Perhaps you are tired of the idea of going to heaven. Sounds boring? Well, try hell instead! It’s sure to be interesting. After all, every selfish person who has ever lived will be there, and there won’t be anyone with good intentions to limit the evil done. Not only will you be able to do whatever evil you want, but so will everyone else! It will be a free-for-all of oppression and destruction and theft and hatred, without anyone to stop anyone. Everyone doing even more evil to you than you do to them. That ought to be interesting. In fact, it is mentioned as a place where crying and agony will never cease. If you want to try it out, here are some ways that people have found to be really successful in getting there:
1. Curse God
“Curse God and die.” Job 2:9
If you want to be cursed by God and gain his hatred, all you have to do is express hatred to God. Tell God just how much you despise him and how you wish he would be extinct. Disrespect him in every way you can think of. Although he would still want you to repent (because he loves you) he will send you to hell.
2. Rebel against God
“If you refuse to listen and rebel against the Lord, you will be devoured by the sword.” Isaiah 1:20
God has the right to ask everyone on earth to listen to him and obey him because they are all his creation. However, if you want to be punished by God, you can always refuse to listen to anything God says. Whatever God says, just do the opposite. Whatever God wants, thumb your nose at him and do whatever you want. This way to get to hell isn’t unique, but it’s really effective.
3. Blaspheme the Holy Spirit
Blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Matthew 12:31
This way to get to hell is more rare, and it has some flair to it. Blasphemy of the Spirit is to see God’s work—a miracle that does someone some great good, for instance—and claim that it is done by the power of some evil god, like Satan. No believer in God can do this one, so one has to really work at it!
4. Don’t believe in Jesus
“Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins." John 8:24
This way is very popular with the majority of people of the world who are not Christians. It is very acceptable to those who wish to be tolerant as well. After all, in the world today it is popular to be tolerant to everyone except to those who say that Jesus has an exclusive claim to life.
5. Believe in Jesus but don’t act like it
He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
This is the most popular method for Christians who wish to go to hell. Christians are participating in this in droves! Whole churches are praising Jesus and ignoring his commands, and so you can join a community of Christian hell-visitors.
6. Don’t Help the People of Jesus when they are in need
“Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat.” Matthew 25:41-42
If you feel that anyone who needs food or shelter is that way because of their own laziness, this way could be for you. If you see a follower of Jesus in need, just ignore them. It’s easy and effective! To make sure it does the trick, you can add an insult like “get a job” on top of it.
7. Oppress the Needy
If you afflict the needy at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will surely hear his cry; and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword. Exodus 22:23-24
You could go all the way and actually take from the needy! This is the quickest way to get to hell, and popular among the wealthy and powerful. Rub elbows with the upper crust and see that the needy don’t get a fair shake!
8. Don’t repent of your habitual sin
Even if a good man changes and then does evil, every good thing one has done will not be remembered, but only the sin and treachery he committed, and for them, he will die. Ezekiel 18:23-24
God has repeatedly said that anyone who repents from their evil deeds will live. But if you keep doing what evil you’re already doing, you will die and go to hell! There’s nothing to it, just keep doing the evil you are already doing. Of course if you think you aren’t doing any evil, then just keep that up, too! Hypocrites get to hell just as easily as any other sinner.
9. Reject the one who repents of their sin
If you do not forgive, you will not be forgiven. Matthew 6:15
This is a lesser known path to hell. Whoever has ever done you wrong, just keep it in mind and refuse to have anything to do with them because of it—that will send you to hell! Getting to hell is so easy, sometimes you can get there by not even trying!
10. Train others to go to hell
You travel to make one student; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:15
There are so many ways to do this! You could help someone lose their faith in God, teach them to rebel against God, or tempt them to sin. This is the group method of getting to hell. And, as a special bonus, the one who does this gets to see the worst parts of hell!
You see how easy it is to get to hell? Jesus himself said, “Broad is the path that leads to destruction.” Of course, the problem about visiting hell is that you can’t ever leave. It’s kinda the Hotel California of the Spirit world. That can be a bummer, especially if you are tired of it. But anyone who visits hell, has it for their home. Forever. Frankly, that really sucks.
Now, God isn’t in the business of sending people to hell, even if some teachers make it sound that way. God says, “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, therefore, repent and live.” Ezekiel 18: Everyone has the possibility of escaping hell—God gives everyone the chance to not visit it at all. If you are interested in not visiting hell, then do the following:
Believe in Jesus
Do what Jesus says
Ask for the Holy Spirit
Keep living according to what God gives you.
This isn’t necessarily easy, nor is it popular. But it’s a much better life both on earth and eternally than living in hell on earth and then suffering with real hell for eternity.
Visiting hell is popular, but Jesus’ way is really radical.
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Hypocrisy: Living A Lie
What is hypocrisy?
The Greek is hupocrisis—to pretend to be what you are not; it is a word used for actors.
Hypocrites are those who seem to be people who love God and love others, but in reality, they are interested in something else—usually gaining a good reputation in this world, or wealth or importance. Hypocrites are “good” people on the surface, everyone says so, and so they think of themselves. But they never evaluate themselves by God or the Spirit, and they always ignore every call to change.
Below is what the Bible says about hypocrites, what they do and what will happen to them:
“Loving God” in hypocrisy
• Doing religious acts for the sake of others (Matthew 6:1-6 )
• Claiming to believe in God, but really trusting in the world (Daniel 11:32-34)
• Claiming to obey God, but ignoring his commands for your own (Mark 7:1-13)
• Emphasizing unimportant commands, and avoiding significant ones (Matthew 23:23)
• Focusing on how you look, rather than who you are (Matthew 23:25)
• Honoring the saints of old, but living opposed to their principles (Matthew 23:29-31)
• Thinking you can hide the truth of who you are from God and His people (Luke 12:1-3)
“Loving others” in hypocrisy
• Condemning others for their faults, while not seeing your own (Matthew 7:1-5)
• Demanding mercy from those who could judge you, but giving judgment to those under you (Matthew 18:23-35)
• Using God’s rules to hate, dishonor or not assist the needy or sinful (Luke 13:13-15; Matthew 24:49-51)
The next level
Teaching others to be hypocrites (Matthew 23:15)
Forcing others to be hypocrites (Matthew 23:4,13)
“Let love be without hypocrisy” Romans 12:9
If you see yourself in the above list of actions that hypocrites do, take it seriously! No matter how “good” of a Christian you think you are, Jesus will condemn you in the end! (Matthew 7:21-23). Hypocrisy is nothing to play with—it is worse than homosexuality, drugs and alcohol all together. If you do not see yourself for what you are, then this is what will happen to you:
The end result of hypocrites
• They will show themselves for who they really are (I Timothy 5:24; Luke 12:2)
• They will not enter God’s kingdom; They will be dishonored; They will be punished eternally (Matthew 23:33;Matthew 24:51)
What to do with hypocrites
If you know a hypocrite, make sure that you are sure. Ask them their motivation, and show them the verses that indicate their problem. Then follow these steps:
Don’t follow their practices (Matthew 23:3)
Correct them, if they are believers (Matthew 18:15-17)
Warn them of the consequences of their hypocrisy
Give them a chance to repent
Friends don’t let friends be hypocrites!
The Greek is hupocrisis—to pretend to be what you are not; it is a word used for actors.
Hypocrites are those who seem to be people who love God and love others, but in reality, they are interested in something else—usually gaining a good reputation in this world, or wealth or importance. Hypocrites are “good” people on the surface, everyone says so, and so they think of themselves. But they never evaluate themselves by God or the Spirit, and they always ignore every call to change.
Below is what the Bible says about hypocrites, what they do and what will happen to them:
“Loving God” in hypocrisy
• Doing religious acts for the sake of others (Matthew 6:1-6 )
• Claiming to believe in God, but really trusting in the world (Daniel 11:32-34)
• Claiming to obey God, but ignoring his commands for your own (Mark 7:1-13)
• Emphasizing unimportant commands, and avoiding significant ones (Matthew 23:23)
• Focusing on how you look, rather than who you are (Matthew 23:25)
• Honoring the saints of old, but living opposed to their principles (Matthew 23:29-31)
• Thinking you can hide the truth of who you are from God and His people (Luke 12:1-3)
“Loving others” in hypocrisy
• Condemning others for their faults, while not seeing your own (Matthew 7:1-5)
• Demanding mercy from those who could judge you, but giving judgment to those under you (Matthew 18:23-35)
• Using God’s rules to hate, dishonor or not assist the needy or sinful (Luke 13:13-15; Matthew 24:49-51)
The next level
Teaching others to be hypocrites (Matthew 23:15)
Forcing others to be hypocrites (Matthew 23:4,13)
“Let love be without hypocrisy” Romans 12:9
If you see yourself in the above list of actions that hypocrites do, take it seriously! No matter how “good” of a Christian you think you are, Jesus will condemn you in the end! (Matthew 7:21-23). Hypocrisy is nothing to play with—it is worse than homosexuality, drugs and alcohol all together. If you do not see yourself for what you are, then this is what will happen to you:
The end result of hypocrites
• They will show themselves for who they really are (I Timothy 5:24; Luke 12:2)
• They will not enter God’s kingdom; They will be dishonored; They will be punished eternally (Matthew 23:33;Matthew 24:51)
What to do with hypocrites
If you know a hypocrite, make sure that you are sure. Ask them their motivation, and show them the verses that indicate their problem. Then follow these steps:
Don’t follow their practices (Matthew 23:3)
Correct them, if they are believers (Matthew 18:15-17)
Warn them of the consequences of their hypocrisy
Give them a chance to repent
Friends don’t let friends be hypocrites!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Love Is The Basis of All Ethics
I know a woman who had an abortion when she was young. The infant wasn’t the product of rape, it just wasn’t the right time for the couple to have the baby. Abortion, in this case, was being used for birth control. Since it had just been legalized, why shouldn’t she take advantage of it? Years later, however, that decision haunted her and she considered that she had killed her only daughter.
A number of years ago I met a professional drunk who was homeless. He was interested in whatever help we would be willing to offer. However, he had clearly already lied to my wife and I and he, frankly, had an obnoxious personality and smelled of wine processed through his pores.
A woman who had stayed in our house for years has been struggling with drug addiction for years, but she is losing the fight. She won’t work in the house or pay rent and gets angry when I approach her about it.
This is the kind of stuff that ethics are made of. Difficult situations. Some small and some large. Libraries have been created on the ethics of abortion, homeless, drug addiction, homosexuality, war, adultery, marriage and much more. When we think about these issues philosophically, we make one ethical choice, but when we face them in real life, we might very well make another.
In philosophy, there are two names that come to the forefront of ethical thought: Mills and Kant. John Stuart Mills taught that the basis of correct moral decision is happiness. Decide what makes the most people happy over the longest period of time, and that is the correct decision. Kant thought that the basis of ethics is duty. If we know what we should do, the right thing, then to do anything else is unethical. However, neither can be completely true. If a friend of mine experienced a death in the family, my empathy doesn’t make either of us happier, but isn’t it more right to feel for him than to not? If my duty is to not lie and obey government, does that make it right for me to tell the Nazis at my door that the Jews are hidden under the panel in the dining room floor?
The heart of right action is in the heart of human existence and experience. And human experience is found in the midst of others. Most of these others are human—we come out of our mother’s womb, live in a community, learn with children, connect with neighbors, buy from retailers, read the words of authors, work with co-workers, care for pets, have sex with lovers and hopefully, die with family. Since our whole life is spent with others, then the heart of the most basic decisions—that of right and wrong—also has to do with others.
But what is the nature of our relation with others, of life in general? The basic experience of all life is need. We are all a gaping hole needing to be filled. Three meals a day. Six cups of water. Sleep. Health when we are sick. A kind word. A good talk. Support when depressed. A good story. The needs perpetuate without end—the basic truth of life. And we spend our time filling these needs. We get a job so we can get money to meet our needs. We remain in long term relationships to meet our needs. We purchase things—a comfortable bed, a good book—to meet the needs of rest and pleasure.
To see ourselves as full of need, constantly being fulfilled, is to see us as life. And if this is what life is, this is what every living being is on the planet. Around every single one of us is another gaping hole, another sponge in constant need of filling. Yea, not just one, but many, perhaps hundreds, perhaps millions, even billions. Some of us pretty much meet our own needs. But for every one that is self-sufficient, there are a thousand or a million that are not. Every child is in need of raising until they are grown. Every spouse is in need of the love of their partner. Every ill person is in need of the care of another. Every destitute person is in need of assistance. And every person is in need of another to talk to, to obtain respect from, to love and to be loved.
This is the true foundation of ethics. Not the partnership of command and submit. Not the limits of pleasure. Rather the recognition that everyone’s need is the equivalent of our own. And that even as we are in need of others to meet our need, we must live our lives to meet other’s needs. Not as a duty, although it can be considered a responsibility. Not as a part of our own pleasure, although we can find joy in it. Rather, we meet needs because it is a part of life, part of the community we live in.
To see the other’s need and to recognize it as a part of one’s own; to not only observe the need, but to feel it; to meet the need of the other and so be completed oneself—this is love. It may sound like co-dependency. But codependency is acting toward the other’s hurt, and so establishing one’s own hurt as well. Love recognizes true need, not just felt need, and fills the gaping hole. Love never turns away. Love does something.
And this is the good life. The life of love.
The woman on drugs on our house? We confronted her, but didn’t force her to leave until she had another place to be. On her own, she still struggles with addiction, but is on the road to recovery. Without basic structure, she would never succeed.
The homeless drunk? He stayed in our house one night and we found that his screaming in the middle of the night was not good for the rest of us to be able to sleep. But we had him come to dinner. And the next night he came again. The night after, he brought another homeless friend. And now we feed a hundred and fifty people a week, friends with them all, bringing love and hope to street folks and the mentally ill, meeting all the needs we can.
And, finally, the woman struggling with her decision to have an abortion? That was my mother. It was my potential sister she decided to not have. It was certainly not my place to forgive her. She needed the forgiveness of God and of the baby. But in receiving welcome, support and hope from those around her, she experienced the forgiveness of God and her fourth child.
Love truly does conquers all evil, which makes it the most powerful substance in the universe.
A number of years ago I met a professional drunk who was homeless. He was interested in whatever help we would be willing to offer. However, he had clearly already lied to my wife and I and he, frankly, had an obnoxious personality and smelled of wine processed through his pores.
A woman who had stayed in our house for years has been struggling with drug addiction for years, but she is losing the fight. She won’t work in the house or pay rent and gets angry when I approach her about it.
This is the kind of stuff that ethics are made of. Difficult situations. Some small and some large. Libraries have been created on the ethics of abortion, homeless, drug addiction, homosexuality, war, adultery, marriage and much more. When we think about these issues philosophically, we make one ethical choice, but when we face them in real life, we might very well make another.
In philosophy, there are two names that come to the forefront of ethical thought: Mills and Kant. John Stuart Mills taught that the basis of correct moral decision is happiness. Decide what makes the most people happy over the longest period of time, and that is the correct decision. Kant thought that the basis of ethics is duty. If we know what we should do, the right thing, then to do anything else is unethical. However, neither can be completely true. If a friend of mine experienced a death in the family, my empathy doesn’t make either of us happier, but isn’t it more right to feel for him than to not? If my duty is to not lie and obey government, does that make it right for me to tell the Nazis at my door that the Jews are hidden under the panel in the dining room floor?
The heart of right action is in the heart of human existence and experience. And human experience is found in the midst of others. Most of these others are human—we come out of our mother’s womb, live in a community, learn with children, connect with neighbors, buy from retailers, read the words of authors, work with co-workers, care for pets, have sex with lovers and hopefully, die with family. Since our whole life is spent with others, then the heart of the most basic decisions—that of right and wrong—also has to do with others.
But what is the nature of our relation with others, of life in general? The basic experience of all life is need. We are all a gaping hole needing to be filled. Three meals a day. Six cups of water. Sleep. Health when we are sick. A kind word. A good talk. Support when depressed. A good story. The needs perpetuate without end—the basic truth of life. And we spend our time filling these needs. We get a job so we can get money to meet our needs. We remain in long term relationships to meet our needs. We purchase things—a comfortable bed, a good book—to meet the needs of rest and pleasure.
To see ourselves as full of need, constantly being fulfilled, is to see us as life. And if this is what life is, this is what every living being is on the planet. Around every single one of us is another gaping hole, another sponge in constant need of filling. Yea, not just one, but many, perhaps hundreds, perhaps millions, even billions. Some of us pretty much meet our own needs. But for every one that is self-sufficient, there are a thousand or a million that are not. Every child is in need of raising until they are grown. Every spouse is in need of the love of their partner. Every ill person is in need of the care of another. Every destitute person is in need of assistance. And every person is in need of another to talk to, to obtain respect from, to love and to be loved.
This is the true foundation of ethics. Not the partnership of command and submit. Not the limits of pleasure. Rather the recognition that everyone’s need is the equivalent of our own. And that even as we are in need of others to meet our need, we must live our lives to meet other’s needs. Not as a duty, although it can be considered a responsibility. Not as a part of our own pleasure, although we can find joy in it. Rather, we meet needs because it is a part of life, part of the community we live in.
To see the other’s need and to recognize it as a part of one’s own; to not only observe the need, but to feel it; to meet the need of the other and so be completed oneself—this is love. It may sound like co-dependency. But codependency is acting toward the other’s hurt, and so establishing one’s own hurt as well. Love recognizes true need, not just felt need, and fills the gaping hole. Love never turns away. Love does something.
And this is the good life. The life of love.
The woman on drugs on our house? We confronted her, but didn’t force her to leave until she had another place to be. On her own, she still struggles with addiction, but is on the road to recovery. Without basic structure, she would never succeed.
The homeless drunk? He stayed in our house one night and we found that his screaming in the middle of the night was not good for the rest of us to be able to sleep. But we had him come to dinner. And the next night he came again. The night after, he brought another homeless friend. And now we feed a hundred and fifty people a week, friends with them all, bringing love and hope to street folks and the mentally ill, meeting all the needs we can.
And, finally, the woman struggling with her decision to have an abortion? That was my mother. It was my potential sister she decided to not have. It was certainly not my place to forgive her. She needed the forgiveness of God and of the baby. But in receiving welcome, support and hope from those around her, she experienced the forgiveness of God and her fourth child.
Love truly does conquers all evil, which makes it the most powerful substance in the universe.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Jesus Ethics
Jesus’ teaching isn’t just some general statements, but a whole lifestyle. Jesus didn’t just tell his people to love. Rather, he told us who and how to love. And his teaching isn’t just a good idea or some wise suggestions. Rather, they are the commands of a king to his people—the law of the kingdom of God. If we live our Jesus’ commands, then we are paying attention to the following principles of Jesus: “Be alert”, be prepared for Jesus’ coming, “abide in me”, “do the Father’s will”, “come to me”, “my burden is light”, “you are the salt of the world”, “follow Me”, “in this way everyone will know that you are my disciples” and many more.
Jesus—the basis of morality
To live according to Jesus’ life, we must have Jesus. Jesus spent quite a bit of time speaking of the necessity of being committed to him. He said “believe in me”, “follow me”, “learn from me”, “whoever loves his father and mother more than me can not be my disciple” and “whoever would come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” To have Jesus, we must invite him to be king and Lord of our lives—where his nation is our nation and our first priority. To be a part of Jesus, he wants us to be baptized and to regularly participate in the Lord’s supper. But most of all, we must learn about Jesus, his teaching and live it out in all of our ways. If we commit ourselves to Jesus, He will give us the Holy Spirit—God within us—to guide us in His ways.
Jesus’ Commands—
A. The Basics
Jesus basically summarized the ten commandments, but he also applied them in specific ways.
Don’t murder
Don’t steal
Don’t defraud—This means not lying in court or trying to cheat someone in business.
Don’t commit adultery—Jesus described this as not cheating on your spouse, not having sex with someone else’s spouse—even if they are divorced—and not desiring that someone else’s spouse was your own.
Honor your parents—Jesus described this as giving respect for your parents and providing for them in their old age.
B. Loving God
“No one can serve two masters”—
This command also comes from the first two of the ten commandments. Jesus doesn’t want us serving other gods, nor does he want us to worship images as God. The main issue that Jesus spoke of in this regard was wealth. He considered wealth, money and possessions to be another god that demands service. There are certainly other gods that we can serve instead of God as well, such as sex, drugs, alcohol, or television/movies.
“The Lord’s name in vain”—
Part of respecting God, Jesus says, is using His name carefully. So we do not use God’s name in cursing, falsehood or broken promises.
“Pray this way”—
Jesus told us that we need to pray on a regular basis. When we pray, we use the Lord’s prayer as a model. Also, we need to pray for the Holy Spirit. Another thing that Jesus would often do when he prayed is to listen to God and see if he has anything to say to us.
“Clean the inside of cup”—
To be right before God, Jesus says, we have to have our intentions and motivations pure, not just our actions. Even the smallest of actions display our true intention, and that is what we will be judged on. This is why we pray for the Holy Spirit, to clean our inner thoughts.
“Don’t be as the hypocrites”—
Jesus wants us to take care when we worship or serve God that we are doing it for Him and not for other people. Jesus said that it would be good if we did some of our religious deeds in secret, so no one would know else would know we are doing them.
Porneia—
As a part of our purity before God, Jesus wants us to not participate in sexual immorality. By this Jesus meant not being involved in: sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, pornography, or incest.
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”—
Jesus wants us to focus on two things—what God says and helping people. But he doesn’t want our added traditions or commands—our religion—to in any way harm others or to stand against God’s commands. This means, for instance, that we don’t use the Bible to destroy others, emotionally.
“Faith the size of a mustard seed”—
Jesus wants us to recognize that God can do anything He wants to—and that He will respond in love to our prayers. This means sometimes that we need to step out in faith to do what God wants us to do, even if it seems crazy to those who don’t trust in God.
“Seek first the kingdom”—
Jesus wants us to do work for God, expecting no wage. There are different kinds of work Jesus affirmed—evangelism, giving to the poor, prayer, teaching Scripture, healing the sick and more. Also, Jesus tells us to pray that God would call more workers.
C. Love your neighbor
“Do Unto Others”--
Treat others as we would have them treat us. We want to be respected, communicated with and supported—so, Jesus says, we do the same to others.
“Whoever is angry”—
Jesus told us not to act in hostility against others, including insulting them or harming them in revenge.
“Look of lust”—
Jesus told us that our sexual purity must include even the smallest actions such as looking at someone with lust.
“Certificate of divorce”—
Jesus tells us that the only thing that breaks a marriage is adultery or divorce. But to divorce and get remarried is adultery, and a forced divorce could cause great harm.
“Let your Yes be Yes”—
Jesus said that if we make a promise, we must keep it, even if it’s inconvenient. To do less than keep our word, Jesus says, is of Satan.
“Love your enemies”—
Rather than getting revenge, Jesus says that we are to do good to those who do evil to us. We are always to think of how to best benefit others in all circumstances.
“Be reconciled”—
If we have done anything wrong to others, we should make our wrongs right by going to the person we have wronged.
“Judge not lest you be judged”--
Don’t judge without mercy. Always assume the best and give people a chance to make their wrongs right.
“Forgive and you will be forgiven”—
Jesus says that if anyone tries to make their wrongs right, we must take them back into relationship. We cannot keep people at arm’s length because we don’t like something they’ve apologized for.
“Give to the poor” –
Jesus says that if we see anyone in need, we should do what we can to help them.
D. Church Morality
“Love one another”—
Jesus said that in the church we are all to look out for each other, caring for each other as we would family members.
“Be at peace”—
Jesus doesn’t want us to have arguments about minor matters. Nor are we to divide ourselves from others in the church, except for continuing sin.
“Rebuke him privately”—
Jesus told the church to correct anyone in the church not living up to Jesus’ morality. This correction is to be done gently, with the intention of restoring the sinner.
“Well done, good and faithful servant”—
Jesus said that everyone in the church needs to do work for the kingdom of God, with God as our employer and rewarder.
“Wash each other’s feet”—
Jesus wants us to be hospitable to others who follow Jesus—including feeding each other, inviting others to our homes, praying for each other, and visiting each other when we are sick or in prison.
“I came to seek the lost”—
The church of Jesus is to constantly be open to those who have failed God and wants to come back to Him.
“Preach the gospel”—
Jesus tells the church that we—especially our leaders—are to proclaim God’s kingdom, the death and resurrection of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins.
“Heal the sick, cast out demons”—
The church of Jesus, especially the leaders of the church, are to pray for others to give them spiritual freedom from sickness and evil spirits.
“Beware of false teachers”—
The church is not to put leaders over ourselves who teach something apart from what Jesus taught. Nor are we to place people who are disobedient to Jesus over us as leaders.
“The last shall be first”—
The leaders of Jesus people are there to serve all the others, to be humble and merciful.
“Freely received, freely give”—
The teaching and the ministry that Jesus gave the church to give to others is to be free—without cost.
“The worker is worthy of his hire”—
The church of Jesus is to take care of their leaders, providing for their basic needs.
E. Humility and Sacrifice
“The humble will be exalted”—
Jesus says that we are to allow ourselves to be humiliated, disrespected and put down. If we do this, God will honor us and raise us up.
“Invite the poor”—
We are to give honor to the lowly, poor and outcast, who cannot repay us, so God will give us honor.
“Sell your possessions”—
Jesus wants us to not just give to the poor when it is convenient, but to sacrifice our own personal wealth for the poor.
“Turn the other cheek”—
We are to submit to authorities, even if they do us harm. The only time we do not submit is if they tell us to disobey Jesus.
“Take up the cross”—
Jesus wants our lives to be surrendered for the sake of others and God. Doing minor acts of mercy or devotion is not enough—we must surrender our whole lives, even literally if necessary.
“Rejoice and be glad”—
Jesus said that if we do get persecuted, hated, isolated, or rejected because of following his way, speaking the gospel or living for Jesus, then we shouldn’t be depressed, but happy. For God will look at our faithfulness and reward us greater than the persecutions we suffered.
Jesus—the basis of morality
To live according to Jesus’ life, we must have Jesus. Jesus spent quite a bit of time speaking of the necessity of being committed to him. He said “believe in me”, “follow me”, “learn from me”, “whoever loves his father and mother more than me can not be my disciple” and “whoever would come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” To have Jesus, we must invite him to be king and Lord of our lives—where his nation is our nation and our first priority. To be a part of Jesus, he wants us to be baptized and to regularly participate in the Lord’s supper. But most of all, we must learn about Jesus, his teaching and live it out in all of our ways. If we commit ourselves to Jesus, He will give us the Holy Spirit—God within us—to guide us in His ways.
Jesus’ Commands—
A. The Basics
Jesus basically summarized the ten commandments, but he also applied them in specific ways.
Don’t murder
Don’t steal
Don’t defraud—This means not lying in court or trying to cheat someone in business.
Don’t commit adultery—Jesus described this as not cheating on your spouse, not having sex with someone else’s spouse—even if they are divorced—and not desiring that someone else’s spouse was your own.
Honor your parents—Jesus described this as giving respect for your parents and providing for them in their old age.
B. Loving God
“No one can serve two masters”—
This command also comes from the first two of the ten commandments. Jesus doesn’t want us serving other gods, nor does he want us to worship images as God. The main issue that Jesus spoke of in this regard was wealth. He considered wealth, money and possessions to be another god that demands service. There are certainly other gods that we can serve instead of God as well, such as sex, drugs, alcohol, or television/movies.
“The Lord’s name in vain”—
Part of respecting God, Jesus says, is using His name carefully. So we do not use God’s name in cursing, falsehood or broken promises.
“Pray this way”—
Jesus told us that we need to pray on a regular basis. When we pray, we use the Lord’s prayer as a model. Also, we need to pray for the Holy Spirit. Another thing that Jesus would often do when he prayed is to listen to God and see if he has anything to say to us.
“Clean the inside of cup”—
To be right before God, Jesus says, we have to have our intentions and motivations pure, not just our actions. Even the smallest of actions display our true intention, and that is what we will be judged on. This is why we pray for the Holy Spirit, to clean our inner thoughts.
“Don’t be as the hypocrites”—
Jesus wants us to take care when we worship or serve God that we are doing it for Him and not for other people. Jesus said that it would be good if we did some of our religious deeds in secret, so no one would know else would know we are doing them.
Porneia—
As a part of our purity before God, Jesus wants us to not participate in sexual immorality. By this Jesus meant not being involved in: sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, pornography, or incest.
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”—
Jesus wants us to focus on two things—what God says and helping people. But he doesn’t want our added traditions or commands—our religion—to in any way harm others or to stand against God’s commands. This means, for instance, that we don’t use the Bible to destroy others, emotionally.
“Faith the size of a mustard seed”—
Jesus wants us to recognize that God can do anything He wants to—and that He will respond in love to our prayers. This means sometimes that we need to step out in faith to do what God wants us to do, even if it seems crazy to those who don’t trust in God.
“Seek first the kingdom”—
Jesus wants us to do work for God, expecting no wage. There are different kinds of work Jesus affirmed—evangelism, giving to the poor, prayer, teaching Scripture, healing the sick and more. Also, Jesus tells us to pray that God would call more workers.
C. Love your neighbor
“Do Unto Others”--
Treat others as we would have them treat us. We want to be respected, communicated with and supported—so, Jesus says, we do the same to others.
“Whoever is angry”—
Jesus told us not to act in hostility against others, including insulting them or harming them in revenge.
“Look of lust”—
Jesus told us that our sexual purity must include even the smallest actions such as looking at someone with lust.
“Certificate of divorce”—
Jesus tells us that the only thing that breaks a marriage is adultery or divorce. But to divorce and get remarried is adultery, and a forced divorce could cause great harm.
“Let your Yes be Yes”—
Jesus said that if we make a promise, we must keep it, even if it’s inconvenient. To do less than keep our word, Jesus says, is of Satan.
“Love your enemies”—
Rather than getting revenge, Jesus says that we are to do good to those who do evil to us. We are always to think of how to best benefit others in all circumstances.
“Be reconciled”—
If we have done anything wrong to others, we should make our wrongs right by going to the person we have wronged.
“Judge not lest you be judged”--
Don’t judge without mercy. Always assume the best and give people a chance to make their wrongs right.
“Forgive and you will be forgiven”—
Jesus says that if anyone tries to make their wrongs right, we must take them back into relationship. We cannot keep people at arm’s length because we don’t like something they’ve apologized for.
“Give to the poor” –
Jesus says that if we see anyone in need, we should do what we can to help them.
D. Church Morality
“Love one another”—
Jesus said that in the church we are all to look out for each other, caring for each other as we would family members.
“Be at peace”—
Jesus doesn’t want us to have arguments about minor matters. Nor are we to divide ourselves from others in the church, except for continuing sin.
“Rebuke him privately”—
Jesus told the church to correct anyone in the church not living up to Jesus’ morality. This correction is to be done gently, with the intention of restoring the sinner.
“Well done, good and faithful servant”—
Jesus said that everyone in the church needs to do work for the kingdom of God, with God as our employer and rewarder.
“Wash each other’s feet”—
Jesus wants us to be hospitable to others who follow Jesus—including feeding each other, inviting others to our homes, praying for each other, and visiting each other when we are sick or in prison.
“I came to seek the lost”—
The church of Jesus is to constantly be open to those who have failed God and wants to come back to Him.
“Preach the gospel”—
Jesus tells the church that we—especially our leaders—are to proclaim God’s kingdom, the death and resurrection of Jesus and the forgiveness of sins.
“Heal the sick, cast out demons”—
The church of Jesus, especially the leaders of the church, are to pray for others to give them spiritual freedom from sickness and evil spirits.
“Beware of false teachers”—
The church is not to put leaders over ourselves who teach something apart from what Jesus taught. Nor are we to place people who are disobedient to Jesus over us as leaders.
“The last shall be first”—
The leaders of Jesus people are there to serve all the others, to be humble and merciful.
“Freely received, freely give”—
The teaching and the ministry that Jesus gave the church to give to others is to be free—without cost.
“The worker is worthy of his hire”—
The church of Jesus is to take care of their leaders, providing for their basic needs.
E. Humility and Sacrifice
“The humble will be exalted”—
Jesus says that we are to allow ourselves to be humiliated, disrespected and put down. If we do this, God will honor us and raise us up.
“Invite the poor”—
We are to give honor to the lowly, poor and outcast, who cannot repay us, so God will give us honor.
“Sell your possessions”—
Jesus wants us to not just give to the poor when it is convenient, but to sacrifice our own personal wealth for the poor.
“Turn the other cheek”—
We are to submit to authorities, even if they do us harm. The only time we do not submit is if they tell us to disobey Jesus.
“Take up the cross”—
Jesus wants our lives to be surrendered for the sake of others and God. Doing minor acts of mercy or devotion is not enough—we must surrender our whole lives, even literally if necessary.
“Rejoice and be glad”—
Jesus said that if we do get persecuted, hated, isolated, or rejected because of following his way, speaking the gospel or living for Jesus, then we shouldn’t be depressed, but happy. For God will look at our faithfulness and reward us greater than the persecutions we suffered.
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