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==THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2==
After He spoke the Beatitudes and laid down the principles of the Kingdom, Jesus moves on to describe the function of Christians (CP Mt 5:13-16). This is a stern warning to Christians to not only be hearers of God's word, but doers also. In V 13 Jesus likens Christians to salt, which seasons and preserves. Christians are to be seasoning agents in society to counteract the corrupt world system. If they no longer contain the characteristics to withstand the corrupt world system, Christians are like salt that has lost its "saltiness" - they no longer fulfil God's purpose in the earth. Like salt that has lost its flavour no longer has any value, they too are no longer of any value (CP Mk 9:50; Lu 14:34-35). Jesus goes on in Mt 5:14 to declare that Christians are the light of the world and that, as a city built on top of a hill cannot be hid but its glory is reflected for all to see, so too God's glory is reflected for the world to see in the good works of Christians (CP Mt 5:15-16 with Jn 14:12-13; 15:7-8). The purpose of all good works is to glorify God (CP Mk 4:21-25). Jesus admonishes Christians here to put into practice what they hear. Knowing that the gospel saves is not something Christians are to keep to themselves - it has to be shared with the unsaved (CP Lu 8:16-17). Christians have not been given the light of Divine truth to hide it from others - it must be shared with them. What Christians do with the truth they receive will determine whether or not they will receive more, or lose what they already have, and forfeit their salvation as well (CP Mt 25:29-30; Mk 4:24-25; Lu 8:18).

Next, Jesus speaks of the Old Covenant in relation to Himself; that He did not come to destroy, but to fulfil it, and that it would remain intact until it was fulfilled (CP Mt 5:17-18). This scripture is used by many in the church to prove that the Old Covenant has not been abolished, not realising that it was Christ himself who fulfilled it. In fulfilling it Christ made it obsolete as God had always intended, and which scriptures clearly teach. It should be noted too that Jesus did not say that the Old Covenant would never pass away, only that it would not pass away until it was fulfilled (CP Ro 3:20-22; 10:4; 2Cor 3:6-13; Ga 4:21-31; Eph 2:15-16; Col 2:13-17; He 7:12, 18-25; 8:6-13; 9:11-15; 10:1-10). These scriptures all teach of Christ as the fulfilment of the Old Covenant and its complete abolition. (For a detailed teaching on this subject see author's study, The Old Covenant - Fulfilled in Christ and completely Abolished, in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1)).

Jesus then went on to teach that the laws and commandments of the Kingdom He was ushering in were just as binding as the law of Moses was under the Old Covenant (CP Mt 5:19-20). Jesus is not referring to the Old Covenant commandments here as a great many Christians believe, but to the new commandments of the Kingdom He was ushering in, which transcend the commandments of the Old Covenant, as V 21-48 clearly teach: on murder (CP V 21-22). Here Jesus equates anger with murder - they both warrant the same judgement. Raca is a word of utmost contempt, while fool scorns the one addressed. Jesus does not mean that Christians cannot get angry, but their anger has to have a just and lawful cause, and even then it has to be kept under strict control (CP Eph 2:26). On restitution (CP Mt 5:23-24). Jesus is telling Christians here that before they can commit any sacrificial gift to God they must first make good anything outstanding against them by anyone else. This is God's law on restitution. God does not want Christians' gifts until they have resolved all matters outstanding against them (CP Mt 18:15-17, 21-35). On civil suits (CP Mt 5:25-26). Jesus is impressing upon Christians here the importance of making every effort to be reconciled with an opponent in a lawsuit without having to go before a judge because then the respondent would have to pay the utmost penalty (CP Lu 12:58-59 with Pr 25:8-9).

On adultery (CP Mt 5:27-30). Whereas the Old Covenant law forbade the act of adultery (CP Ex 20:14; De 5:18), the laws of the Kingdom Jesus was ushering in forbids the desire. Looking at a woman with continual longing with the mind is the same as committing the act itself - it will damn the soul to hell (CP Col 3:5; 1Pe 2:11). Opinions are divided among Christians as to whether Jesus is speaking literally or figuratively in Mt 5:29-30, but nothing is to be gained by changing the literal meaning. It would be more profitable to pluck out an eye or cut off a hand, if they were the cause of sin, and enter into eternal life, than to be cast down into hell with two eyes and two hands. And to further emphasise the seriousness of sin and the terribleness of hell, in Mt 18 and Mk 9, Jesus included the foot (CP Mt 18:8-9; Mk 9:43-48). Jesus spoke like this to impress upon Christians the fact that sin is so serious, and hell so terrible, that sin must be dealt with in a radical way if need be, to save one's self from hell. Every influence of sin in a Christian's life must be opposed and rejected, whatever the cost (CP Psa 101:3; 119:101; Pr 4:27; Isa 33:14-16; Mt 6:22-23; Lu 11:34-36).

On divorce and remarriage (CP Mt 5:31-32). Here Jesus contrasts how divorce was permitted under the Old Covenant with the new laws of the Kingdom. Under the New Covenant Jesus permits divorce only for fornication. Fornication refers to any kind of sexual immorality, including adultery, incest, homosexuality, prostitution, etc (CP Mt 19:1-9; Mk 10:1-12; Lu 16:18; 1Cor 7:10-17. For a more detailed study on divorce and remarriage see author's comments on Mt 5:31-32 and 1Cor 7:14-16, in his book A Question and Answer Study on the New Testament). On oaths (CP Mt 5:33-37, also Jas 5:12 with Nu 30:2; Psa 76-11). What Jesus is teaching in Mt 5:33-37 is that Christians should not have to take an oath to attest to their truthfulness anywhere. The Christian demand is for absolute faithfulness and truthfulness in all speech, and Christians must never play word games, exaggerate, or speak anything other than the absolute truth at all times. For Christians not to observe this demand will bring God's condemnation upon them (CP Mt 12:36-37).

On retaliation (CP Mt 5:38-42 with Ex 21:23-25). In Mt 5:38-42 Jesus stipulates the code of conduct Christians must follow - in contrast to the law of the Old Covenant - when anyone infringes upon their personal rights (CP Lu 6:27-31). Christians are to surrender their personal rights and offer no retaliation to affronts against their dignity. Rather than retaliate Christians are to adopt God's approach and love even those who are their enemies (CP Ex 23:4-5; Pr 24:17-18; 25:21-22; Mt 5:44; Ro 12:17-21). "For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on their head" in Pr 25 and Ro 12, means that repaying injury with kindness will bring a burning sense of shame and guilt upon them. On love of enemies (CP Mt 5:43-47 with Lev 19:18). The words and hate thine enemy are not to be found anywhere in the Old Testament. This was a Pharisaic addition to the Old Covenant law. However, the Israelites were directed by God to have nothing whatever to do with their enemies (CP Ex 17:4-6; De 7:1-3; 23:3-6), and King David declared his hatred of them (CP Psa 139:19-22; 140:9-11). Nowhere though does God command hatred of one's enemies. In fact, the opposite is the case, as we have just seen in our previous study on retaliation (CP Pr 24:17-18; 25:21-22 with Mt 5:44-45 and Lu 6:32-36). Jesus then commands Christians to be perfect, even as God is perfect (CP Mt 5:48). Perfect here means complete, full, wanting in nothing; in complete conformity to God's law. It is used in Mt 5:48 and Lu 6:36 in a moral sense of persons, referring to God's expectation of Christians. It means completely blameless (CP also Mt 19:21; Ro 12:2; Col 1:28; 4:12; Jas 1:17; 3:2). Christians only have to do according to the laws of the Kingdom Jesus expressed in His Sermon on the Mount and they will be blameless before God.

[[THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 3]]

[[Advanced Bible Studies 2]]