The Teachings of Christ

HEB4:12HUB
Series on Christian Living
C4
THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST
___
GUIDE FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

Where are we?
C-12 SANCTIFICATION (A Series on Christian Living)
C1 BASICs of Christian Living 1 A-I of Believer’s Alphabet for Spiritual Instructions and Cultivations
C2 BASICs of Christian Living 2 J-R of Believer’s Alphabet for Spiritual Instructions and Cultivations
C3 BASICs of Christian Living 3 S-Z of Believer’s Alphabet for Spiritual Instructions and Cultivations
C4 The Teachings of Christ Teachings and Parables of our LORD
C5 Scriptures in Memories Bible Verses to Aid in Christian Life
C6 Christian Discipleship Principles and Strategies of Christian Learning
12C 12 Stages of Christian History History of Christianity

Jesus Christ came into the world not only to be the Savior, but He also happened to be a Teacher
- with a sense of intensity and passion. He spoke with great authority on spiritual matters, often
leaving his detractors tongue-tied and looking foolish. Many of His teachings are disturbing and
shake us out of our comfort and complacency.

This 4-part series is designed to present, as a guide in Christian living, the major themes that
Jesus emphasized over and over to His disciples and to others who listened to His teachings -
about our relationship with God and each other, and how He is guiding us toward eternal life in
God’s kingdom.

Contents:
Session 1: The Kingdom of God
Session 2: Love: of God, for God and for Others
Session 3: Morality and Ethics Part 1
Session 4: Morality and Ethics Part 2

Although nearly all this material is derived from the four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, John -
its outline is greatly influenced by the book of Cliff Leitch’s Jesus’ Teachings, as Told in the
Gospels.

The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are highlighted in red.

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The Teachings of Christ : Guide for Christian Living

I - THE KINGDOM OF GOD

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4:23

And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Luke 4:43

Introduction
The kingdom of God is the very centerpiece of Jesus' teachings. Matthew speaks instead of the
"kingdom of heaven." However, a number of passages in Matthew are virtually identical to those
in Mark and Luke, except for the substitution of "kingdom of heaven" for "kingdom of God."
Thus, the same reality is intended. The Gospel of John mentions the kingdom only twice but
refers many times to the closely related concept of eternal life.

The Greek term for kingdom (basileia) is used 162 times in the New Testament, with most of
them referring to the Kingdom of God. "Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament
the term "kingdom" is understood as dynamic in nature and refers primarily to the rule or reign
of a king. It is seldom used in a static sense to refer to a territory. As a result, in the vast
majority of instances it would be better to translate the expression "kingdom of God" as the
"rule of God." (Baker's Evangelical Dictionary)

A working definition of God’s kingdom from a biblical perspective can be seen as God’s
universal reign as Creator and Christ’s exhaustive work as Redeemer. Since God is eternal, His
kingdom is eternal. The Kingdom of God transcends time and space.

For hundreds of years, the Jews had been expecting the decisive intervention of God to restore
the glory of Israel and defeat its enemies. When John the Baptist and then Jesus proclaimed that
the kingdom was at hand, it was certainly understood in terms of this expectation. (Marshall, p.
647) However, the kingdom initiated by Jesus is not the earthly kingdom that was widely
inferred from the Old Testament prophecies. It is a spiritual kingdom that is now growing in
the hearts of men and women, and it will find its fulfillment in the eventual sovereign rule of
God and defeat of all evil.

Matthew 4: 12-17

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders
of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of
the Gentiles;

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16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of
death light is sprung up.
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, R
epent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Entering the Kingdom
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and
narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 18:1-4 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of
them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this
little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:13-14 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his
hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children,
and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:16-26 The conversation between a rich young man and Jesus
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may
have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great
possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a
rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things
are possible.

John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
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Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Seek Ye First
Matthew 6:31-33
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.

The Kingdom of God is Among Us
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Luke 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should
come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom
not from hence.

Parables of the Kingdom

Matthew 13
1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat;
and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them
up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up,
because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered
away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

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8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold,

some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever
hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they
have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should
understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have
not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the
wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed
by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and
anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution
ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and
understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty,
some thirty.
THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a
man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed
in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that
we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

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30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat
into my barn.
THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED
31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of
mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs,
and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN
33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a
woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he
not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in
parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto
him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the
children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers
are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this
world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all
things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears
to hear, let him hear.
THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath
found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought
it.
PARABLE OF DRAWING IN THE NET
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of
every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into
vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from
among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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51 Jesus saith unto them, H ave ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
PARABLE OF SCRIBE
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of
heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things
new and old.
53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

Matthew 18:23-35 The parable of the unmerciful servant
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of
his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten
thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and
his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I
will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and
forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which
owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay
me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have
patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto
their lord all that was done.
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee
all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due
unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every
one his brother their trespasses.

Matthew 21:28-32 The parable of the two sons
But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work
to day in my vineyard.
He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto
them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God
before you.

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans
and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might
believe him.

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II - LOVE: OF GOD, FOR GOD, AND FOR OTHERS

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:
and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself
to him.
John 14:21

GOD'S LOVE FOR MANKIND
A Christian song is indeed true when it says that The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen
can ever tell...To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry… and though it is almost
impossible to describe the Love of God, knowing the life and teachings of Christ is one of the
best ways to understand it.
Since the Christian life of love is a supernatural life, our starting point is God. The Bible says in
1 John 4:19 ‘’ that we love Him because He first loved us.” The teachings of Christ reveal some
of the fundamental truths about the love of God.

A Father’s Love
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a
stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, beinim? (Matthew 7:8-11, The
multitudes and His disciples, Sermon on the Mount) - also Matthew 6:25-30

Grace
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on
the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. ( Matthew 5:45, The
multitudes and His disciples, Sermon on the Mount) - also Matthew 10:29-31

Divine Compassion
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and
nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found
it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his
friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which
was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more
than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7, Publicans,
sinners, pharisees, scribes - )

Eternal Life
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 , Nicodemus)

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LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given
them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most
important?"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The
Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.(Mark
12:28-30)
Jesus said loving God is the most important of all the commandments. But what does loving
God really mean? Here are four ways that Jesus taught us to express and demonstrate our love
for God:
Know and Obey God's Commandments
Trust in God and Jesus
Put God Above All Else
Make Time for Prayer

Know and Obey God's Commandments
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28 - to
the crowd, to a woman, in a certain place)
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.( John 14:21,
to the Disciples)

In both testaments, the words for obey also carry the idea of hearing. The two concepts are
inseparable. The Hebrew shama means both "to listen to" and "obey," as does the Greek word
hupakouo. The biblical concept is, then, of a hearing that takes place and the need to comply
with what is heard ... Obedience is the supreme test of faith in God (1 Samuel 15:22-24), or, as
the NT puts it, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:14-26). Thus obedience and faith are
always very closely linked in the Bible (Young, p. 396).
In the Parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders (Luke 6:46-49, the company of his disciples, and
a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and
Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases - Sermon on the Plain ), Jesus
says:
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he
is like:
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and
when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it
was founded upon a rock.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon
the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of
that house was great.
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Trust in God and Jesus
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ( John 14:1, the 12 Disciples)
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus
answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath
sent. (John 6:28-29, the people in Capernaum, who followed Him)
We live in an age of rational thought, scientific knowledge, secular government and cultural
diversity. Can there be any room in our lives for simple faith? Yet, simple child-like faith is
exactly what Jesus calls us to. Just as a small child trusts completely in his or her parents, Jesus
calls us to trust completely in Him and His Father in heaven.

Put God Above All Else
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Luke 16:13 - His
disciples)
An obsession with wealth is not the only thing that can come between God and us. Any desire
that becomes too important in our lives can cause us to lose sight of God's love. While speaking
to a group of religious leaders, Jesus mentioned a number of things that can separate us from
God:
And then he added, And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For
from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23, Crowd,
pharisees, scribes)
To keep Jesus' commandment to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," we must always keep the things of God
foremost in our minds.

Make Time for Prayer
Prayer is loving communication with God. Prayer may be long or short, alone or in a group,
silent or aloud, but should be a true communication with God and not done for public
recognition. Jesus spent a lot of time praying. He often went to a solitary place and prayed for
hours at a time, especially at difficult times in His ministry. The famous Lord's Prayer is Jesus'
model:
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew
6:9-13, the Disciples)
Prayer is the expression of our inner spiritual needs. Through prayer we can find strength of
spirit, guidance and wisdom, joy and inner peace.

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LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

What is the second greatest command? If you’re a believer, a student of Scripture, it’s possible
that you said something like “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
In Jesus' teachings, our relationship with our fellow men, women and children is inseparable
from our relationship with God. Love of God and love of our neighbors are two aspects of the
same calling.
Who Is My Neighbor? We commonly think of neighbors as the people who live near us, but Jesus
meant it to include all mankind - even our enemies! Jesus told His famous parable of the Good
Samaritan to make it clear that "love your neighbor" means to love all persons, everywhere - not
just our friends, allies, countrymen, etc.

Love Your Enemies
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among
thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half
dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by
on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the
other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had
compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own
beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and
said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
(Luke 10:25-37)
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The Jews and Samaritans had been enemies for hundreds of years. The Jews of Jesus' society
considered the Samaritans to be ceremonially unclean, socially outcast, religious heretics (Mays,
p. 1029). Yet, the Samaritan took pity on the poor man who had been robbed and beaten. He
gave freely of both his time and his money to help this Jewish man who was not only a stranger,
but also an enemy from a foreign country. In His parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus
challenges us to "Go and do the same."
To reinforce that "love your neighbor" applies to everyone, Jesus extended the rule of love to
even our enemies!
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on
the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.(Matthew 5:43-48,
Sermon on the Mount )

Forgive Others
The Old Testament law specified equal revenge for equal wrong: "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a
tooth" (Exodus 21:23-25, Leviticus 24:19-20.)
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38-39, Sermon on the Mount)
The need to forgive is not some ideal that we cannot hope to attain. Forgiveness is necessary to
free us from the dark cloud of anger and resentment that can literally destroy our own lives. We
cannot afford to wait for the other person to repent and apologize.

Help the Needy
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory:
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a
shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a
stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
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Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee?
or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a
stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
(Matthew 25:31-46, the Disciples)
Jesus could hardly have made things plainer than in His Parable of the Sheep and Goats, above.
We are not meant to live hard-hearted or self-centered lives. We are called to put our faith into
practice and truly love our neighbors, especially those less fortunate.
It would seem that the more we give to others, the poorer we become, but just the opposite is
true! Service to others brings meaning and fulfillment to our lives in a way that wealth, power,
possessions and self-centered pursuits can never match. As Jesus said,
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it
shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38,the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of
people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to
hear him, and to be healed of their diseases - Sermon on the Plain )
Does this mean we can't satisfy Jesus' command unless we have abundant wealth to give, or
extraordinary talents to serve other? No! It is not how much we give, but the spirit in which we
give that counts with God.

Follow the Golden Rule
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for
this is the law and the prophets. (Matthew 7:12, Sermon on the Mount)
The Golden Rule, spoken by Jesus, is possibly the best-known quote from the Bible. If we wish
to be respected, we must respect all persons - even those we dislike. If we wish to be forgiven,
we must also forgive. If we wish others to speak kindly of us, we must speak kindly of them and
avoid gossip. If we want strong marriages, we must be loyal and faithful to our spouses. If we
wish to be fulfilled in our lives, we must share generously with others. If we wish to reap the
rewards of our Heavenly Father's love, we must truly love all His people.

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Love One Another

In the gospel of John, Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35, Disciples). Jesus has raised the bar.
Not that he has made it more difficult to love (quite the contrary: With this command he also
promises to pour out the love of God into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, thus enabling us to love
beyond human capacity), but the idea of love itself has been raised!

With Jesus’ advent, we are called to love others with self-sacrifice - to actually consider others
better than ourselves (Philippians 2). Jesus said, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13, Christ and the disciples were now on the way to
Gethsemane ).

This is exactly what Jesus did. In showing us the greatest gift of self-sacrifice through the cross,
Jesus teaches us how to love like God loves. And, through his resurrection, Jesus shows us that
such love is vindicated

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III - MORALITY AND ETHICS

(PART 1)

The contents of this section were inspired by the works of Jim Wilsford’s The Ethics and Morality
of Christ.

The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus Christ, which
emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5, 6, and 7).

1. The Ethical and Moral Foundation (Matthew 5:1-16)
Jesus came to free the spirit of people from the chains of the flesh that had bound that spirit
since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Gen 1-3). God had addressed the overt acts of
immorality and unethical behavior in the Law of Moses and writings of the prophets. In the
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus extends the letter of the prohibition of sinful acts to the spirit of
true disciples, which can overpower the flesh.

The Beatitudes

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came
unto him:
And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you.
Matthew 5:1-12

The first part of the Sermon on the Mount, commonly called the beatitudes, sets forth the
spiritual dimensions of the gospel law. The control of the external person depends on the
nature and strength of the inward person. The impeding force of God’s power moves through
people, as they become partakers of these divine qualities. Of these qualities, Peter spoke in 2
Peter 1:3-4: 2 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through
our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given
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us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine

nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil Desires.

2. Murder and Hate
In Matthew 5:17-26 Jesus describes in Matt 5:17 how the law of the spirit overcomes the law of
the flesh.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he
shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the
same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes
and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill
shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,
shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath
ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast
into prison.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing.

He begins with full assurance that he did not come to abolish the law and the prophets but to
fulfill them. The moral law delivered in the Law of Moses will remain until everything is
accomplished. The New Testament is very clear when this will happen. Paul wrote in Eph
3:10-11: His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be
made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal
purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is clear that God accomplished His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus. The Revelation speaks
clearly on this same subject in Rev 10:7: “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to
sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished , just as he announced to his
servants the prophets.” Rev 11:15 tells what happened at the sounding of the seventh trumpet:
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The
kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign
for ever and ever."
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What effect did the Lord have on the moral code of the Old Testament? The old was a law of the

letter and the new was a law of the spirit. Paul said in 2 Cor 3:6, “He has made us competent as
ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit
gives life.”

Murder and Anger—the First Application (Matt 5:21-22)
Jesus applied the law of the spirit, as pronounced in the beatitudes, to murder and anger. The
law clearly taught, “Do not murder.” Christ extended the law against murder into his kingdom
and expanded it to include anger, which is the spiritual and mental lust that grows into murder
when it is conceived. James 1:13-15 teaches: When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting
me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted
when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has
conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Saying derogatory spiteful words is worse than anger because we aim such words at hurting the
spirit and self worth of the other person. Raca was a word of contempt very much like the ethnic
slurs of today. Persons committing such sin know exactly what they are doing. Jesus then
extends the sin of anger to yet another level. “But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger
of the fire of hell,” he said. The moral equivalent to this expression today would be to say, “You
moron.” Or, “You idiot.” Or, “Stupid.” These words demean the person’s intellect. Such a sin
puts a person in danger of hell fire. Erase hate, contempt, and anger, and danger of murder will
disappear.

The Lord’s Remedy to Anger and Murder (Matt 5:23-24)
The message is clear: stop anger and that will stop murder. Jesus offers this example to illustrate
how he expects us to overcome our anger. We cannot worship or give gifts to God if malice,
anger, and hate are standing between our brother and us. We are not getting it straight if we
hold something against our brother. In this case, we know our brother has something against
us. We are to take the initiative. Paul spoke similarly in 1 Cor 11:28, “A man ought to examine
himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.”

Avoid Legal Judgments (Matt 5:25-26)
Christians should always seek to settle things quickly, avoiding the anger and hate of
prosecutions. Rom 12:17-19 teaches: 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is
right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone. History tells many stories of how hate and rage turn to murder between two people
over contentious issues. Business deals, marriages, estranged friendships, all of these and more
offer opportunities for hate and anger. We should step back from name-calling and settle issues
quickly. They will only get worse. Paul offers a surefire aid to a quick resolution in Phil 2:2-4:
Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and
purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others
better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others.”

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3. Adultery
In Matt 5:27-30, Jesus elevates the command of the law—“Do not commit adultery”—to the level
of the mind, spirit, and heart of a man.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already in his heart.
And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee
that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that
one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Adultery is a word that describes sexual immorality and infidelity between married people.
Under the Old Testament law, God permitted certain relationships where men might have
multiple sexual partners. Whether these partners were multiple wives like David or multiple
concubines like Solomon, Moses permitted them and multiple divorces, as expressed in Matt
19:4-8.
From the beginning, however, God made one man and one woman to be one flesh. In this
passage, Jesus elevates sexual immorality to the fulfillment of willful lust. Modern practices of
premarital sex and homosexuality receive the harshest censure, along with modern sins of the
mind like pornography. Christ broadens the Old Testament sin of adultery (still sinful under the
covenant of Christ) to include sexual immorality of every sort.

Sins of Adultery and Sexual Immorality Are Willful and Avoidable
A man committing adultery is sinning, and so is a man, looking at a woman lustfully in his
heart, sinning. This latter sin is as bad as the first, and it is, in fact, the very same thing as the
actual adultery. This description by the Lord encompasses every kind of sexual immorality and
promiscuity. The law of Christ tolerates no sexual indiscretions. What then are men and women
so tempted to do? They must control their eyes. They must control their touch. At the core of
sexual immorality is the lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh. If one looks on another lustfully
and if one touches another unlawfully, the sin is already committed. Symbolically, the eye and
the hand must be controlled to save the entire person from going into hell. Sexual encounters
begin with the eye, the touch, and minor flirtations and indiscretions.

Jesus and Paul Tell of The Danger Inherent in Sexual Immorality.
Jesus expanded on his teaching in Matt 19, where he had forbidden divorce for any reason
except sexual immorality. Therefore, in Matt 19:10-12, Jesus teaching on divorce and remarriage
troubled the disciples:
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some
eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
18

Christ expects Christians who are single or divorced to choose to live celibate lives, renouncing
marriage and sexual immorality. Broad commands prohibiting sexual immorality find little
acceptance in the modern world of indiscriminate sex. People often, and perhaps, even
generally, reject the teaching of the gospel on single sex, homosexual sex, or multiple wives
following multiple divorces. People who choose these life styles, as they are called, cannot
“accept the word” of Christ. Single adults have but one choice—abstinence.

4. Divorce
The New Testament gives us laws that govern divorce. These laws satisfy most problems created
by divorce. Individual Christians must apply these laws to their circumstances. The Lord made
it individual and personal, when the apostles asked about difficult situations occurring from
divorces where people are unable to remarry in Matt 19:10-12:
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But
he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there
are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs,
which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs
for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

The Moral Law of Marriage: The Effect of Divorce on the Spouse
Matt 5:31-32:
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of
divorcement:But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery.
The law of Christ is clear: one can put away a spouse only for marital unfaithfulness.
The Moral Law of Divorce and Remarriage (Matthew 19:3-13)
The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to
put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, H
ave ye not read, that
he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and
they twain shall be one flesh?
Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let
not man put asunder.
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put
her away?
He saith unto them, M oses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your
wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall
marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit
adultery.
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His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some
eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves
eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and
pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
Jesus had explained in the Sermon on the Mount that anyone puts away his wife except for
marital unfaithfulness causes his wife to commit adultery and causes the one who marries the
wife to commit adultery. Jesus gives the second law in certain terms: “Anyone who divorces his
wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."

5. Speaking the Truth and Controlling the Tongue
In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord set the standard for clean, moral, and approved speech.
If the characteristics taught in the beatitudes are in the heart, controlling the tongue will be
easier.
Your Word Is Your Bond
Matt 5:33-37
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself,
but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by
heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it
is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make
one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is
more than these cometh of evil.
Our word can only be what it is: yes or no! To add oaths to it, summoning the power of heaven
or earth cannot make yes, no or no, yes. Embellishments to pure straight talk are from the evil
one. James repeated this admonition of Jesus in James 5:12 and tells us we will be condemned
for such language: “Above all, my brothers, do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by
anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.”

Lying and Deceiving
Yes cannot be yes and no cannot be no when one is lying and deceiving. There is no room in the
Lord’s teaching for little lies or white lies. All lies and deceptions are wrong. Jesus taught that
lying, deceitful speech was of the devil—a liar and the father of lies—in John
8:44-45:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a
murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he
lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
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6. Retaliation and Retribution

In the beatitudes, Jesus calls for attitudes and values of the heart that curtail one’s impulse to
strike back. For example, one who is poor in spirit will not likely strike back. One who is meek
will place the other person first. If the attack is because of one’s religion, the Lord expressly
commanded in Matt 5:11-12:
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
The Old Testament principle of an eye for eye, and tooth for a tooth gives way to the New
Testament law of the spirit. This rule—an eye for an eye— continues in many religions and
cultures today.

Do Not Resist an Evil Person
Matt 5:38-39
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto
you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also.
Do not resist an evil person is the crux of the New Testament law restricting retaliation and
retribution. It is especially important that in the church, members refrain from retaliating and
striking back. The meekness and kind spirit taught by Christ will keep us from sudden and bad
responses.

The Right Way Is Opposite to the Way One Might Think
Matt 5:40-42
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And
whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and
from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
The Christian is to give way quickly to the evil doer, turning the other cheek, going the extra
mile, etc. Even if the Christian has rights under the law, it is often better not to pursue them,
settling matters quickly.
In Matt 5:25-26, Jesus taught, Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way
with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to
the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost
farthing.

(PART 2)

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7. Love Your Enemies

Of all the moral and ethical teachings of Jesus, none separates the Christian from all others like
Jesus’ command in Matt 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute
you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. The origin of the
statement, “Love your neighbors,” was the command in Lev 19:18, “Do not seek revenge or bear
a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” The
Jews added the clause—hate your enemies— as the logical extension of the teaching. They took
the word neighbors to mean more than just those who live nearby, including in the word all
their fellow Jews. All others were thus to be hated by exclusion. Now the Lord teaches that
Christians are to love even their enemies. What a change in a world where most wars are
between religious and philosophical enemies; such as protestant versus catholic, Muslim versus
Jew, communist versus Christian—to name only a few. Christians are to love their enemies
regardless of their differences. This is a difficult teaching, indeed.
This command of Jesus runs so contrary to human practice and human nature that it requires a
fundamental shift in one’s moral and ethical values. Jesus provided the basis of that shift in the
beatitudes.
Even God does not forsake completely those who are evil and unrighteous, giving them the sun
and rain to sustain their lives. The ethical and moral standard of Jesus is clear, and the result of
maintaining it is clear: love your enemies and do good to them.

The Deception of Human Nature
Matt 5:46-47
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Human nature deceives us. Certainly, we must love those who love us. And certainly we should
greet our brothers. However, if this is all that we do, we are no better than tax collectors—a
despised group among the Jews—and pagans—a group to be shunned by the Jews. To be perfect
as our heavenly father is perfect is to hold out a benevolent and helping hand to our enemies.
After all, God does give all men the sun and the rain alike; and the gospel call of Christ is open
to all.

8. Arrogance, Self-Righteousness, and Being Seen of Men
The Ethical Standard
Matt 6:1
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward
of your Father which is in heaven.
The principle is clear: If one does acts of righteousness to be seen of men, there is no reward
from God.

Matt 6:2-4
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Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do

in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you,
They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right
hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly.
Matt 6:5-8
And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in
the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret
shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they
think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for
your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Matt 6:16-18
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But
thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to
fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward
thee openly.

9. Prayer and Forgiveness
In a world of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ethics as the standard of forgiveness, the
ethics and morality of Jesus depart from the ethical norms of the day. The Lord taught in Matt
5:7-9:
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Christians must have these attitudes even when they are under such dire circumstances as
persecution. In Matt 5:11-12, the Lord explained: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be
exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which
were before you.” The beatitudes laid the foundation for the spirit necessary for forgiveness.

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The Forgivers Will Be Forgiven

Matt 6:9-15
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye
forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
In the text of the prayer, the Lord conditions the forgiveness of our debts from the father: “As we
also have forgiven our debtors.” This focus on the ethical standard of forgiveness receives
emphasis when the Lord concludes by reiterating it twice in verses 14 and 15. God’s forgiveness
of us depends on our forgiveness of those who have sinned against us. Yet in daily lives,
brothers, spouses, fellow church members, and sure enough enemies go to the grave without
forgiving one another. The ethics of forgiveness becomes a true test of who the children of God
really are.
Forgiveness Is Unlimited in Number and Scope
The standard of forgiveness is unlimited in the number of times a person is to forgive another.
In Matt 18:21-35, Matthew records Peter raising the question of how many times he should
forgive his brother: Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive
my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Matt
18:21-22
After establishing the unlimited frequency of forgiveness, Jesus tells a parable that teaches once
again that Christians must forgive one another. In Matt 18:23-35, Jesus tells of a wicked servant
who, when his master came to collect his debts, prayed of his master to forgive him.

Matt 18:26-27 says: “The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged,
'and I will pay back everything.’ The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let
him go. Beginning in Matt 18:28, the servant refused to forgive his fellow servant his debt; and
instead, he threw him into prison in Matt 18:30-31: 30 But he refused. Instead, he went off and
had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what
had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had
happened. The master’s response in Matt 18:32-34—just like God’s response to us if we do not
forgive— was immediate and certain:
Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee
all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy
fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the
tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. Jesus removed all doubt and concluded
in verse 35, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive
not every one his brother their trespasses.

24

10. Earthly Wealth, Riches, and Anxiety
In a world of “dog eat dog,” “get them before they get you,” “getting and spending,” and
“keeping up with the Jones,” it is difficult, indeed, to live free of greed and covetousness. The
anxiety comes from thinking that one is nothing without material gains. The Lord presents a set
of bipolar directives—eternal principles. They become our topics of study.

Store up Treasures in Heaven
Matt 6:19-21
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
These commands are counter to the ethics of the 21st century, where materialism reigns and
people gain status and recognition from how much earthly wealth they have. The Lord’s final
statement in this passage is an eternal principle, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.” Get the heart right and treasures in heaven will follow.

Fill Your Mind and Body with Light
Matt 6:22-23
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of
light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that
is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
The principal—the eye is the lamp of the body—reaffirms that filling our mind with light
secures not only the mind of a person, but also the entire body of a person. On the other hand, if
one fills the mind with darkness, how great is that darkness. This eternal principle secures once
for all time the need to have the Lord dwell in us, and we in him. The ethics and morality of
Christ begin from this light within. Paul wrote in Eph 3:16-19:I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your
hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together
with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this
love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. From
the light within, Christians marshal all the fullness of God to overcome darkness.

You Cannot Serve Two Masters
Matt 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25
This principle draws its truth from a principle widely misunderstood in the world: “No one can
serve two masters.” The masters here are either God or Money, a dichotomous choice that leaves
no other alternative. It is clearly an either, Mammon, which translators transliterated from
mamonas, is a common Aramaic word for riches. The word personifies money. The ethical
choice is between God and Money. Who will our master be? The Lord of heaven and earth who
promises that we can marshal all of His fullness; or Money, which promises decaying, rusting
treasures that thieves break in and steal.

Do Not Worry about Your Life
Matt 6:25-32
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;
nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than
raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the
oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed?
(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things.
If God is the master, one need not worry about this life. The Christian is ethically and morally
divorced from the treasures of this life. With the divorce, comes the Lord’s enunciation of the
eternal principle, “Do not worry about your life.” Suddenly, it is very clear. The earthly treasures
and Money of which the Lord speaks is not just the earthly treasures and money of the truly
rich. They are our very own money and riches right down to that which we use to sustain our
lives from day to day. A poor man can serve Money with fervor equal to the fervor of the world’s
richest tycoon Therefore, do not worry about what you will eat, drink, or wear. The Fathers
knows that we need them. The acceptance of this high ethical standard regarding food, drink,
and clothing is a test of the Christian’s very faith. Thus the Lord chastises us, “O you of little
faith.”

Seek First His Kingdom and His Righteousness
Matt 6:33-34
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of
itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
26
Eternal principles follow these commands:

• All these things will be added to you
• Tomorrow will worry about itself
• Each day has enough trouble of its own
Fear and anxiety flee the Christian who has God as the one and only Master.

11. Hypocrisy—Unethical and Immoral Acts of Mind and Body
The ethics and morality taught by Jesus begin in the change of heart that comes to those born
again (John 3). In Matt 5:3ff, Jesus prescribes certain beatitudes that protect the Christian from
the sins of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy itself, like greed and hate, generates yet other evil acts,
forbidden of Christian. The beatitudes, which keep us from hypocrisy and these sins of heart,
mind, and body, are from among those at the very beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.
It is impossible to conceive of one’s possessing these spiritual qualities and still being beset by
hypocrisy and the sins that attend it. Hypocrisy is playacting or pretense in the original form of the
word; pretending to be something that we are not; insincere. The sin of hypocrisy brings into
question the ability of one to act in moral and ethical ways. Hypocrisy casts doubt on the
integrity of one’s acts and words.

A Hypocrite Passing Judgment
Matt 7:1-5
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that
is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou
say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own
eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly
to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
A hypocrite will find fault with a brother, even though his own sin is worse. The Lord uses the
speck of sawdust to indicate the brother’s fault, which is minor in respect to the plank in one’s
own eye. Every time a Christian judges a brother, he is pretending that he has no equal or
greater sin, that he is the judge (God is the judge), and that he would never be like the brother.
The plank is the sin of hypocrisy—a sin greater than the sin that a brother might do.
The Lord has already identified some acts of hypocrisy in the sermon. Among them are these. In
Matt 6:2, he identified the person who advertises his benevolence as a hypocrite: Therefore
when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have
their reward.” In Matt 6:5, he likened those who pray publicly to be seen of men to the
hypocrites: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Christians are not to be overly critical of their brothers and sisters. When one judges a brother,
he is usurping the authority and right of God to judge his servant. Paul taught in Rom 14:3-4,
“Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand,
for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
27
The Hypocrisy of False Worship and Religious Acts

Those who pervert the teaching of Christ are also hypocrites. In Matt 15:6-9, Jesus applied the
word hypocrites to those who are high-minded enough to nullify God’s word by their own
made-up traditions: And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye
made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias
prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me
with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men.
Jesus criticized the teachers of the law and the Pharisees and called them hypocrites in Matt 23.
Their sins of mind and body came from their hypocritical attitude toward the law of God. Their
traditions and rules taught by man replaced God’s will, to the jeopardy of the people taught. In
Matt 23:23-24, the Lord illustrates how religious people can neglect the important matters of
God’s law:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,
and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to
have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and
swallow a camel.
In Matt 23:25-26, Jesus shows that which is on the inside is what matters. A rule that one should
apply to all hypocritical thoughts and acts:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of
the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first
that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
In Matt 23:27-28, the Lord teaches that people who appear to be righteous may be full of
hypocrisy and wickedness:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which
indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and
iniquity.
In our religious worship and acts, we must allow the word of God to direct us and not our own
traditions and teachings. This requires Christians to be alert to the teaching of religious
teachers, making sure these teachers teach the true word of God. Paul warns us of this danger in
Col 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which
depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.” All humanly
designed religions are hypocritical in concept and application. The ethics and morality of Jesus
require that those of the 21st century practice his teachings, just as he delivered them to us in
the New Testament.

12. Unethical and Immoral Nature of False Prophets and Teachers
Nothing is more at odds with the ethical and moral standards of Jesus than the acts of false
prophets and false teachers. Peter, in 2 Peter 2:1, places false prophets and false teachers in the
same category, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers
among you.”
28
False prophets and false teachers lack the moral and ethical nature of the true follower
described in the beatitudes. They are not poor in spirit, meek, or pure in heart.

False Prophets Look and Sound Morally and Ethically Upright
Matt 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them.
What are they teaching? Is it from the word of Christ? Is it in the New Testament? The ethics
and morality of false prophets and teachers allow them to teach their own destructive doctrines
according to 2 Peter 2:1-3 They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign
Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways
and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories
they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not
been sleeping.
John joined the Lord in warning us in 1 John 4:1: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test
the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

False Prophets Appear to Do the Right Things
Matt 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done
many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.
The ethical and moral deceit of the false prophet and false teacher comes from the apparent
good that they do and say. They say:
• Lord, Lord.
• Did we not prophesy in your name?
• Did we not drive out demons in your name?
• Did we not perform many miracles?
The litmus test applied to the false prophets and teachers is the one given here by the Lord. Are
they doing the will of the Father who is in heaven? God does not allow even small changes in
the matter of teaching and doing His will. Such changes and alteration constitute a perversion
of the gospel, and with that perversion comes a curse. Paul explains in Gal 1:6-9:
29
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you
into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we
have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you
accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

13. The Unchanging Ethics and Morality of Jesus
The ethical and moral system authored by Jesus, the Christ by the will of God the Father, never
changes in concept and duration. No synod, convention, council, nor any other body of men can
change or alter it. The ethics and morality of Jesus are not situational, to be changed to suit the
times or situation. Jesus and the apostles and prophets all affirmed the unchanging nature of the
Gospel law of faith and practice. In Jude 3-4, Jude summarized the unchanging nature of the
faith: “I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the
saints.” About this faith once for all delivered, Paul spoke of completeness and all-sufficiency in
2 Tim 3:16-17, “All scripture 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 perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. Jesus, himself, affirmed the fullness and completeness of his
authority, prior to his ascension.
Jesus laid the spiritual foundation for appropriate ethical and moral behavior in the beatitudes
in Matt 5:3-12. The ethical and moral standards of behavior follow in Matt 5-7. Matthew records
in Matt 28:18-20:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Words like all, in heaven and on earth, and obey everything leave no room for latter day
religions to water down the morality and ethics commanded by Jesus or add new and different
teachings and interpretations.
Matt 7:24-27:
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The first 12 lessons have established the moral and ethical behaviors expected by Christ under
the Gospel law of Christ—the New Testament. These commands extend the law of
commandments given to Moses to a new level—a spiritual one—controlling even the lusts and
thoughts that generate from the spirit, mind, and body. These moral and ethical behaviors are
so explicit that we must consider them unequivocal in nature. This lesson draws these behaviors
from the past 12 lessons, all of which were taken from Matt 5-7. We must be like the wise man:
we must hear the words of Jesus and do them.
30

Do not murder or hate:
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill
shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca,
shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell
fire. Matt 5:21-22.

Do not commit adultery or lust after another person:
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say
unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with
her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it
is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should
be cast into hell. M att 5:27-29.

Do not divorce except for marital unfaithfulness:
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication,
causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth
adultery. Matt 5:31-32.

Speak the truth and do not curse or swear:
Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself,
but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by
heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it
is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make
one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is
more than these cometh of evil. Matt 5:33-37.

Do not retaliate or seek retribution:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto
you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy
cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that
asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away Matt 5:38-42.

Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you:
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I
say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and
pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust M att 5:43-45.
31

Do not be self-righteous:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But
thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to
fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward
thee openly. Matt 6:16-18.

Pray for forgiveness and forgive others:
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt 6:14-15.

Do not serve Money:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matt 6:24.

Do not be hypocritical:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that
is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou
say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own
eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly
to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matt 7:1-5.

Watch out for false prophets and false teachers:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every
tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt 7:15-23.

32
The Right of Jesus to Command

Matt 7:28-29
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For
he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
The crowd recognized Jesus as one who had authority. Authority is the right of one whose
commands must be obeyed. One cannot accept Jesus and deny his commands. We must obey the
moral and ethical commands of Jesus; they are permanent and unchanging; we must hear them
and do them.

33

The Teachings of Christ

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The Teachings of Christ

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Series on Christian Living

GUIDE FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

C4 The Teachings of Christ Teachings and Parables of our LORD

C5 Scriptures in Memories Bible Verses to Aid in Christian Life

C6 Christian Discipleship Principles and Strategies of Christian Learning

12C 12 Stages of Christian History History of Christianity

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold,

II - LOVE: OF GOD, FOR GOD, AND FOR OTHERS

LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

III - MORALITY AND ETHICS

us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine

What effect did the Lord have on the moral code of the Old Testament? The old was a law of the

6. Retaliation and Retribution

7. Love Your Enemies

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do

The Forgivers Will Be Forgiven

Eternal principles follow these commands:

The Hypocrisy of False Worship and Religious Acts

The Right of Jesus to Command

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