Todays scripture...

[WillyCamaro]

2 Samuel 22:26-32

With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.

And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.
For by thee I have run through a troop:
by my God have I leaped over a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried:
he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

For who is God, save the Lord?
and who is a rock, save our God?

[Meridian_Mike]

AMEN!

[WillyCamaro]

Purity and Peacemaking

Matthew 5:8–9 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (vv. 8–9).

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson’s book The Sermon on the Mount reminds us that Christians are not free to embody only some of the traits in the Beatitudes (pp. 35–36). As believers, we must possess all the qualities of Matthew 5:2–12, at least in some measure, lest our claim to have faith be proven false.

The text chosen for today’s study tells us the “pure in heart” receive God’s blessing and will one day see Him (v. . Jesus’ instruction in this verse is not new information for those well-versed in the Old Testament. It is based on Psalm 24, which says that only those with “clean hands and a pure heart” can stand in the Lord’s presence (vv. 3–4). According to Augustine, seeing God face-to-face when He renews all things (the beatific vision, 1 Cor. 13:12) is “the end and purpose of all our loving activity” (Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, 11:214). This privilege is only for those who have hearts characterized by purity.

Those pure in heart, Psalm 24 tells us, are wholly devoted to our Father in heaven. They do not lift up their souls (in worship) to falsehoods (v. 4). As a result, their actions and motives line up so that a pure intent lies behind what appear to be their good deeds. In his commentary on Matthew 5:8, John Calvin says to be pure in heart is to “take no delight in cunning, but converse sincerely with men, and express nothing, by word or look, which is not felt in the heart.”

Jesus also pronounces God’s blessing upon “the peacemakers” (v. 9), and this saying cannot be separated from the peace Christ brought through the cross and thus be used to support pacifism. Peacemaking is tied intimately to the work of Christ, which is “to bring together things divided and to reconcile the alienated” (Chrysostom, Sermon on the Mount, 1.2.9). First and foremost, the Son of God came to reconcile sinners to God (Rom. 5:1), and He uses His church to extend this reconciliation. We are peacemakers whenever we share the Gospel in word and deed (Isa. 52:7). Yet our Lord, by destroying the power of sin, also effects peace between people in the church. We are called to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). In both the church and the world, contention and strife are not to follow in our wake.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

By the Holy Spirit, we are “sons of God” and partake of His nature (2 Peter 1:3–4). Since our Father loves peace so much that He sent His Son to reconcile Himself to His people, we have not partaken of His nature and cannot claim to be Christians if we are not peacemakers. We must be willing to put ourselves and our desires in second place to make peace as long as we do not compromise essential biblical truth. Make peace today where you have caused strife.

For further study: Jeremiah 4:4

[WillyCamaro]

Persecution and Reward

Matthew 5:10–12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. …For your reward is great in heaven” (vv. 11–12).

Our flesh may not like to hear it, but biblical Christianity does not promise to make our lives better, at least in the short term. Actually, Jesus tells us that following Him as Lord will bring us many trials and tribulations. This is His point in today’s passage. In concluding the Beatitudes, the Savior declares “blessed” those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (Matt. 5:10).

Jesus does not say if you are persecuted. Attacks from unrighteous people are inevitable for the Christian, not mere possibilities. In fact, persecution is such a part and parcel of serving Jesus that we should question our allegiance to Christ if we never face persecution for His sake. Darkness hates the light (John 3:20), and evil men hate those who embody the qualities described in the Beatitudes. How many peacemakers (Matt. 5:9), those who preach the Gospel of peace through Christ, are beaten, jailed, and killed every day? Are there not many who are called “losers” or “behind the times” because in pursuing righteousness (v. 6) they refrain from sexual relations until marriage? Paradoxically, to be the objects of such hatred is not the curse that we might think it to be; it is instead the greatest blessing. As we are oppressed for doing the right thing we are assured that the kingdom of heaven is ours (v. 10). However, harassment for reasons other than righteousness does not incur God’s blessing. Persecution for righteousness’ sake is not the same as trouble we get for disrespecting unbelievers. We may also have problems if we are less than scrupulous. John Chrysostom, the great fifth-century bishop of Constantinople, warns us not to expect blessing if we “are being reviled for something evil, and what is being said is true” (Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew, 15.4).

Christ tells us we are blessed when we are reviled for His sake in Matthew 5:11, thereby expanding upon the beatitude in verse 10. He draws a parallel between Himself and “righteousness’ sake,” offering the same essential reward to those who are oppressed for doing good and to those who are persecuted for serving Him. Plainly, Jesus is equating Himself with righteousness. To imitate Jesus, therefore, is to practice righteousness (1 Cor. 11:1).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Matthew Henry writes: “There is no evil so black and horrid, which, at one time or other, has not been said falsely against Christ’s disciples and followers.” Rejoice and be glad if you are being slandered for obeying Jesus, for great is your reward (Matt. 5:12). This passage also warns us against repeating things if we are uncertain of their truth. If God blesses His children when they are the subject of lies, will He not curse the liars?

For further study: Proverbs 10:18–19

[Meridian_Mike]

Good study Willy!

Thanks for posting!

[WillyCamaro]

Salt and Light

Matthew 5:13–16 “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (v. 16).

Jesus identifies Himself with Yahweh in the Sermon on the Mount when He compares His disciples to the persecuted prophets of old (Matt. 5:11–12; Jer. 37–38). The disciples who speak for Jesus are like the prophets who spoke for the Lord of the covenant; therefore, Christ implies His divine sovereignty.

The prophets carried out their ministries in full view of the people of Israel, and so we are not surprised to see that their successors, the disciples of Jesus, do not build the kingdom of God in secret. This is the point of today’s passage. Our Savior calls His disciples the “salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13) and the “light of the world” (v. 14), two substances that permeate and transform the food, or the darkness, in which they are found. Like salt and light, the church is to have a transformative effect on the surrounding society.

Salt is often produced as tiny grains and is not expensive given its prevalence. Yet its value far outweighs its apparent insignificance. Christians are to be like salt and have a positive impact on the culture far beyond what is expected from the powerless. The meaning of Jesus’ metaphor is probably not limited to any single benefit we get from salt, but we will highlight its preservative quality. The church must have a preserving effect on society and by its influence prevent the world from rushing headlong toward ungodliness. Christianity has fulfilled this role historically, leading the way in the advance of human rights. But take note that we are salt only if we maintain our difference from the world around us. In the Near East, salt can be found mixed with gypsum or sand, diluting its “saltiness” and worth. The same fate can befall us if we bend over backward to show the world how much we are like them (v. 13; 1 Peter 1:14–16).

Rural communities like the one Jesus addresses in Matthew 5 well know how blinding darkness can be. Yet the glow of a city in the distance can give those living in the pitch black of night a sense of direction and bearing. Just as walking around the camp at night is dangerous without a lighted torch, Jesus calls us to be the light of the world, to live as those transformed by the Spirit so that the world will take notice and be led to glorify the Father (vv. 14–16).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Christ’s call for us to be salt and light is not an impossible one. In keeping with New Testament ethics, Jesus first tells us what we are and then calls us to live up to that standard. In Him we are salt and light (Matt. 5:13–16), and so we are to live out by faith what He has made us to be. If you are discouraged by your saltlessness or darkness, remember that Jesus declares you to be salt and light and press on, knowing that by the power of the Spirit you can obey His charge.

For further study: Isaiah 42:1–9

[WillyCamaro]

The Fulfillment of the Law

Matthew 5:17–20 “Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (v. 18).

We come today to one of Jesus’ most complex teachings as it discusses the life and role of the old covenant Law. This is a much-debated topic, and thus we will carefully draw conclusions that accord well with the entirety of Scripture.

Jesus discusses the Mosaic law at this point in the Sermon on the Mount to prevent His disciples from misunderstanding the teaching that follows. Our Lord is about to correct the interpretations of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:21–48), who are beloved by the common man. The people equate these traditions with the Law itself, and to correct them is to violate God’s Word in the eyes of the people unless Christ makes His intention clear beforehand.

Verses 17–20 tell us that breaking our Father’s commands is far from Jesus’ mind. His work is not “to abolish the Law or the Prophets…but to fulfill them” (v. 17). The Messiah’s coming does not render the Old Testament obsolete. “To fulfill” is not to dissolve the authority and application of the old covenant revelation; rather, “to fulfill” means to fill up the Law’s intent and show the goal to which it leads. Jesus is saying that He achieves the purpose of the Law and the Prophets in the inauguration of the kingdom in His life and ministry and in its consummation at His return. The Law is valid under the new covenant when used “lawfully” (1 Tim. 1:8), but it cannot be followed rightly apart from Christ.

Seeing that Jesus fulfills the Law helps us see its relation to us today. Christ does not abrogate the Law in the sense that certain parts of it are cast off completely. For example, the new covenant does not end God’s demand for atonement. But we do not sacrifice animals, because Jesus, who is the end of the sacrificial system, has come. Our Lord, as the goal of the sacrifices, inaugurated the kingdom in His death, and now we obey our Father’s demand for atonement by approaching Him through the shed blood of Christ (Heb. 10:1–18).

On the other hand, the goal of what is often called the moral law (WCF 19) is a heart set apart to obey God joyfully and without hesitation (Deut. 30:6). Christ has begun this work in us (Heb. 8:13), but He will not finish it until He consummates the kingdom (9:27–28). Until then, the Law’s ethical norms are fully binding.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

The distinction between the civil, ceremonial, and moral laws of the Mosaic code is not so clear on the pages of Scripture. Nevertheless, the distinction is a helpful tool for applying this law to our lives today. We study the Mosaic law to learn what God would have us do in Christ. This law has been written on our hearts thanks to the Holy Spirit, though we still certainly struggle doing it. Make sure to spend time each week in study of the law of God.

For further study: Deuteronomy 6:4–9

[Meridian_Mike]

Excellent study!

Thanks Willy!

[WillyCamaro]

The Full Meaning of Moses

Matthew 5:21–26 “I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment…and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the hell of fire” (v. 22).

Yesterday we saw how Jesus comes to fulfill the Mosaic law, not to set it aside (Matt. 5:17). Our Lord, being the goal of the Law and the Prophets, by no means intends to do away with them. In fact, as the end of the Law, Jesus reveals the depth of Scripture, making it clear that God’s demands are actually much stricter than the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (v. 20).

The meaning of this last point is determined from the practice of the Pharisees and Jesus’ teaching regarding the Law in the life of Israel. Among our Savior’s contemporaries, no one keeps the letter of the Law better than the Pharisees. Few Israelites can imagine outdoing their righteous practice, so exacting is their observation of the commandments. Yet as Christ will show us, outward conformity to the Law’s details, while important, is not enough. Outward observance does not necessarily arise from a righteous motive (Isa. 29:13–14). When inner purity and outward goodness concur, one’s righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. Of course, sinners can never meet this standard, and so Jesus pushes us to see that we all need His righteousness to be reckoned to us in order to be accepted by God (Gal. 2:15–16).

Beginning with today’s passage, Jesus draws a series of antitheses between what has been said and what He Himself is teaching. We must understand at the outset that Jesus is not contradicting the teaching of the Old Testament. What has been “said” (Matt. 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43) is not what is “written” in the Law (4:4, 7, 10). In these antitheses Christ is giving the full meaning of what Moses originally delivered on Sinai and correcting the sayings — the traditions — that have unpacked the text falsely or incompletely. John Calvin comments: “As the law had been corrupted by false expositions, and turned to a profane meaning, Christ vindicates it against such corruptions, and points out its true meaning.”

Regarding the law against murder (Ex. 20:13), we may think we have kept the commandment if we never kill anyone. Yet hatred provokes all murder, and the anger that produces hatred is actually murder to a lesser degree. Therefore, obeying God requires us to mortify our ungodly anger (Matt. 5:21–26).

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Matthew Henry writes that the Pharisees made the fundamental error in thinking that “the divine law prohibited only the sinful act, not the sinful thought.” The unseen sins of the mind and heart are the easiest for us to justify, but God detests our inner wickedness as much as He hates the evil we do before the eyes of men. Seek to reconcile yourself to someone with whom you have been angry unjustly so that your heart and your deeds may be purified.

For further study: Genesis 4:1–8

[WillyCamaro]

Colossians 3:23-24
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

[TPK]

[WillyCamaro]

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

[Meridian_Mike]

Amen Brother!

Thanks for posting Willy!

[WillyCamaro]

I take no credit brother. I am enjoying the word, right along side with you all.

[WillyCamaro]

Joshua 24:15
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

[WillyCamaro]

Ephesians 6:14-15
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

[Meridian_Mike]

Thanks for posting Willy!

[WillyCamaro]

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

[WillyCamaro]

Psalm 73: 25-26
Whom have I in heaven but thee?
and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

[WillyCamaro]

Vows and Proper Intent

Matthew 5:33–37 “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (v. 37).

As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount, we must again be clear that we may not read Jesus in a way that contradicts the Old Testament. He comes to fulfill the Father’s purposes and promises and to show Himself as the goal of the old covenant revelation (Matt. 1:18–25; 4:12–17; 5:17–20). Dr. Sinclair Ferguson comments, “What at first appears to be a contrast [between Christ’s teaching and the Old Testament] is really Jesus’ proper explanation and application [of the Old Testament]” (The Sermon on the Mount, p. 95).

Therefore, it would be a mistake to abolish oaths and vows altogether based on today’s passage. Matthew 5:33–37 has little bearing on the swearing of oaths in a solemn setting, such as when we testify in a court or enter the marriage covenant. Jesus is dealing more generally here with the priority of truth and our tendency to break everyday commitments. Oaths and vows were instituted to safeguard the truth (Num. 30:1–2), but sinful humanity soon found ways to get around the spirit of this principle. Many rabbis in Jesus’ day taught that a vow made in God’s name is inviolable but that one made in the name of something else can be disregarded. Some rabbis even taught that a vow made in the name of Jerusalem is not binding but one made when facing toward the holy city is sacrosanct. This tendency to fudge when telling the truth is universal. Today, politicians debate the meaning of is, and corporations “cook their books” to keep shareholders in the dark. Liberal ministers vow to uphold the purity of the church even though they hate her creeds.

Our Savior will have none of this. Any vow we make, even if sworn by something besides God, is made in His presence (Matt. 5:33–36), and we cannot get around our commitments through endless qualifications. We should affirm something only if we are true to it; alternately, we ought to say no if we have any doubt that we can follow through. Our yes must be yes and our no, no (v. 37).

Jesus later testifies under oath (26:62–64) because He recognizes the legality of vows and is not abolishing their use altogether in the Sermon on the Mount. He only forbids us from making promises that we do not intend to keep.

Coram deo: Living before the face of God

Matthew Henry writes that “the frequent requiring and using of oaths, is a poor reflection on Christians, who should be of such acknowledged fidelity, as that their sober words should be as sacred as their solemn oaths.” Believers are to be people so known for their truthfulness that they have no need to vow that they will keep their word. Let us not make promises that we cannot keep and be faithful to do what we say in big and small things.

For further study: Leviticus 19:11–12

[Meridian_Mike]

Very good lesson!
Thanks for posting Willy!

[WillyCamaro]

1 John 4:4
Little children, ye are of God, and have overcome them: for greater is he that is in you, than he that is in this world.

[WillyCamaro]

Exodus 14:14
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Food for thought;
"you shall hold your peace" is not are modern understanding of the phrase. In the context that God tells us here, because He fights for us, we have His peace (both spiritually, & physically).

The Lord reaffirms this in Joshua chapter 1, verse 9

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee to whatever place thou goes."

[TPK]

Anybody wish to explain the story of "Gog & Magog" or "The War of Gog & Magog" or "Gog of the Land of Magog" from Ezekiel 38 ?

I tried researching and reading about it for a couple of hours this morning but one link leads to another and yet another. Who is Gog? Where is Magog? Are there any connections to the current events?

If so, thanks.

If not, no big deal, just curious.

[WillyCamaro]

Not a problem brother, I've been quietly studying it all too.

Gog & Magog describe the countries north of Israel (i.e., Turkey, Armenia, Yemen).
The beast in Revelation & Daniel, represent Syria, Iraq, & Iran. The women dressed in scarlet riding the beast, represents another economic & spiritual kingdom that hates the beast; yet works with her, and she is destroyed by him.
The 10 toes represent the 10 kingdoms in the M/E, that give their power & authority over to the beast.

Context, context, context. When you study scripture, prophecy; you have to understand the context of what, where, when, why, & how, things are placed.

The way I see things as they stand, right now today; many things have happened, many things are happening, many things yet to come.

All events are connected, each time something big happens, we're one step closer to the end. Always keep the big picture in mind, history is on a direct course to Christ's second coming.