verse in Matthew personifies mammon, making it one of the two possible masters—God or mammon.

The word master denotes a lord, ruler or slave owner—one who could tell you what to do. (Slavery was common throughout the Roman world during the first century.) Disciples, subjects and slaves owed absolute allegiance to the master.

Quoting theologian John R.W. Stott, Expositor’s Bible Commentary states that “behind the choice between two treasures (where we lay them up) and two visions (where we fix our eyes) there lies the still more basic choice between two masters (whom we are going to serve)” (commentary on Matthew 6:24).

The images taken together

What Jesus Christ did was focus our attention on the big picture. We have to decide whether treasures on earth (representing the physical or material) are more important than treasures in heaven (representing the spiritual).

Once we recognize that the spiritual is more important, the value we place on our physical resources changes. That change, in turn, affects how we see and treat other people. In essence, we see our earthly wealth as a gift God has given us, not only for our needs, but as a resource that empowers us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31).

This ability becomes a heavenly treasure, for through this love of neighbor, we demonstrate our willingness to serve and to love the Father:

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20).

But greed and selfishness are not the only ways to make mammon our master. We can also fall into that trap through a very different motivation: Worry.

“Do not worry”

In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus said:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

“Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Worry and greed

He began with a term translated as “therefore” in Matthew 6:25. This word lets us know that Jesus Christ was making a connection between what He had just said and what He was about to discuss. In addition, by mentioning clothing (verses 28-30), Jesus made a clear reference to the earthly treasures discussed earlier (verses 19-21).

What connection does worry have to greed, selfishness and lack of care for others? The relationship becomes apparent when we begin to consider the core motivation of each. Greed, lust and covetousness come from a desire for control over our material needs and wants. The same is true of

worrying about material things. In essence, greed and worry can be flip sides of the same coin.

So often worry comes from a fear of the things we can’t control—a fear of all the things that might go wrong and make our lives worse. When we let worry or greed motivate our actions, our desire to gain control—and our fear of losing control—can come between us and our relationship with God.

Seeking first the Kingdom

Many of Christ’s listeners in the first century would have concluded that they were not greedy. Many of us today would do the same. Few of us, however, would assert that we live worry-free lives.

Through this transition from greed to worry, Jesus made it clear that all of us need to think about where our treasures are—and where our allegiance lies. Even when we aren’t actively coveting material goods, it’s possible for us to still be serving mammon instead of God.

None of this means we should live without financial discipline or without planning and hard work. What it does mean is that after we do all we can do, we must trust God to provide for us. Jesus Christ assured His listeners that the Father is aware of our needs (verse 32), and He went on to command that we all “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (verse 33).

Recognizing that we cannot have absolute control of our lives takes humility—and it’s ultimately how we find freedom from our worries. That’s why the apostle Peter later encouraged Christians to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

For biblical advice for overcoming worry, see our online resources “Dealing With Anxiety,” “Coping With Anxiety ” and “Finding Peace of Mind .”

“Judge Not, That You Be Not Judged”

Jesus said, “Judge not.” Did He mean we are never to judge others? Is it wrong to discern that someone’s conduct is sinful? How should we judge?

“Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1).

These are some of Jesus’ most well-known and often-quoted words. People often use these words to shield themselves from judgment or to avoid making a judgment on something uncomfortable.

But what did Jesus mean when He said, “Judge not”? Did He condemn all human judgment?

Remove the log from your eye

One of the basic rules of Bible study is to consider a verse in its context. Consider the context of Matthew 7:1.

In verses 3-5, Jesus used a powerful (and somewhat humorous) analogy of a person with a huge beam of wood in his eye hypocritically trying to remove a tiny speck from someone else’s eye.

Jesus said, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank [a wooden beam or log] in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

The message is that we should first work on our own shortcomings—a perspective borne out in 2 Corinthians 13:5, where believers are urged strongly, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith”!

Our primary focus should be on examining and judging ourselves.

What does judge mean?

The Greek word for “judge” is krino and can also mean “to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong,” “condemn,” “to be of opinion,” “deem” and “think” (The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon).

This certainly seems to confirm that believers should not allow themselves to form or to voice opinions about others.

More than first meets the eye

Yet there is more to Christ’s words in Matthew 7:1 than first meets the eye. The next verse shows something more. Read both verses: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”

This language supposes that believers will be judging others. But we must take care what we think and say about others, for each of us will be held to the standard we impose upon others.

The Moffatt translation renders this verse, “For as you judge so you will be judged, and the measure you deal out to others will be dealt out to yourselves.”

In other words, if we habitually find fault in others and judge them harshly, we should be prepared to face the same scrutiny and judgment against ourselves.

Bible verses about judgment

Another fundamental rule of good Bible study is to take a verse in the broader context of what similar verses say on the same topic. In that way, we can better understand God’s full intent, and avoid making mistakes by looking at only one dimension of a subject.

We are instructed in other verses of the Bible to use judgment (the Greek word is the same one Jesus used) in the many matters we experience during our lives. Paul chided believers in Corinth who went to the judicial system instead of making decisions or forming opinions themselves (1 Corinthians 6:2). He said it was shameful to avoid making judgments in the matters that were before them (verses 4-5).

Christians should judge

Referring to the discernment of spiritual matters, Paul said, “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one” (1 Corinthians 2:15).

The Greek for “judges” and “judged” is anakrino, which comes from the same root as the word Jesus used in Matthew 7. It means “examine or judge,” “to investigate, examine, enquire into, scrutinise, sift, question,” “specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation,” “to interrogate, examine the accused or witnesses,” “to judge of, estimate, determine (the excellence or defects of any person or thing)” (The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon).

This sheds a different light on the subject of whether a Christian should judge! How do we reconcile the seemingly different implications?

A Christian must judge the sinfulness of an act, but a Christian must not judge a person in the sense of condemning him. Investigate, think about, form an opinion about the deed, but leave the judging of the doer up to God.

Only God can judge the heart of others. He, and He alone, can determine one’s final judgment, eternal life or death for all eternity. Paul warns against humans attempting to make this kind of judgment in Romans 2:1, and he

explains that those who condemn another will not escape the judgment of God (verse 3).

Thus, if we judge another’s character and condemn him, we are in danger of God’s judgment!

Condemn not, but judge righteously

Do not condemn is also the meaning of Christ’s words in Matthew 7:1. This is amplified by the parallel account in Luke 6:37: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Still, God intends Christians to make judgments, as Paul pointed out: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment [judgment, KJV], that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9-10).

How does God want us to judge? He wants us to judge by His righteous standards. This takes study of His Word and careful thinking about how to apply it.

Paul prayed that believers would have plenty of knowledge and discernment that they might approve things that are excellent.

The Greek word translated “approve,” dokimazō, is another interesting one, meaning “to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals”; “to recognise as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy” (The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon).

In Paul’s time, marketplace officials would test, dokimazō, coins to ensure they were genuine. Likewise, Christians ought to be people who think deeply and critically about all things. Not “critically” as in “criticizing” just for the sake of being negative, but critically in the sense of being careful and exact.

Paul even told the Corinthians to judge (test, discern) what he said (1 Corinthians 10:15)! We say the same. Do not accept what we say at face value, but look up the scriptures we cite. Prove God’s Word, and then put into practice what you know to be true.

Judge not according to appearance

What standard should believers use to form opinions? Our own inclinations and assumptions? Certainly not!

Jesus said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

The only way one can judge with righteous judgment is by regularly studying God’s Word—the standard of righteousness—and by living the Word of God. Paul plainly said the 10 Commandments showed him right from wrong (Romans 7:7).

As Christians, our goal is to live a godly life—but we can only do that by learning to judge between right and wrong, good and evil. Our job is not to condemn others, but to rightly judge all things, letting God’s righteous standards transform the way we live our lives.

The Golden Rule, or “Do Unto Others”

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Following the Golden Rule will improve our relationships with others and with God.

Jesus spoke what has become known as the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12. Although the exact wording is slightly different, the paraphrase of it—“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”—captures the essence of Jesus’ teaching. The foundation for this instruction actually begins in the context of verse 7, which says we can go to God for our needs and receive help from Him: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

The next few verses elaborate on this thought. Just as a caring human father gives good gifts to his children, so, too, God gives good things to those who ask Him (verses 9-11).

Verse 12 then concludes the thought: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

The word therefore connects the Golden Rule verse to the preceding assurances that we can ask God for help in our lives and receive it.

God’s desire is to help us

Matthew 7:8 assures us that it is God’s desire to help us: “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

The book of James also tells us that God is ultimately the source of everything good in our lives: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

The Golden Rule shows God cares how we treat others

Do we have a part to play in how God answers our prayers?

There are many passages in the Bible that make a connection between how we live our lives—specifically, how we deal with others—and how God deals with us. Two such verses can be found in the Sermon on the Mount.

Among the “Beatitudes” in Matthew 5, we find this: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). We all want to receive mercy when we need it, but we may not always be so eager to extend it to others! God clearly expects us to be merciful if we expect to receive the same from Him.

In the model prayer, we notice the same principle being applied to extending and receiving forgiveness: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Again, a clear connection is made— this time between being forgiving toward others and receiving God’s forgiveness for ourselves.

As we saw in the previous chapter, Jesus made it quite clear that we will receive judgment from Him in the same manner we judge others. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Matthew 7:1-2). Jesus Christ Himself is our judge (2 Timothy 4:8), so this passage tells us that when we judge others, we are setting the standard He will use in judging us!

With these examples in mind, let’s be reminded again what Jesus said in Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” These are wonderful assurances. Verse 8 tells us everyone who asks will receive, all who seek will find, and the door will be opened to those who knock.

However, God always has perfect understanding and flawless judgment to determine what gifts are best for us and when it’s best for us to receive them.

Does God always help us when we ask?

Earlier, we saw in James 1:17 that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” If a small child asked for a powerful motorcycle to drive to school, would a loving parent give it to him? No, in reality it would be harmful to give a powerful motorcycle to a child. In a similar way, God may not give us a gift that could be to our detriment, but He would instead give us something helpful.

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). The word translated “amiss” in this passage is from the Greek word kakos, and it carries the connotation of asking “improperly, wrongly” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament). God will not grant a request that would carry us away from our relationship with Him.

Our limited human perspective means we may not always be able to clearly see God’s long-term plan for us. Though we can be assured that He has our best interests in mind and greatly desires to give us good gifts, we may not always receive the gift we expect—but He will always give us the one we need.

Notice the experience that the apostle Paul encountered when faced with a physical ailment: “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore

most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

God wasn’t ignoring Paul’s request—this infirmity was part of God’s plan for Paul. Through grace, God gave Paul the strength to carry on in spite of his physical weakness. Paul chose to move forward, knowing that God’s will for him was still being done.

In other cases, God allows us to wait to receive an answer in order for us to develop patience and character. Probably the most outstanding example of this is Abraham, who waited 25 years to receive his promised son Isaac, who was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Genesis 12:4; 21:2-5).

Applying the Golden Rule

The most common phrasing of the Golden Rule is “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The Britannica Dictionary defines the Golden Rule as: “A general rule for how to behave that says that you should treat people the way you would like other people to treat you.”

The statement made by Jesus in Matthew 7 mirrors the same concept expressed in the Old Testament, in Leviticus 19:18: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

Jesus listed this as the second great commandment (Matthew 22:39-40). It also summarizes the last six of the 10 Commandments.

God’s instruction is the same in both the Old and New Testaments. This is why Jesus said of the Golden Rule, “this is the Law and the Prophets.” God’s intent, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, was for His people to show love by treating others as they want to be treated themselves.

Jesus amplified and emphasized this principle throughout His ministry— but it wasn’t something radical or new!

Whether or not we apply the Golden Rule in our life will have a direct impact on how God deals with us!

The parallel Gospel account in Luke makes a statement not found in Matthew 7.

Notice how God expects us to be acting toward others if we expect to receive blessings and gifts from Him: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.

For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:37-38).

Once again, the way we treat others sets the standard of how we will be treated by God. And this includes receiving God’s gifts!

What do you choose?

Many in our modern society espouse a general philosophy of looking out for the self—first taking what you want and need, and considering others later (if at all). This is the way of “get” or “take”—the natural, selfish way of life characterized by getting for ourselves and putting “me” first.

God’s way is instead the “give” way—the way of giving, sharing and outgoing concern for others. It’s the way of godly love. It is the way of the Golden Rule.

Let’s look again at the Golden Rule as stated in Matthew 7:12: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” The word therefore connects us directly back to the promises about asking, seeking and knocking in verses 7-11.

Which path will you choose to pursue in your life? How do you want to be received by God when you are asking, seeking and knocking? Remember that how you treat others sets the tone for how God will treat you!

“Narrow Is the Gate”

Jesus said to “enter by the narrow gate” if we’re seeking life. Why did He seemingly discourage people from becoming Christians? What makes the gate so narrow?

At the beginning of His ministry, thousands of disciples chased after Jesus Christ as they would a celebrity—but after His death, that number had dwindled to only a few hundred (Acts 1:15; 1 Corinthians 15:6).

These disciples quickly learned that being a Christian was no walk in the park. Following in the footsteps of our Savior means more than just giving your heart to the Lord—it often means making difficult choices and doing difficult things.

Jesus warned His disciples about that while He was still alive. He told them, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

The narrow gate and the difficult way

“The narrow gate” is a fairly straightforward concept. A narrow gate is harder to pass through than one that is wide, and only a few people can go through a narrow gate at once.

Jesus was describing the pathway to life—true, eternal life—as something requiring effort and focus to enter. Only a relatively small number of people ever set foot on that path.

But getting onto the path is only the first step. When He said, “Difficult is the way which leads to life,” Jesus was explaining how hard being a Christian really is.

“Difficult” is from the Greek word thlibo, which means: “To press (as grapes), press hard upon; a compressed way; narrow straitened, contracted.” Metaphorically, the word can also mean “to trouble, afflict, distress.” If Jesus wanted to draw people to follow Him, why did He tell prospective disciples that doing so would bring them grief?

To understand what He meant, let’s examine a few of the passages where He seemingly discouraged people from following Him. Luke writes of three encounters Jesus had with would-be Christians as He and His disciples were traveling, and each of these encounters offers insight into what makes the gate so narrow and the way so difficult.

The narrow gate of uncertainty

One would-be follower made a dramatic statement of commitment, saying to Christ: “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go” (Luke 9:57).

Jesus didn’t reply, “Wonderful! Please join us!” Instead, He said something that, at the least, would have caused the man to have second

thoughts or, at the most, would have turned him away completely: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (verse 58).

Jesus was conveying the uncertainty that could accompany the life of someone choosing to follow Him as a student in the first century. To follow Christ today, we must be also willing to accept a certain amount of difficulty and persecution—knowing that we will remain living in the world without remaining part of the world (John 17:9-19).

The narrow gate of priority

Luke’s narrative continues with Jesus turning to another person and telling him, “Follow Me” (verse 59). The man begged off, asking that he be allowed to first bury his father.

Since Jewish custom was to bury the dead as soon as possible, it is unlikely the man was out with the crowd around Jesus with a dead father at home. More likely, the man was asking to spend whatever remaining time he might have with an aging or perhaps ill father—a rather openended request.

Jesus could discern that this was a delay tactic, an excuse to not respond to Jesus’ calling now, but put it off to some indefinite time in the future when it would be more convenient.

The blunt record of Luke has Jesus responding to this man’s excuse, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God” (verse 60). Obviously, dead people do not bury anyone. Here, Jesus was referring to those who were spiritually dead—people who had not responded to His teaching.

Jesus was telling the potential Christian that his calling was infinitely more important. The same is true for us—we can’t dedicate ourselves to follow Christ if we keep putting vague, open-ended priorities in front of our calling.

The narrow gate of commitment

Then a third man, who was committed to becoming a disciple, made a seemingly reasonable request to first return home to say goodbye to whoever was at his house (verse 61). (It’s unclear if these people were family or guests.)

To this person, Jesus responded: “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (verse 62).

We cannot know with certainty, but this person may not have been as committed as his words make it sound. Jesus knew his heart and saw it necessary to remind the man that looking back was not an option.

The Bible records only the essence of the exchange—what we need to know to understand the main point. All three of these responses add clarity to Christ’s teaching that “narrow is the gate.”

In this third example, the added lesson was that Christians must continue to keep their eyes on the goal—God’s Kingdom.

An experienced plowman immediately recognizes the point of this analogy. When plowing, the farmer fixes his eyes on a rock, a hill or some other marker, so that he will plow straight furrows. Although modern farmers with vast fields often use GPS equipment to accomplish this, the principle remains the same!

Other narrow gates to consider

A few chapters later, we find another insightful account about what we must do to become followers of Jesus Christ.

With a huge number of people crowding around to hear Jesus’ every word, He gave more examples, not of how easy it is to become a Christian, but how heavy the obligation of becoming a Christian is.

You must hate your mother and father?

In Luke 14:26 Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”

This instruction seems strange until we understand the meaning of the original language.

The NKJV Study Bible explains: “To ‘hate’ one’s family and even one’s life is rhetorical. It refers to desiring something less than something else” (2007, notes on Luke 14:26).

In other words, a Christian’s love for living God’s way of life has to be greater than the love he or she has for any human relationship, as well as for himself or herself.

Matthew captures this meaning as he quotes Jesus saying, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).

Even clarified, the statement in Luke 14:26 is rather unexpected, and certainly becomes a narrow gate itself as we evaluate our most important

relationships. The question is, Will we put our relationship with God above all other human relationships? Do we approach God’s calling with that kind of dedication and commitment?

You must overcome and endure trials

The next example was extremely graphic. Jesus said, “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (verse 27).

To bear a cross, or a stake, in the Roman world was a death sentence— because after you were done carrying it where it needed to go, you would be nailed to it and die on it.

These words carry all the more weight when we consider that, when Jesus said this, He was well aware that very soon He would be bearing His own (literal) cross. The Son of God would die the death of a common criminal.

Just as condemned criminals were made to carry their execution device, we must be willing to endure and overcome whatever trials we may face as Christians. These trials are not optional or unexpected—they are as certain as the ultimate fate of someone bearing a cross.

This is a narrow gate, indeed.

You must “count the cost”

Next, Jesus spoke of a construction project. He pointed out that any responsible builder would consider the cost of the entire project from start to finish and would make sure he had the necessary funding to complete the project before he would even start.

Beginning a construction project without considering funding could result in an abandoned, partially complete building—a visual symbol of the builder’s lack of judgment (verses 28-30).

This principle can also be applied to the narrow gate of becoming a Christian. We need to understand the cost—the challenges and hardships— that are sure to come when we begin living God’s way of life.

If we enter onto the difficult path expecting only clear skies and happiness, we risk running out of steam when we have to deal with the challenging days that are sure to come.

Jesus wants us to have a realistic view of what’s ahead, not an impossibly optimistic one. True Christians must approach their calling clearly understanding the commitment and sacrifice that will be required of them. That’s why responding to God’s calling should not be a momentary decision driven by emotion.

You must consider your resources

Jesus then gave an illustration about going to war. Jesus said that a king or general counts his troops before engaging an enemy. He wants to know in advance that victory is possible. If he doesn’t have sufficient resources to win, he makes peace instead of going to war (verses 31-32).

As for Christians, our battles are spiritual in nature. In reality, it is impossible for us to win this war by ourselves. Upon becoming a Christian, we will need the help of God’s great power—His Holy Spirit—to achieve victory against overwhelming odds. But armed with that power, we can expect victory, and the narrow gate becomes worth entering.

You must “forsake all” that you have

Concluding His teaching on this occasion, Jesus said, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (verse 33).

The lesson here is that in order to truly follow Christ, this must become the most important thing in our lives. We must be willing to lose literally everything else in our lives if necessary to maintain our discipleship. It also shows us that there are certain things we will have to give up to become a Christian. Anything that is sinful or that tempts us to go down the pathway of sin, has to go.

Why would Jesus tell people that unless they met these undeniably stringent standards, they could not become His disciples, Christians? Because the gate is narrow, and the path is difficult. Jesus wanted to make that perfectly clear to anyone considering following Him.

The narrow gate is designed for quality, not quantity

Another insightful passage of Jesus’ teaching on becoming a Christian is found in John 6:25-66. This section of Scripture is a composite of interactions with a variety of people. Some wanted Jesus to repeat the miracle of producing food. Some were in audiences of synagogues at which Christ spoke. And some were Jewish leaders critical of Jesus.

Jesus began talking about physical manna and then explained that He was the true manna and that the way to salvation was by “eat[ing] My flesh and drink[ing] My blood” (verses 53-56).

Not understanding that He was talking about the Passover symbols of bread and wine, which represented His flesh and blood, many people abruptly stopped following Him (verse 66).

On the surface, it again appears that Christ’s approach seemed illogical,

because His words did not entice people to join Him. Clearly, Christ did not want just numbers.

However, He wanted all who became His disciples—students or learners and members of the spiritual body called in Scripture “the Church of God” (Acts 20:28)—to make it through to the end. They needed to know that they would encounter the most difficult challenges of their lives. He would have been irresponsible had He failed to prepare the disciples.

By analogy, failing to counsel them on the challenges they would face if they became Christians would be like taking a group of average citizens and sending them on a military mission meant for an expert team such as the U.S. Navy SEALS or the British SAS.

Without proper training, the people would not likely survive such a mission. And it would be disastrous for the mission itself. God wants all to achieve their potential, and He wants Christians to understand the serious nature of their commitment to follow Him.

God must specifically call a person

There’s one more dimension of the “narrow gate” that we must understand. Jesus also made it clear that individuals cannot come to the Father on their own. God must initiate the process.

Jesus explained, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44).

Jesus was describing the process by which the Father draws (or calls) a person to Himself. It includes God’s opening a person’s mind to understand spiritual truth, and it is literally an invitation to salvation for that individual.

How can you know if God is calling you—if you truly are being called to become a Christian and follow Jesus Christ? Answering the following questions will help:

• Have I accepted Christ as my personal Savior (for salvation from the death penalty for sin—breaking God’s laws)?

• Do I understand the Bible when I study it?

• Have I developed a relationship with God through prayer?

• Do I recognize that my natural inclination is to do things contrary to what God expects?

• Has my mind changed from resenting God’s laws to appreciating those laws as standards to live by?

• Do I recognize the need to live according to God’s laws in response to Jesus’ sacrifice for my sins?

• Do I put knowledge I gain from the Bible into action?

• Am I striving to obey God in every area of my life as I learn how He wants me to live?

• Have I discovered that the more I learn and act on biblical truths, the more I desire to learn still more?

God will not force anyone to respond to His calling against his or her will. He never does that. It is up to you whether you will respond to His invitation to be part of the “firstfruits,” the first group of humans who will be changed to spirit and enter His Kingdom.

The calling of God the Father is the only way to enter the “narrow gate”!

Christ never leaves those who commit to enter the narrow gate

Of course, God gave other counsel besides warnings about the challenge of becoming a Christian. He also promises those who do commit to this way of life, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

The NKJV Study Bible comments, “This quotation is one of the most emphatic statements in the NT. In Greek it contains two double negatives, similar to saying in English, ‘I will never, ever, ever forsake you.’ Jesus uses the same technique to express the certainty of eternal life for believers (see John 10:28).”

You may have heard the military saying, “Never leave a man behind!” Similarly, the Father and the Son are fully committed to those who respond to God’s calling.

Jesus made a similar promise after His resurrection, promising He would be with Church members always and forever, “even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

What path are you choosing?

So why would anyone choose the narrow gate and difficult path, symbolizing the way Christians must live, when it is such a difficult path compared to the smooth, easy way of the world?

On hikes, there are often adventures, thrills and vistas available only to those who take the difficult path. The difficult way brings rewards that those who remain on the smooth and easy way will never know!

Similarly, the experience of being in God’s Church is incomparably rewarding to those who are called of God. They become part of the family

of God now. They serve in His work. They are energized by interacting with people of like mind.

They anticipate reigning with Christ in the coming Kingdom of God. They deeply appreciate being led by the Holy Spirit and understand that godliness has benefits for “the life that now is” and “that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Which way are you choosing? Look at your level of commitment, which you can judge by how much you are putting into practice what you know God would have you do. Would “the narrow gate” describe the way you are choosing to live? Or are you choosing the smooth way, the path of least resistance?

The narrow gate will always be the more difficult option—but in the end, it’s the only path worth taking.

“By Their Fruits”

“One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.” Christ’s followers must bear good fruit. They are also to know false teachers “by their fruits”—discerning bad fruit.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed His disciples about the importance of bearing good fruit. He also talked about the need for them to recognize the type of people they were dealing with by evaluating the type of fruit those people bear.

He simplified the concept by explaining: “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:17-18).

In an orchard, there might be some trees that are not fully good or fully bad, but in Jesus’ analogy, there are only two kinds of spiritual trees. Even though a spiritually bad tree might look healthy and good, the end result— its fruit—is always bad.

He went on to explain that not bearing any fruit is not an option: “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19).

What exactly did Jesus mean when He talked about good fruit and bad fruit? And how are those things produced in human lives?

Good fruit and bad fruit

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus talked to the disciples about the way for them to continue bearing good fruit.

Notice John 15:1-5: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

A little later that same evening, Jesus explained how He would make it possible for them to abide in Him and bear the same fruit. He would send the Holy Spirit after His death—the mind and power of God—to abide in them and guide them.

“It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send [the Holy Spirit] to you” (John 16:7).

Fruit of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit, working in our minds, produces the fruit of righteousness. Righteousness is the character we develop and the way we live our lives.

The apostle Paul listed some of these characteristics in his letter to the Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Indeed, to truly abide in the vine that is Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit can help us bring our mind into accord with His by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

In contrast to the fruit of the Spirit, the apostle Paul listed the opposite kind of fruit that people can produce, calling these actions and attitudes the “works of the flesh.” These works include “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21). That is quite a sobering list of character flaws!

The Bible encourages us to examine ourselves and to beware of self-deception (2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 6:4, 7). We must be sure we are producing good fruit. The 10 articles in our “Fruit of the Spirit” section can help.

A Christian’s personal responsibility to produce the fruit of the Spirit, rather than the works of the flesh, is clear. But what about our responsibility to recognize the fruit produced by others? That recognition will affect the way we allow the example of others to influence our decisions and the way we live our lives.

What is the meaning of “you will know them by their fruits”?

It is helpful to reexamine Jesus’ instructions to His disciples in Matthew 7. His words concerning good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit are sandwiched in between warnings about those who would try to deceive others. He also told the disciples how to avoid that deception.

God has the ability to discern the heart and mind of a person and to know someone’s intentions. As humans, we are not given that power on our own, and we can often be wrong when we assume the intentions of another.

So, how are we to avoid judging another wrongly while still not being led astray by someone who intends to deceive us? Jesus Christ gives us the answer: We can evaluate the consistent actions and results—the fruit of someone’s behavior.

Bad fruit provides a warning to Jesus’ followers to stay away, since a bad apple truly can spoil the bunch, and a deceptive person can mislead and corrupt those who don’t keep their distance.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:15-16).

After telling them that good trees can bear only good fruit and bad trees can bear only bad, Jesus summed it up in verse 20: “Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”

Fruit of sin

What follows is an example of people who may “talk the talk.” These are people who say the right things and seem to be impressive in their deeds, but in truth produce only bad fruits—sin and lawlessness.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

Pious words and impressive deeds are no substitute for living a godly life and following the example of Jesus Christ!

Christians who are bearing fruit will both “talk the talk” and “walk the walk.”

Spiritual discernment

The author of the book of Hebrews expands on this concept when he talks about our need to have an ingrained habit of making decisions based on God’s Word and based on the ability to know good fruit from bad.

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Someone who is grounded in the Word of God will be able to distinguish good from evil. We must be able to discern good fruit from the works of the flesh.

What should you do? Bear good fruit

How can a Christian bear good fruit, while also not being deceived by those who may appear to be godly, but are not? The apostle Paul gives us the answer to both questions in his letter to the Colossians.

Consider that a good tree results from a tree being firmly grounded in good soil and properly cared for.

With that in mind, notice Paul’s words in Colossians 2:6-10: “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

We have it in our power to make the choice to be grounded in the Word of God and in the example of Jesus Christ. Doing so will allow us not only to bear godly fruit, but to recognize the same when we see it.

By receiving the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, we are given the responsibility of recognizing and producing godly fruit in our lives.

Build on the Rock

Foundations help protect our physical homes from disaster. What’s our life built on? We must build on the Rock to have protection from spiritual disaster.

Jesus Christ often illustrated His teachings with parables. Some of them seem easy to grasp, but others hide a deeper meaning.

The parable of two builders (found in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49) is an easy-to-understand story that summarizes some of the lessons Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. It has also been called the parable of the wise and foolish builders and the parable of the house on the rock.

Drawing on His experience in carpentry and His knowledge of sound construction, Jesus demonstrated the importance of a proper foundation.

The parable of the two builders

Jesus described two men who each built a house. He didn’t mention any difference between their skills and resources. The only variable He identified was where each chose to build. Jesus noted that, based on their choices, one man was wise and the other was foolish.

The wise builder built on the rock

Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).

The man who made the better decision about where to build was a wise builder because he chose the rock as his foundation.

It would have been hard to chip into the rock and level off a footing for the house. It could have taken a long time to work around rocky outcrops and to attach the structure to the bedrock. It would have been challenging to build on rocky terrain—it would have taken time, patience and hard work. But the wise man seems to have considered such factors and to have believed it would be worth the effort.

Built into the rock, his house could endure the inevitable storms that would come.

The foolish builder built on the sand

Then Jesus said, “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (verses 26-27).

The foolish builder was not necessarily a bad man, just apparently a shortsighted and foolish one. He was skilled enough to build a house, but

didn’t seem to consider the foundation to be important enough to invest more time in. His concern appeared to be on the present and on getting the house built quickly.

Building on the sandy soil was easier. Without taking as much time to prepare the foundation, the entire project was surely completed more swiftly. The foolish builder didn’t seem concerned about planning for the future.

Sometime after the men had built their houses, one of those severe storms battered both structures. Torrents of rain poured over the rocky hills. Creeks and rivers overflowed their banks. Floods of water washed across the sandy ground.

The house built into the rock survived the downpour, but the house on the sand was demolished. Jesus stated, “And great was its fall”—in other words, it was beyond repair.

Lesson of the parable of the two builders

Jesus was illustrating that we can live wisely or foolishly. It depends on where we lay our foundation. He said that if we pay attention to what He said and follow Him, we will be like the wise builder. We will come through the inevitable storms of life —the trials and difficulties that are part of life—because His teachings are rock-solid principles about how to live successfully.

Yes, it does require hard work to do these things, but it will pay off in the long run. In other words, Jesus said that His sayings are the best place to build. They provide a solid foundation for our lives, our families, our friendships, our associations and our future.

Few people grasp the importance of the foundation Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount. But some of Jesus’ listeners heard and thought about what He said, and they “were astonished at His teaching” (Matthew 7:28).

To the degree they were able, His disciples endeavored to follow how He lived. They tried to put His sayings into practice as a way of life. They did the hard work and shared what they learned with others.

Jesus Christ is the Rock, our foundation

What they proved by practice is this: There’s only one sure foundation for living an abundant life and that is Jesus Christ. That foundation includes His life, death, resurrection and instructions for us. “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

(1 Corinthians 3:11).

The apostle Paul emphasized that Jesus Christ is that Rock, the chief cornerstone of our foundation (1 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 2:20). When we do what He said, we build on that sure foundation.

Our starting place for building on the Rock

Where is our starting place? The Sermon on the Mount itself gives a foundation for what we should do. We should study what Jesus taught about life and apply His teachings to how we live our lives.

Reading the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John will give us a more complete picture of how Jesus lived. He based His teachings on the laws and principles revealed in the Scriptures. Reading the entire Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, will deepen our understanding of how God thinks and offer even more insight into the message Jesus taught while He was on earth.

The apostle Paul said that the Bible is “given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

In other words, the Scriptures are a powerful foundation for living wisely and abundantly, weathering the inevitable storms of life and moving forward.

Life is filled with storms and floods.

The Sermon on the Mount—along with every word of God—is filled with life-changing insights and instructions that can equip you to weather those storms and survive those floods.

Be a wise builder.

Build on the Rock.

Additional booklets to consider

Change Your Life

Getting to Know the God of the Bible

God’s 10 Commandments: Still Relevant Today

Is the Bible True?

The Sabbath: A Neglected Gift From God

Where Is the Church Jesus Built?

About

LifeHopeandTruth.com exists to fill a critical void in this world: the lack of understanding about the purpose of life, the lack of realistic hope for a better future and the lack of truth!

Neither religion nor science has satisfactorily addressed these issues, so people today are of divided opinions, confused or, worst of all, don’t care anymore. The ancient words of the prophet Isaiah ring so true today: “Truth is fallen in the street.” Why? Is it because God was right when He warned that humans are inclined to reject Him and usually choose not to know Him?

We are here for people who are searching for answers, who are ready to prove all things or who are hungry for more than what they’ve been taught most of their lives about God, the Bible, the meaning of life and how to live. We want to help you truly understand the good news of the gospel and fulfill Jesus Christ’s admonition to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.”

LifeHopeandTruth.com is sponsored by the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, Inc. It is supported by the generous contributions of donors and members of the Church around the world, who make it possible for everything on this site to be free of charge based on Jesus Christ’s statement, “Freely you have received, freely give.” You will never be charged or made to feel obligated for anything on this site.

The Church of God, a Worldwide Association, has congregations around the world in more than 50 countries, with headquarters in the United States near Dallas, Texas. To learn more about the Church, please visit our website cogwa.org.