THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 7
THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 7
God watches over His word to perform it (CP Jer 1:12). He has given Christians the right to bring Him to remembrance of His word (CP Isa 43:26; 45:11). But as with all His promises, it is only to the extent that God's word lives in Christians, that they are able to bring Him to remembrance of His word, and have Him perform it in their lives. That is why it is so important to encourage new Christians and those weak in the faith to thoroughly immerse themselves in the word. As we learned earlier in 1Jn 5:14-15, it is only prayer based on His word that will prevail with God. Prayer avails only as sin has been confessed and renounced by the one praying (CP Psa 32:1-7; 66:18; Pr 28:9; Isa 59:1-2; 1Jn 1:5-10). Prayer avails only as it comes from a forgiving heart (CP Mt 6:12-15; 18:21-35; Mk 11:25-26). Prayer avails only as it is made in a context of harmonious human relationships (CP Mt 5:23-24; Eph 4:31-32; He 12:14-15; 1Pe 3:1-12). Prayer avails only as it is made in faith (CP Mt 17:20; Mk 11:22-24; He 11:6; Jas 1:5-7; 5:14-15).
Next, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stresses the imperative that Christians live by the "golden rule" (CP Mt 7:12, also Lu 6:31). Jesus teaches here that Christianity is not simply a matter of abstinence from sin, but also active benevolence toward others. "For this is the law and the prophets", summarises the moral teachings of the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament. The righteousness demanded by the Old Testament is fulfilled in New Testament Christians who walk according to the Spirit (CP Ro 8:4). The spiritual law at the heart of the golden rule is the law of love (CP Lev 19:18; Mt 22:36-40; Ro 13:7-10; Ga 5:14; 1Ti 1:5). The golden rule is the Kingdom foundation for all social relationships. It is the kind of love God shows Christians every day. Jesus goes on from here to warn Christians that the only way to enter into eternal life is through the narrow confines of a Christian walk totally consecrated to the service of God, and completely surrendered to the authority of Jesus (CP Mt 7:13-14, also Lu 13:23-27). The word strive in Lu 13:24 means to labour fervently; to wrestle as in an award contest, straining every nerve to the uttermost toward the goal (CP 1Cor 9:24-27; Php 2:12; 3:8-14; He 4:1).
In 1 Cor 9, Paul reminds Christians that while there are many runners in a race, not all receive the prize. The Christian walk is like a race. It requires self-discipline. It calls for strenuous effort. It demands a definiteness of purpose. Paul is not suggesting however, that in the Christian walk only one can win the prize. What he is teaching, is that Christians must be as earnest to make Heaven their goal as runners are to win their race (Cp 1Cor 9:24; Php 3:14; He 12:1-3). Paul then changes the figure from runners to wrestlers, and how they must exercise self-control in all things. They do it for a corruptible crown - one that perishes, whereas Christians do it for an incorruptible crown that will never perish (CP 1Cor 9:25; 2Pe 1:4-11). In view of the incorruptible crown to be won, Christians, like Paul, most run not uncertainly, nor fight as one that beats the air, but with singleness of purpose make every action in their Christian walk count (CP 1Cor 9:26; 1Ti 6:12). Also, like Paul, Christians must discipline their body and bring it into subjection in order that they too should not be a castaway after having preached to others (P 1Cor 9:27; Ro 6:14-23; 8:12-13; 12:1-2; 1Cor 3:16-17). Castaway in 1Cor 9:27 means disapproved, rejected, cast away (CP 2Cor 13:5-7; He 6:8).
Next, in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns Christians against false prophets and deceptions in the church (CP Mt 7:15-20). The term false prophets includes in its meaning teachers of false doctrines in the name of God (CP Isa 8:20; Jer 23:16; Eph 5:6; Col 2:8; 2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jn 4:1). Outwardly the false prophets look like true men of God, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. They cannot deceive Christians who are thoroughly grounded in God's word (CP 1Jn 4:2-6), but they prey on the immature, the unstable, and the gullible (CP Ac 20:29-30; Ro 16:17-18; Eph 4:14; 2Ti 4:3-4; 2Pe 2:1-3). Their destiny is swift destruction as Peter declares here, but this is also a dire warning to all Christians of the need to be thoroughly grounded in God's word in order to quickly and accurately discern false teachers in the church (CP Josh 1:8; Psa 1:1-4 with 1Cor 14:29-32; 1Th 5:21; 2Jn 7-11). Christians must test the spirit of every teaching in the light of scripture. Any teaching that does not conform to scripture must be rejected out of hand. False teachers may not always be immediately recognisable, but their doctrine will betray them to Christians who test their teachings against the pure word of God.
In 2Jn 7-11, John is warning Christians against knowingly fellowshipping with anyone, and praying God's blessings over them, who teaches against the Person of Christ as scriptures present Him. V 9 teaches that no one can be saved who teaches against the Deity of Jesus (CP V 9 with 1Jn 2:22-26). Anyone who denies Christ calls God a liar because God Himself bears witness to Jesus (CP 1Jn 5:9-13 with Mt 3:13-17; Lu 9:28-36 (also Mt 17:1-8; Mk 9:1-8); Ac 13:33).
Now, in bringing His Sermon on the Mount to a close, Jesus warns Christians against mere profession of salvation (CP Mt 7:21-27). Jesus is passing sentence here upon all those who do not bear fruit for God's eternal Kingdom. The clear teaching is that no one merely professing to be a Christian will be saved - only those who hear God's word and do it will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (CP Psa 119:9; Pr 4:4; Lu 11:27-28; Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22-25; Rev 1:3). These scriptures all teach the same thing: the only way to Heaven is by doing the work of God's word. As Jas 1:24 teaches, those who merely hear God's word quickly forget it. They are like a man who looks at himself in a mirror and then walks away and immediately forgets what he saw. So too, the man who merely hears the word quickly forgets it. He cannot enter into eternal life with Jesus. Only those who hear the word and do it, will be blessed of God (CP Jas 2:14-26). We learn from this that no one can be saved by merely believing in Jesus. Demons also believe, but they are not going to Heaven. Both Jas 1:22-25 and 2:14-26 are directed to those in the church who profess faith in Christ and His blood atonement, believing that is all that is necessary for salvation. But those who believe that are deceiving themselves. Merely hearing God's word will not get anyone to Heaven - it must be acted upon (CP Mt 12:30).
Jesus makes it very clear here that there is no neutrality in Christianity. If Christians are not actively involved in doing the work of the word for Christ, then they are actively involved in doing the work of the devil against Him. Many Christians do not properly understand that what Jesus teaches here applies to Christians who are not doing the work of God's word. They profess to love Christ, but do not obey His commandments, and thus will forfeit their salvation. We cannot downplay this meaning, for as well as the preceding scriptures, that is what is taught throughout the New Testament (CP also Mt 19:17; Jn 14:15, 21; 15:5-10; Ro 2:7-11; 1Cor 7:19; Ga 6:7-8; 1Jn 2:3-5; 3:22-24; 2Jn 6; Rev 22:14).
This study is now complete. It has been said of Christ's Sermon on the Mount that "it would be a great point gained if people would only consider it was a Sermon, which was preached, not an act, that was passed". Many in the professing church believe that it is not meant to be taken literally. But that is not correct as this study clearly shows. When the other scriptures pertaining to Christ's expectations of Christians are considered with His Sermon on the Mount, it is plainly evident that in His Sermon on the Mount Christ was laying down both the principles of God's Kingdom, and conditions of entry into Heaven. And only those conforming to them both will be able to enter in.
These Studies by Br Val Boyle may be downloaded and freely distributed but not sold for profit.