Matthew 5:20‭-‬26 Anger

"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.   "You have heard that the ancients were told, ' you shall not commit murder ' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.'  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ' You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. [Matthew 5:20‭-‬26 NASB]

The Pharisees were so righteous that they not only observed the letter of the Law, they added to it with oral tradition. Jesus said that was not enough. You must observe the Law of Righteousness in your heart.

The first example of this that Jesus gives is the command, "you shall not commit murder."

In the kingdom of God, unbridled anger is equated with murder. If you murder someone in your heart, you are as guilty as if you had murdered them in the flesh. We are further told by Paul, "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:...outbursts of anger...and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." [Galatians 5:19-21 NASB]

Having said that, we are also told, "be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger." [Ephesians 4:26 NASB] God gave us the emotion of anger, and knows that we will get angry. But we can be angry without sinning. Don't hold on to anger so that it grows into wrath. If you hold onto anger, it becomes sin.

And be careful with your words. I picture a cart being pulled by a donkey in ancient Israel. Another man comes along with a donkey and cart and cuts him off. The first cart owner raises his fist and says "Raca (You good for nothing)". In contemporary society, if we are cut off by another car, we might say, "You idiot, moron, imbecile, fool." By allowing anger to burst out of us in words, we condemn ourselves.

Jesus Himself became angry. He was in the synagogue on the Sabbath when He saw a man with a withered hand, "And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored." [Mark 3:4-5 NASB]

When Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple, it's hard to imagine that He did so without being angry. His anger was directed at hypocrisy. He was angry with those who claimed to represent God, yet caused His name to be slandered.

The fact that Jesus felt the emotion of anger is not an excuse for us to indulge in anger. Right after saying "be angry, and yet do not sin," Paul went on to tell us, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." [Ephesians 4:31 NASB]

Don't be quick to claim "righteous indignation" over a perceived sin. I have been guilty of that, when I was actually just being judgmental. As God, Jesus can rightly claim "righteous indignation" because He can truly judge the heart of a man. We cannot. If we become angry, we need to let it go so that we do not sin, "for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God." [James 1:20 NASB]

Matthew 5:17‭-‬19 The Law

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.  For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:17‭-‬19 NASB]

Jesus came to fulfill the Law. Much of the teaching of the New Testament centers around the doctrine that salvation is by grace through faith, apart from the Law. Paul says, "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction." [Romans 3:21‭-‬22 NASB]

Even so, he is careful to note that he is not teaching that the Law is abolished. "Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. [Romans 3:31 NASB] The Law and Prophets (the Old Testament) are the inspired word of God. The fact that we are not under the Law, but are under grace does not change that. However, our relationship to the Law has been changed.

The Old Testament is a covenant. "Or do you not know, brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?...Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." [Romans 7:1-4 NASB]

In Christ, we died to the Law, "But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." [Romans 7:6 NASB]

The purpose of the Law is to teach us of our sinful nature. "for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful." [Romans 7:11-13 NASB]

The problem with the Law, is that it is impossible to keep all of the commands of the Law due to our sinful nature. "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." [Romans 7:14-18 NASB]

But through Jesus, we are no longer under the Law, because through Jesus, the Law is fulfilled in us, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." [Romans 8:3-4 NASB]

In terms of our salvation the Old Covenant is obsolete. But it is not irrelevant. It is still the word of God. Learn from the Old covenant without becoming bound by it, because we are under a New Covenant through Christ.

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.... "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put  my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." [Hebrews 8:6‭-‬10‭ NASB]

Matthew 5:13-16 Good Works

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.   "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;  nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 5:13‭-‬16 NASB]

On the surface, there seems to be a paradox in the Scriptures. All of our good works are not good enough to please God, yet God is pleased with our good works.

The difference is intent. What is motivating our good works?

There are a lot of people who believe that God's judgement is like that of a judge holding scales. If their good deeds outnumber their bad, then they will go to Heaven. But that is not how it works.

We are told in James, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not commit murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty." [James 2:10-12 NASB]

The scales don't balance. Only one transgression means you are guilty of all. And you can't go through life without sin, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB]

We know for sure that salvation is by grace through faith. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." [Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB] But read on to the next verse: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." [Ephesians 2:10 NASB]

So then, good works are not a condition of salvation, but a result.

James tells us that good works are the evidence of our faith, "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”" [James 2:15-18 NASB]

Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." [Matthew 5:16] We should all find our place in His kingdom, and do works that reflect His grace.

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." [Matthew 5:10-12 NASB]

According to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, "Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world and it's accelerating." A separate report commissioned by the British government agrees with this assessment, and said that, in some parts of the world, the persecution of Christian is approaching genocidal levels.

Throughout the Middle East, as well as North Korea, India and China, the act of worshiping Jesus carries the risk of death or imprisonment.

Every month, on average:

• 345 Christians are killed for faith-related reasons
• 105 Churches and Christian buildings are burned or attacked
• 219 Christians are detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned

Every day, on average, 11 Christians die for their faith in Jesus. It is natural for us to be appalled by this. It is not natural for us to be happy about it. Remember what Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted... Rejoice and be glad."

This requires an act of grace on God's part, and it also requires a decision on our part. How will you respond when you encounter persecution? Will you turn to God and seek His grace to rejoice, or will you take up arms and fight?

Ever since the Revolutionary War, the American way has been to take up arms and fight. We figuratively take up arms when we go to court, and file suit against those who persecute us. But the American way isn't always the Christian way. And the Christian way is not the easy way.

Paul tells us in Romans, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." [Romans 12:14 NASB]

We are to persevere in the face of persecution, "therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering." [2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 NASB] Regarding those who persecute the church he says, "These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed." [2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NASB]

It is counter to our nature to rejoice at persecution. It is argued, effectively, that if we allow persecutions in small things, they will grow into greater persecutions. If our rights are taken away in small areas, they will be taken away in great areas. Today a Christian baker is forced to violate his conscience and recognize, and provide a service, for a homosexual wedding. A Bible study group is forbidden to meet in a residential home by the Homeowners Association. Tomorrow we may be forced to close down churches because teaching that Jesus is the only way to salvation is not "inclusive". This is a possibility. But I do not find in the Bible, the teaching that we are to take up arms and fight against persecution. We are told to endure it, joyfully.

We know that persecution must increase before the Lord's return. Let's follow the example of the apostles who were arrested and flogged for preaching in the name of Jesus. The apostles response was, "So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." [Acts 5:41-42 NASB]

Matthew 5:9 Bless Are The Peacemakers

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." [Matthew 5:9 NASB]

These beatitudes all have one thing in common. They are beyond our natural abilities.

• Poor in Spirit - We only recognize the poverty of our spirit as it compares to Spirit of God.
• Those who mourn - It is only as the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin that we are able to properly mourn our sinful state.
• The meek - Meekness (gentleness, humility) is a fruit of the Spirit.
• Righteousness - We are only righteous in God's eyes because He has made us righteous. 
• Merciful - We give mercy because He was first merciful to us.
• Pure in Heart - It is the fire of the Holy Spirit that purifies the heart

In the same vein, it would be a mistake to think of a peacemaker as a diplomat or negotiator. Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit. Those who walk in the Spirit enjoy the peace of God. "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace," [Romans 8:6 NASB]

But the life of a Christian isn't about sitting in a cave, separated from humanity, enjoying the peace of God within. We are in the world, and we need to be at peace in the world. Paul tells us, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." [Romans 12:18 NASB]

Being at peace with others begins with being at peace within. This peace is not the peace that the world gives. It doesn't come from transcendental meditation, or chanting mantras, or mastering yoga. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in your life as you draw near to Him.

When a Christian sins, he feels guilt. And guilt will kill peace. If you want to be at peace you must overcome sin in your life. You have probably heard it said that this is impossible, but that is a lie the church has believed and repeated to its detriment. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome sin.

You must learn to walk in the Spirit. We are taught in Galatians, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh....Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." [Galatians 5:21-25 NASB]

What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? We are told in Romans, "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace," [Romans 8:1-6 NASB]

The concept is simple: turn your mind toward Jesus, and leave it there. You will know His presence in your life if you do this. This is not a difficult task. Jesus said, "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." [Matthew 11:30 NASB]

It is the simplicity that is a stumbling block to many Christians. We have the idea that "crucifying the flesh" involves some sort of self-flagellation, or great pain, or an extreme act of will. In fact it is an act of grace from God. Jesus already paid the price for our peace. He asks that we abide in Him, and obediently follow where He leads.

Just as salvation involved a simple decision to follow Jesus, walking in the Spirit involves a simple decision to abide in Him.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed Are The Pure in Heart

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." [Matthew 5:8 NASB]

In the temple, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies where he would stand in the presence of God. He could only do this once a year, and in order to do it, he must become ceremonially clean or pure.

In Hebrews we have this description, "...For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies....Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance." [Hebrews 9:1-7 NASB]

The book of Leviticus describes what the high priest had to do before entering the Holy of Holies. “Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on." ...Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household." [Leviticus 16:3-6] 

So the high priest had to cleanse himself, put on consecrated holy garments, and sacrifice a bull for his own sins before he coming into the presence of the Lord. In this way, he was made to be ceremonially pure on the outside before he could "see" God.

Jesus has called to be pure on the inside, not in appearance only, not ceremonially, but in the heart. The Law teaches us that we cannot become pure in heart just by wanting to be. Purity, or cleansing must be accompanied by a sacrifice. Jesus did for us what all the bulls and goats sacrificed on the altar could never do. In Hebrews we read, "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" [Hebrews 9:11-14 NASB]

He has made a way for us to come boldly into the presence of God, "but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God..."For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified."..."Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." [Hebrews 10:12-22 NASB]

Pureness in heart is a gift from God. You can't become pure in heart by sacrificing. If you can find the most generous, caring, giving and loving person alive on the earth, and if that person does not have Jesus as his Lord, he is not pure of heart. 

If you have accepted Jesus as your savior and have asked Him to be Lord in your life, then He has purified your heart for you. By sending the Holy Spirit to live in your heart, He has place His Presence within you, and you are in His presence at all times, whether you are aware of it or not.

Therefore, do not neglect the great gift that He has given you. Turn your mind always toward God. Be aware of His presence at all times, walking in the Spirit. For those who walk in the Spirit, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1-4).

Matthew 5:7 Blessed Are The Merciful

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." [Matthew 5:7 NASB]

First, it should be noted that this is not a prerequisite to receive God's mercy. On the contrary, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8 NASB]

He does, however, expect us to show the fruit of our forgiveness. Jesus told this parable:

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 

And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 

Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." [Matthew 18:23-35 NASB]

Some Christians act as if, having been saved, nothing needs to change. The truth is, if you are living for God, you should be constantly growing into the image of God. 

Our life in Christ begins with God's mercy. The most basic attribute of a Christian should also be mercy paid forward to everyone in our life.

Matthew 5:6 Righteousness

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. [Matthew 5:6 NASB]

I take this as a promise. If you crave and yearn for righteousness as your body craves and yearns for food and water, God will fill you with righteousness.

It is God who will satisfy you, because you can't make yourself become righteous. We are told in Romans, "...Both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, "there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one." [Romans 3:9‭-‬12 NASB]

We cannot earn righteousness by following the Law. "because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin." [Romans 3:20 NASB] Some will make the argument that the Law was for the Jews, and as a Christian they are not under the Law. But, "For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." [Romans 2:12-16 NASB]

But, that no one can actually do the works of the Law is clear, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB]

So then, even if you are not under the Law of Moses, the rules of conduct that you follow become a Law to you. These can be the rules established by your church, or rules that you have imposed upon yourself. It doesn't matter. The principle is this: you cannot become righteous by following any set of rules.

We know that salvation is by grace; "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." [Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB]

In the same way, your justification, which is to say, your righteousness is also by grace through faith; "But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; ...For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." [Romans 3:21-28 NASB]

If you want to be righteous before God, you need to throw out your rule book, and live by faith that He will keep you on the right path. "Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness," [Romans 4:4-5 NASB]

Those who live by rules are under condemnation, but those who abandon the rules to live by faith have no condemnation. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." [Romans 8:1-5 NASB]

It is the desire of every sincere Christian to overcome sin. This is possible if we walk according to the Spirit. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." [Galatians 5:16-18 NASB]

Any attempt to be righteous or overcome sin by following the rules is an act of the flesh. If you accept that there are no rules, but instead set your mind on the things of the Spirit of God, He will overcome sin in your life, and fill you with righteousness.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed Are The Meek

“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5 NASB]

The King James Bible translates this as "Blessed are the meek". Either word fits the definition of the Greek word "prays", which can be translated as meek, gentle or humble. The problem with the traditional translation of "meek" is the image it conjures in the mind of the 21st century American.

We think of a meek person as a doormat. A weakling who is incapable of showing strength of character. We picture a person who is run down, bent over, and fearful. This is not the image of a man who is meek before God.

A strong man can be gentle. Often, a man possessing great physical strength will be particularly gentle out of concern that he may inadvertently hurt others.

But what Jesus is talking about is not meekness as the world sees it, nor is it a gentle touch, but it is humility before God. Gentleness requires strength of character.

For an example of spiritual meekness, we can look to Jesus. He said, "“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." [Matthew 11:29 NASB] It was also said about Jesus, "Say to the daughter of Zion, "behold your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." [Matthew 21:5]

Jesus was gentle, yet he stood boldly before the religious leaders and condemned their hypocrisy. He entered the temple and drove out the merchants. He spoke boldly to the crowds in the synagogue, on the hill, and in the temple. He healed the masses. And he led His disciples.

Jesus is the King of Kings. He entered Jerusalem as a King. Then, submitting Himself humbly to the will of the Father, He allowed Himself to be arrested, condemned and crucified.

Gentleness is neither cowardly nor effeminate. It is not looking down and scraping of your toe and saying "aww shucks" when you receive a compliment. Rather, it is the complete humility and submission to God.

Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will. Galatians 5:23 says, "The fruit of the Spirit is...gentleness..."

A godly man is a gentle man. If you draw close to God, and walk in the Spirit, then He will make you gentle, just like Jesus.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

"“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. [Matthew 5:4 NASB]

Those who mourn are fortunate, because they will receive comfort. James tells us, "Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." [James 4:8-10 NASB]

Jesus told those arrogant men who thought themselves to be spiritual, “Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep." [Luke 6:25 NASB]

It's not that God wants a bunch of sad people, constantly in mourning. But He wants us to mourn for our sinful state, that we may come to repentance. As we're told by Paul, "I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!" [2 Corinthians 7:9-11 NASB]

Before we can come to God, we need to recognize our need for God. The nature of mankind is that we are fallen. We are born in sin. Paul tells us, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB] Also, "Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned" [Romans 5:12 NASB] And we are told in the Psalms, "God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there is anyone who understands, Who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one." [Psalm 53:2-3 NASB]

Although we are expected to mourn for our sins, God has provided the remedy, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 6:23 NASB] The wages of sin is death, but Jesus paid our debt, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8 NASB]

The gift of life is ours for the taking by faith. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." [Romans 10:9-10 NASB]

So, mourn your sinful state for a short time, and allow the sorrow over your sins lead you to repentance and faith in God. It is not His will that you continue to mourn. Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." [John 15:11 NASB]

Matthew 5:1-3 Blessed Are The Poor in Spirit

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:1-3 NASB]

When Jesus began teaching, he basically turned peoples worlds upside down.

The word "blessed" is not used much in normal conversation. In conversational English, we would say "fortunate" or "prosperous". To get the impact of the word "poor", think of someone who is destitute, has lost everything, including home and income, and is reduced to the point of begging.

Putting this together, we can paraphrase by saying, "Prosperous are the destitute in spirit". Put another way, we can say, "Fortunate are those who are not spiritually arrogant."

Jesus often encountered the "spiritually arrogant" in His dealings with the Pharisees and Sadducees. With rare exceptions, the religious leaders rejected Jesus, while the common people accepted him. The opinion of the leaders regarding "common" people is revealed when Jesus heals a blind man. The man concludes, "“If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out." [John 9:33-34 NASB]

In their arrogance, they conclude that a common man was born in sin, yet somehow absolved themselves of this disgrace.

The hardest people to reach are those who are "spiritual".

The "churched" are among this group. Having grown up in church, they consider themselves to be spiritual by default, even if they have never accepted Jesus at their Lord. Sadly, many can spend their entire lives in church and never hear the message of salvation. Asked about whether they are Christians, they will answer, "Of course, I'm a member of the first church of the Lukewarm."

Other "spiritual" people are those who follow non-Christian religions. I have heard many people say that they are not a Christian because, "I just believe in being spiritual". What they don't understand is that there are many spirits in this world besides the Spirit of God. Demons will gladly receive the worship of the ignorant and gullible. So they stare into crystals or candles and seek "spirit guides" to lead them on their spiritual journey. 

It's hard for a "new ager" to become a follower of Christ. I have known some who have nominally converted to Christianity. They go to a conservative, evangelical church where the gospel message is preached. They worship God on Sunday morning. Then they arrange their offices according to feng shui. They hang crystals and quotes from the dalai lama on the wall. They like to talk about their "spiritual journey", and consider Christianity to be just one step on that journey. They see no contradiction in letting Christ sit side-by-side next to their new age beliefs.

Whether you have once asked Jesus into your heart or not, you can be assured of this. If you continue in idolatry, you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." [1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NASB] And make no mistake about it - New Age practices are idolatry.

God wants people who understand their need for Him. If you offer a wealthy man a hamburger, he will treat it with disdain. "I can go the Four Seasons and order the finest Delmonico steak." A starving man will gladly receive the hamburger, and consider it a feast.

The "spiritually wealthy" treat the gift of God's grace with disdain. The poor in spirit receive His grace gladly, and are saved.

The principle continues after salvation as well. I have known a number arrogant Christians. Having been saved by grace, they would try to convince you that they have achieved some great measure of success by their own wits and spiritual fortitude. They like being in leadership positions. They often write books about how to become prosperous (by which they mean making money), or guide you through the principles of how to build a megachurch. Their methods involve manipulating people and systems to reach their goals. You will rarely hear them speak about humbly submitting to God, and allowing Him to lead you. Much less practicing this for themselves. You may achieve what the world would call success by following these principles of prosperity. But you will lose God in the process.

To be a follower of Jesus is to remain poor in spirit. Understand that by the power of His Spirit, you can overcome sin. By your own power, you will fail. God's plan is not for His people to grasp for the riches of this world, but to receive from Him the riches of His kingdom. That is righteousness, truth, love, joy and peace. You will not attain these things by the power of your will, but only by submitting to the will of God.

Matthew 4:18-25 Following Jesus

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.  Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.  The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan. [Matthew 4:18-25]

We know from the account in John that Jesus already knew Simon and Andrew, and that they were already His disciples. "One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother." [John 1:40 NASB]. It is likely that the other follower of John the Baptist was the apostle John, mentioned in today's passage. It was his style to not mention his own name in his writings, even when referring to himself.

So, when Jesus called them from their nets, they didn't blindly follow a stranger, but knew who He was, and gladly followed Him. By the time Jesus called them, they had heard the testimony of John the Baptist that this was the Messiah. They had seen Him perform miracles, and had heard his teaching.

It took an act of faith to immediately leave everything behind, and follow Jesus. But it was not a "blind" faith. It was faith based on the their knowledge of the person and character of Jesus. By stepping out in faith as they did, they became a part of the ministry of Jesus, as well as His legacy.

When Jesus called His disciples, it was not without a purpose. He said,  "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Notice that Jesus met them were they were. Physically, of course, since they were fishermen, He met them at the seashore. He used language that they would relate to: instead of fishing for fish, you will fish for men. Also spiritually, He didn't demand that they fast and pray, perform a ritual, become indoctrinated, attend a class, or endure any type of initiation. Simply, He called, and they immediately followed.

Also, take note of His wording, "I will make you..." He didn't offer to teach them how to make themselves fishers of men. Knowing that they would have to become something they are not, Jesus took the responsibility for changing them upon Himself.

When we become followers of Jesus, it is because we have heard someone testify about the person and character of Jesus, and because the Holy Spirit draws us to Him, confirming His character to our hearts.

After we have become believers, our lives should change. But, it is not up to us to try to change ourselves. After all, do you know precisely what God is thinking, and how He wants you to become?

Jesus hasn't called us to a seminar on how to be a Christian. He has placed the Holy Spirit in each one of us, and will teach each one of us, individually.

Yes, we still need teachers, and can learn from one another, but it is the Spirit of Jesus that will transform us; not our own ideas and efforts. Learn to walk in faith, and in he Spirit, and let the Spirit of God transform your life.

Matthew 4:12-17 Kingdom of Heaven

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles - the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned."  From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matthew 4:12-17 NASB]

Jesus actually began His ministry prior to this, according to the Gospel of John. He had already collected some disciples, including two of John the Baptist's disciples who left John to follow Jesus (John 4:35-51). He left the area of the Jordan and went back to Galilee to attend a wedding in Cana, where He turned the water into wine (John 2:1-11). After spending some time in Capernaum in Galilee, He went to Jerusalem, where he drove the money changers out of the temple (John 2:12-25).

During this time, he spoke to Nicodemus, a Pharisee ruler of the Jews, and taught him about being born again (John 3:1-21). Then He went into Judea, and was baptizing (though we see in John 4:2 that it wasn't Jesus who baptized, but his disciples). His ministry overlapped with that of John the Baptist, and Jesus' ministry eclipsed John's (John 3:22-36). 

He left again for Galilee, and along the way stopped near Sychar in Samaria. There, He spoke to a woman at the well and explained that true worshippers will not worship in the Temple, but will worship in spirit and in truth (John 3:23-42). 

It is at this point that Matthew takes up the narrative.

Prior to the arrest of John, Jesus baptized and performed to miracles. After John's arrest, Jesus began His preaching ministry, which was summarized as, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

In the Bible, the term "Kingdom of Heaven" is used exclusively in the book of Matthew. Otherwise it is called the "Kingdom of God". The terms are synonymous, with the difference being the audience to whom it is written. Matthew was writing to a primarily Jewish audience. The Jews took very seriously the command, "you shall not take the Lord's name in vain." So the custom arose that they would not speak any name directly referring to God, but would refer, instead, to where He lives, i.e. Heaven. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of God. Matthew mostly accommodates the Jews in this regard, though he does occasional use the phrase "kingdom of God".

Throughout His ministry, Jesus refers often to the kingdom of heaven. He does not come right out and describe it, but uses parables and comparisons instead. The reason is that the kingdom is spiritual, and there are no natural words to describe it.

As we study through the book of Matthew, we will learn about the kingdom of heaven, but I will give a brief summary here.

The kingdom of heaven is not in a physical place we can find. People used to believe that it was located in the clouds. More recently, I spoke to someone who was absolutely convinced that it is on another planet in space. But, remember Jesus' message, "the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This does not mean that it will come soon, but that it is here, now, where you are. We are taught in Luke, "Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed. nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”" [Luke 17:20-21 NASB]

The nature of things that are spiritual are so different from the natural that they can't be adequately described using natural words, nor can they be understood by the natural mind. They must be spiritually discerned. But Matthew 6:33 promises blessing for those who seek God's kingdom.

Matthew 4:1-11 Temptation

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of  God.'"  Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning you'; and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your  God, and serve Him only.'"  Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. [Matthew 4:1-11]

 It is written, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." [Hebrews 4:15 NASB] Jesus had to deal with more than just these three temptations. According to Luke's account, Jesus was being tempted by the devil for the full forty days, culminating in these three temptations. And He, no doubt, faced temptations throughout His life.

Jesus' temptation was extraordinary in that He was being tempted by the devil. I know many people who claim that every temptation they face is from the devil, or is an attack by Satan. But James says, "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust." [James 1:14 NASB]

Most of the time we don't need the devil to tempt us because our own fallen nature is sufficient. Even though we are born again in spirit, our flesh (the fallen nature) remains, and is at odds with our spirit for as long as we are in these bodies.

Before we begin spiritual warfare, we must first overcome our own flesh. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]

Having said that, there are spiritual forces that are arrayed against all believers. Paul tells us, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." [Ephesians 6:12 NASB] And Peter says, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." [1 Peter 5:8 NASB]

We stand against these powers by taking up the armor of God, which is truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the word of God. [Ephesian 6:14-17] The goal of spiritual warfare is not to "storm the gates of hell," but to "stand firm." [Ephesians 6:13]

Jesus had the authority to rebuke Satan, commanding him to leave. [Matthew 4:10]. Jesus gave us authority over demons, but we are told in Jude, "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these men revile the things which they do not understand." [Jude 1:9-10 NASB] Don't become arrogant in spiritual warfare. It may seem spiritual to stand and shout at the devil, giving him commands, but heed Jude's warning. Remember, our duty is to "stand firm", not to attack.

Satan has authority in this world for now. In His temptation, Jesus didn't defeat the devil and take away his authority. Instead he stood firm against the temptation.

When Jesus was tempted, He was tempted as a man. As God incarnate, He had the power to blast the devil, and avoid all temptation. Instead, he rightly used the word of God as His defense. He did this so that He could identify with men's temptations, and also as an example to us.

It is important that every believer know the scriptures, within their context. False teachers quote scripture, taken out of context, to prove whatever point they want to make. It is up to us as believers to discern the truth, and not be led astray, either by false teachers or by our own imaginings.

Matthew 3:13-17 Baptism of Jesus

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." [Matthew 3:13-17]

When Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized, John recognized the greater authority of Jesus, and desired to be baptized by Him. Jesus insisted saying, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." The word that is translated as "righteousness" means "integrity, purity, or that which is pleasing to God."

Jesus didn't need to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, since he was without sin. By allowing Himself to baptized by John, he placed his stamp of approval on John's ministry. Although He was God in the flesh, he humbled himself as a man, placing himself lower than John. By identifying with sinful man, He was doing what He was born to do, thus fulfilling "that which is pleasing to God.

After Jesus came up out of the water, we are told "the heavens were opened." there are three other instances in the Bible where this phrase is used. 

"Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God." [Ezekiel 1:1 NASB]

"And he [Stephan] said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” [Acts 7:56 NASB]

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war." [Revelation 19:11 NASB]

In each case it describes a vision given by God to Ezekiel, Stephen, and the apostle John. It seems likely that John the Baptist was given a vision wherein he saw the Holy Spirit descend from heaven and alighting on Jesus. The language used says "he saw", and there is no indication that the crowd saw or heard anything. Luke 3:22 says, "the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove." And John 1:32 says, "John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him." So John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit descend in bodily form like a dove and remain on Jesus.

John concludes, "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God." [John 1:33-34 NASB]

God the Father expressed His pleasure at Jesus' obedience when His voice thundered out of heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Matthew 3:1-12 Sadducees and Pharisees

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."...But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"...As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." [Matthew 3:1-12 NASB]

John the Baptist fit the image of an Old Testament prophet. He was a wild looking man, living in the wilderness, and dressed in camel hair. He fired the imagination of the people, and they came to him in droves. As they came to him confessing their sins, he performed a ritual cleansing by immersing them in the Jordan River. He preached forgiveness of sin through repentance and baptism in water.

Among those who appeared at the baptisms were the Sadducees and the Pharisees. These two groups made up most of the Jewish ruling class of the time, though they rarely agreed with one another. They were kind of like the Republicans and Democrats of their day.

Of the two, the Sadducees were the elite. They were responsible for the temple maintenance and priesthood. Generally, the high priest was a Sadducee. They believed in a strict adherence to the Torah, or the first five books of the Old Testament. They rejected the authority of the historical, poetic, and prophetic books of the Old Testament. They also rejected the concept of life after death, the resurrection, and spirits of any kind including angels. The Sadducees died out after the destruction of the second Jewish temple.

The Pharisees were the peoples party. They rejected the elitism of the priestly cast, claiming the priesthood of all Jews. They accepted all of the Old Testament as scripture, and believed in resurrection. They also elevated the "Oral Law" or "tradition" to the same level as the Torah, and would even give greater authority to tradition than to the Torah. They believed in a strict adherence to the Torah, the Prophets, and tradition. Rabbinical Judaism was born out the Pharisaical sect.

Both the Sadducees and the Pharisees believed in a strict adherence to the Law over faith.

Although they had their differences, the Sadducees and Pharisees managed to work together. They became united whenever they felt the status quo was being threatened. For example, when John the Baptist came on the scene, he drew huge crowds of people who were repenting of their sins and being baptized. But he did so outside of their authority, and they could not control him.

God revealed the hearts of these religious leaders to John the Baptist so that he could see that they did not come to him in true repentance, but were only giving lip service to be seen by the people. So he said to them, "You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, and don't think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!" [Matthew 3:7-9 NET]

The ritual of baptism wasn't sufficient for the forgiveness of sins. True repentance is proven by a change in your life. These religious leaders believed that their heritage as descendants of Abraham would be enough. In the same way, many Americans think of themselves as Christians because their parents were Christians, or they go to church, or, since they are not anything else, they are - by default - Christians.

This is, of course, wrong. A Christian is one who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, believes that Jesus died and rose again, and has turned from a life of sin to live that is lived for God. As Christians, we don't baptize for the forgiveness of sins, but as a testimony of the new life God has already created in us.

We look to the One who is to come after John the Baptist, who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and fire. We believe that when he separates the wheat from the chaff, we who trust in him will be separated from those who are religious or pay lip service only, and we will be gathered to Him.

Matthew 2:13‭-‬23 Humble Origins

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him."  So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."  Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi....But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, "Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child's life are dead." So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: "He shall be called a Nazarene." [Matthew 2:13-23]

When the magi had left, an angel of the Lord warned Joseph in a dream to take refuge in Egypt. Egypt was an ideally suited hideaway. As a Roman province, it was easy to travel there from Israel, but it was not within Herod's jurisdiction. Also, there was a large population of Jews living in Egypt at the time (about 1 million), so it was easy to get lost in the crowd. It's not known how long they stayed in Egypt, whether it was a few months or a few years, before Herod died.

Herod, known as Herod the Great, was a brilliant architect. He expanded the temple, so that it was commonly referred to as Herod's temple. He built Masada. His stables in Jerusalem were world renowned.

But he was also both paranoid and cruel. Afraid that they were plotting against him, he had his own children killed. So, for him to order the death of every boy two years and younger born in Bethlehem was in character. Since Bethlehem is a small community, this probably amounted to about a dozen children that were killed. As tragic as that is, it didn't even create a blip in the course of world history.

Herod's death was slow and painful. Although we can't be certain, symptomology suggests that he died of chronic kidney disease, complicated by gangrene. Aware of his unpopularity, Herod ordered that a large number of prominent men be killed at the time of his death. Since they would be mourned, he would thereby guaranty that there would be mourning at his own death. After his death, these men were not killed because Herod was no longer around to enforce it.

God told Joseph in a dream that Herod had died, and that he should return to Israel. The Bible acknowledges that Joseph was afraid to return to Bethlehem on account of Herod's son Archelaus. Even so, it was God's warning in a dream that led him to Nazareth in Galilee.

Nazareth wouldn't have been an easy choice to make. Since Mary was from Galilee, the people there would have known that she was pregnant before she and Joseph were married, so she would have carried the stigma of being thought of as an adulteress. Even if they assumed Joseph was the natural father, Jesus was still conceived before the marriage, which would be shameful.

Also, having left Nazareth, It is unlikely they would want to return because Nazareth had an unsavory reputation. To be called a Nazarene was to labeled "low class". When the apostle Nathaniel first heard of Jesus, he said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" [John 1:46 NET]

Thus we see the humble origins of Jesus. A refugee, the firstborn of a despised family, living in a despised town. The King of kings became the lowest of the low that He might save all of humanity.

Matthew 2:1-12 The Magi

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born....Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him."...After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. [Matthew 2:1-12 NASB]

Forget your Christmas cards. You know the ones. Mary and Joseph with Jesus in a manger, surrounded by sheep and cattle, with shepherds (and a little drummer boy?). And in their midst are three wise men with their gifts.

It makes for a pretty Christmas card and a compelling church pageant, but it is not the Bible. The magi (wise men) didn't show up at the manger. Matthew doesn't describe the birth of Jesus, but goes on to tell of events that occurred a year or two after His birth. The Magi didn't go to a manger, they went to the house where Jesus lived with Joseph and Mary. After Herod found out when the star appeared, he ordered the death of boys born in and around Bethlehem two years old and younger.

The identity of the magi is unknown. We know only that they came from the east of Israel, but we are not told their nationality. The fact that they were looking for the King of the Jews indicates that they may have been descended from Jews who were taken into captivity generations before. But that is purely speculation.

The word "magi" means that they were scholars, or "scientists". The fact that they followed a star into Judea indicates that they were possibly astrologers; considered a science at the time. The number of magi who made the trip is also unknown. Tradition says there were three, one bearing each gift. But the Bible doesn't limit the number of magi to three. There may have been a large caravan.

There is a lot of speculation about the star that they followed. I think that it was probably not a natural phenomenon like a star or comet. It simply didn't behave in a natural manner. First, it led the magi from the east to the west. Apparently, it disappeared, because they had to stop and ask directions from Herod, the current self-proclaimed "king of the Jews". Herod inquired of the Biblical Scholars where the Messiah was to be born, and they told him, "in Bethlehem, Judea." When they left Herod, the star appeared again, this time leading them Southeast to Bethlehem (about six miles from Jerusalem). Then the star stood still over the house where Jesus lived. Can you look up and tell which star is directly over your house? I can't either. Even if you have sophisticated equipment, and can pinpoint a star it is constantly changing position in the night sky. They don't just stand still. God provided a supernatural light, described as a "star", to guide the magi to Jesus.

When the magi saw Jesus, the first thing they did was fall to the ground and worship Him. Then they offered costly gifts worthy of a king.

We can follow the example of the magi who left everything they knew to find the Messiah. Stepping out in faith, they followed the light, not knowing where it would lead them. Upon finding Jesus, they worshiped Him. They never sought fame or glory for themselves. We never learned there names (nor much of anything else about them.) They didn't write any books or go on tour saying "Look what we have found! Are we great astrologers, or what?" Obeying the direction of God, they quietly left the area. Again, they didn't argue "But we came so far!" They simply obeyed.

All of the focus was where it belonged - on Jesus.

Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call  his name  Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us ." And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. [Matthew 1:18‭-‬25 NASB]

 It's worth noting the authorship of the book of Matthew. Matthew was Jewish, a tax collector, and one of the twelve apostles. Being Jewish, he wrote to a primarily Jewish audience. So, many of the things he references are within the framework of first century Judaism.

One thing that stands out is the patriarchal nature of Judaism. Unlike Luke, Matthew pays only a passing reference to Mary's role in the birth of Jesus. Joseph, as patriarch of the family, is the one with whom Matthew is concerned. In fact, what we learn of the nature of Jesus' birth comes from God's interactions with Joseph.

Mary and Joseph were betrothed, but not yet married. Betrothal at the time was more binding than modern engagements. Either party can break off an engagement at any time and for any reason. But the betrothal required a divorce to be broken, and only for cause.

The fact that Joseph found Mary to be pregnant indicated that she had committed adultery. Joseph was ready to divorce her until an angel of the Lord came to him in a dream and explained that Mary had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was still a virgin.

We know very little about Joseph. Only that he was a carpenter, that God considered him to be a "righteous man", and that he was obedient to God. We tend to exalt Mary in the Christmas story, and portray Joseph as a hanger-on, somewhere in the background. But we see in this and the following passages that Joseph was truly a man of God, and a man of faith.

Far from fading into the background, he was a leader for his family. He heard from God, and obeyed without question, and without asking for proof.

Mary was chosen to bear Jesus, but Joseph was chosen to raise Him.

Fatherhood is often a thankless job. Consider the dad who takes the time to toss the football with his son, encouraging him, and sharing his experience and wisdom in sports. What does the son say when he finally hits the pros? "Hi, Mom!"

In church pageants every Christmas, Mary gets the spotlight, while Joseph stand quietly in the background looking on. Somehow, I don't think Joseph would mind. He didn't seek glory for himself. He simply obeyed the word of God, and loved and protected his family. He understood that it wasn't about him.

For the men who read this, we will do well if we can follow Joseph's example. Obey God's word. Love your family. And remember, It's not about you.

Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy

The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham....So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations. [Matthew 1:1-17 NASB]

It is necessary, I guess, to discuss the differences between Matthew's genealogy and Luke's.

It is generally accepted that Matthew is presenting the genealogy of Joseph, as Jesus' adoptive father, and that Luke presents the genealogy of Mary. As Joseph's (adopted) firstborn, Jesus has the legal inheritance through the line of David. As a descendant of Nathan (David's son) through Mary, Jesus has the genealogical right to inheritance.

It is noteworthy that when the Jews refuted Jesus' claim as the Messiah, they never attacked his genealogy. To the Jews of the first century, their family's genealogy was their most prized treasure. Without it, there could be no inheritance.

There are countless articles and opinions written about the differences and meanings of the genealogies, but I'm not going to get into that here.

Paul tells us, "But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty." [Titus 3:9 NET] And "...Instruct certain people not to spread false teachings, nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God's redemptive plan that operates by faith." [1 Timothy 1:3-4 NET]

This doesn't mean that there is no value in the genealogies given to us in Scripture. Only that we should avoid endless and foolish speculations about them.

What I find interesting in this long list of names is the four women who are mentioned.

The first is Tamar. She married Judah's son, who died. According to custom, she became the wife of  Judah's second son, who also died. Judah promised that she could marry the third son after he grew up. When it became apparent that Judah would not keep his promise, Tamar dressed as a prostitute, wore a veil so that she wouldn't be recognized, and had sex with Judah. She gave birth to twins, including Perez, one of David's ancestors.

Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute. She is renowned for helping the Israelites spy out Jericho. She hid the spies, and helped them to escape. In return, she and her family were spared when Jericho was destroyed.

Ruth was a Moabite. Because the Moabites opposed Israel in the wilderness, they were considered enemies. Yet, she followed her mother-in-law to Israel and married Boaz.

Finally, Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah. When David had an adulterous relationship with her, she became pregnant, and David tried to cover it up by having Uriah killed.

These women all had something "wrong" with them. Prostitution, adultery, or foreign bloodlines. But none of that matters as they are mentioned with honor in Jesus' genealogy.

All of us have something "wrong" with us as well. But through the redemptive work of Jesus, we have forgiveness, and are mentioned with honor in the book of life.

Galatians 6:6-18 Closing Thoughts

The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith....Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh....The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.

 In his closing comments, Paul leaves us with a few thoughts.

First, in regards to full-time ministry. Those who devote themselves to teaching should be supported by those who receive. He addresses this issue in more detail in 1 Corinthians. "Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?...For it is written in the Law of Moses, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING.”...If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?" [1 Corinthians 9:7-11 NASB]

So we should honor those who teach us, and share with them from what God has provided to us.

In verse 7, he goes back to his previous discussion of the works of the flesh vs the fruit of the Spirit. If you feed the flesh, the flesh will prevail. If you feed the Spirit, the Spirit will prevail. Jesus said, “For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." [Luke 6:43-45 NASB] In the same way, the works of the flesh cannot produce spiritual results.

In a similar vein, we reap good results when we do good. Being spiritual is not about "pie in the sky", ethereal thoughts; sequestering yourself from the world in order to commune with God. Being led by the Spirit means that He will lead you to do good works. These good works are not an effort to please God, or follow any law or set of rules saying, "You should do these good things." Rather, they are done in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

So being spiritual in origin and practical in nature, good works will reap eternal rewards. Don't get caught again in the trap of the law - doing good works because they are expected of you - but be led by the Spirit.

May you know God's grace in all that you think and do.

Galatians 6:1-5 How to Walk in the Spirit

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.

Paul is continuing his discussion contrasting the flesh vs the Spirit. There are two people in this passage. The one who is caught in any trespass is the one who is living in the flesh. The one who is spiritual is the one who is walking in the spirit.

He is suggesting that those who have learned to walk in the Spirit should mentor those who are not as far along. If you take on the role of mentor there will be temptations.

The most obvious temptation is to identify too much with the one you are teaching. In order to appear "sympathetic", you will join him in his fleshly pursuits. In the end, you will roll in the mud together.

The other temptation is pride. When comparing yourself to a believer who is still struggling with spirituality, it's easy to see your own, more advanced spiritual state, and think that you have somehow attained it by your own merit.

I used to be a believer that lived in the flesh. In spite of my good intentions, I couldn't overcome the sin in my life, and it ruled me. I never denied my faith, but I wasn't living the way I should. When I learned to walk in the Spirit, God delivered me from those sinful patterns. As he said, "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16]\

Because I still live in this body, my flesh still tries to rise up - not in the old sinful behavior from which God delivered me - but in the form of pride. I confess; pride is my nemesis. I want to compare my spirituality with other "less spiritual" believers. I want to think that I made the connection and the effort to walk in the Spirit. But I know that these are false.

Learning to walk in the Spirit didn't happen because of a great intellectual leap on my part. It happened because the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. I didn't overcome any sin on my own, but He took it from me. I did none of the work. He did everything. For my part, I believed, and I trusted.

Walking in the Spirit requires an act of faith. When you are tempted, you tell yourself, "I shouldn't do that." Then you steel yourself to resist the temptation. The problem is that telling yourself "I shouldn't" is an act of law, which is of the flesh. Trying to resist is an act of the flesh. You are only strengthening your flesh, which leads to more sin.

The first step in walking in the Spirit is acknowledging Him. When you are tempted, don't resist. Instead acknowledge that you are being tempted, then turn your heart and mind to Jesus. Stay there and rest in Him. Remember that He is living inside your heart, so you don't have to look out somewhere for help. He is right there.

You know that feeling you get when you are in the presence of the Holy Spirit? I'm not talking about your emotional reaction, but the feeling deep in your spirit, deeper than emotion. Emotions fluctuate. They come and go, depending on our circumstances. But the feeling of the presence of God does not depend on emotion.

Meditate on Him in prayer, and when you feel the presence of God, hang on to that feeling. Remember what it is like to be in His presence.

As you go through your day, you can feel the presence of God in everything you do; while working, playing, talking, or whatever you are doing. If you are driving your car and your spouse is sitting next to you, you don't forget your spouse just because you are driving. You can drive and also be aware of the presence of another person in the car. In the same way, you can drive and be aware of the Holy Spirit in you heart.

It is not easy at first to maintain an awareness of God. You get busy and your mind drifts. But as you remember, turn your mind back toward God, and maintain that awareness in the back of your mind. With practice, you will find that it becomes natural and habitual.

Living with full awareness of the Spirit of God, abiding in Him, this is what it means to walk in the Spirit. Learning to live without rules and being led by the Spirit is like stepping out of the boat and walking on the water. It takes faith. Trust God, and step out in faith.

Galatians 5:13-26 Walk by the Spirit

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another....But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh....But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Paul has used a variety of arguments to convince us that we should not follow the Law. For us gentile believers, that includes any of the rules and rituals we have made up in an effort to please God, or become more righteous.

He gave many of the same arguments when he wrote to the believers in Rome. He asked, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" [Romans 6:1-2 NASB]

In Galatians, he heads off that question. We are called to be free. But freedom is not an excuse to sin. We are free to walk in the Spirit of God, and to be led by him. If you are walking in the Spirit you won't sin.

I have heard it said many times that it is not possible to live without sinning. They were wrong. In the flesh it is impossible, but don't let your experience of trying to overcome sin by following the rules, or exerting your will in an effort to be better, color your understanding of life in the Spirit. You can't judge the Spirit by your experience in the flesh.

God has not set an impossible goal ahead of us. But he empowered us by giving us His Spirit to live in us. He wants us to live by faith in His ability to lead us.

Someone may ask, "if there are no rules, how do we know what is right or wrong?" Paul's answer is simple: It's obvious. He provides a long list of fleshly, immoral behavior. This is not a list of "thou shalt not's". They are more like signposts of your spiritual life. If you find yourself getting drunk, watching porn, lashing out in anger, following New Age practices (which is idolatry), being jealous, or anything else like that, then you know that you are living in the flesh and not in the Spirit. And this is not a comprehensive list. For example, murder and robbery are not on the list, but I think we can agree that these are also works of the flesh.

Take note of Paul's warning "that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

But if you walk by the Spirit, you will show the fruit of the spirit. This passage is frequently taken out of context, and the fruit of the Spirit is held up as a list of attributes that we should aspire to have. "Work hard to be more loving and peaceful. Be patient. Be kind. etc." The principle holds that any effort on our part to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit is an act of the flesh, and will fail.

The emphasis is on walking in the Spirit. As the Spirit leads you, you will find that you are more able to love. You will experience more peace, not because you worked for it, but because the Holy Spirit has caused it to grow. The fruit of the Spirit is another signpost of you spiritual life. When you see these types of attributes, don't become proud, but recognize that you are on the right path.

Again, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list. For example, generosity and humility are not on this list, yet they also are fruits of the Spirit.

By their nature, we know which acts are right or wrong. If we walk in the flesh, we will carry out the deeds of the flesh. But if we walk in the Spirit we will carry out the deeds of the Spirit..

Galatians 5:1-12 Fallen From Grace

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.  Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love....I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

Paul is using the example of circumcision as a tenant of the law. The principle would hold true if he used keeping kosher, observing the sabbath, ritual cleansings, or any of the 613 Jewish commandments. The principle applies equally to any of the religious rules and rituals we follow.

The point being made here is that if you keep one part of the law, you are under obligation to keep the whole law. We are also told, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." [James 2:10 NASB]

Paul takes it even further, stating that those who have chosen to follow the law have fallen from grace. It's an either/or proposition. Either you are saved by grace, or you are saved by your works. If you could be saved by your works, then Jesus died in vain.

If you persist in choosing to do works as a path to righteousness, then you are denying the grace that God gave you, and are turning your back on the cross. Again, Paul goes so far as to say that if you persist in choosing to be sanctified by means of religious rituals, then you will be severed from Christ.

But Jesus did not die in vain. We are saved by grace through faith. We are also sanctified by grace through faith. All of our righteousness is from Him. We cannot progress in our Christian walk through any work of the flesh, but only as the Holy Spirit works in us, and as we work together with Him in faith.

Your religion doesn't matter. No denomination is better than another, but only your faith. "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "but the righteous man shall live by faith." [Romans 1:17]

Rules and rituals are crutches we lean on in our spiritual walk. But our crutches quickly turn into chains.

But Jesus has set us free from those chains. Throw away the rule book and walk by faith. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Therefore, walk in that freedom, and let the Spirit of Christ lead you into righteousness.

Galatians 4:1-31 Religion vs Relationship

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God....But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years....Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar....And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Here Paul gives two more allegories to illustrate his point that we are to live by faith, and not by the rule of law.

In the first, he compares those who live by the law to a child who is under guardians and managers. Even as adults, if we live under the management of rules that tell us "do this" or "don't do that", then we have never matured. We are still under the authority of a guardian. Only when we are free from the law can we mature and come into our inheritance.

God has adopted us as his own children. Because of the this, He sent the Spirit of Jesus into our hearts.

When we pray, we are not praying to a God who is far away in Heaven. He is not far away, but is near. I have heard some preachers suggest that we imagine Jesus in the room with us. Then talk to him as if he is sitting nearby. But Jesus is closer than that. He is in your heart. Not the physical organ, but the deepest part of who you are, where your spirit resides.

Jesus said, "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." [John 14:20 NASB] Because the Spirit of Jesus is in your heart, His spirit and your spirit become one. He is in you, and you are in Him. When you seek God, don't look for Him on the throne of Heaven because you can't go there in this life. Don't imagine him sitting in the room with you because that still places Him too far away. You will find God in your own heart, because He has placed His Spirit there.

There is a false religion that teaches that humanity is divine. Or that God lives in the heart of all men. Truth, they say, is found by looking within yourself. Don't confuse what I'm saying with that. People are not divine. God does not live in the heart of all people, only those who have placed their trust in the Lordship of Jesus. And we do not find any answers by looking within ourselves, but by seeking God, who is within us.

Having been set free from constraints of law, why do we insist upon being bound by religion. Religion says go to church on Sunday (or Saturday or Friday, depending on the religion). Religion tells us to eat at certain times, or fast at certain times, or which foods to eat or which to avoid; what to drink or not drink; which holidays to observe. The list goes on and on, and the more legalistic the religion, the longer the list becomes.

When I first came to Christ in the 1970's, many churches were still caught up in what was called the "holiness movement". Although there was nothing holy about it. "Holiness" churches mandated a dress code for church services. The top button must be buttoned so that you would not be a temptation to others. Women wore dresses, not pants. It was a sin to go to a movie theater (because we know what people do in the dark). Boys and girls could not go to the beach together, lest they see each other in revealing swimwear and be tempted. And on and on. Violations of the code would have you removed from the church.

The holiness movement has evolved. Church leaders decided to take a stand against "legalism" by dropping prohibitions about such things as dancing and theater attendance, while continuing to condemn alcohol and tobacco use as sin. Put another way, they couldn't live by their own rules, so they made the rules easier, but still remain in bondage to the letter of the law. They just changed some of the letters.

"But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?"

You who insist on being ruled by the law are like the children of Hagar the bondwoman. You are living in the flesh, and trying to make yourself righteous by acts of the flesh. You are like a child who puts on his dad's oversized shoes and coat and says, "I'm all grown up". But, in truth, you are still immature, the son of a bondwoman living under the authority of a tutor. The goal of "holiness" is to be free from sin, but no act of will, which is of the flesh, can free you from sin.

But God's promise to us is that we can be free. We are children of God and children of promise. God doesn't want your religion, he wants a relationship with His children. Walk in the freedom that God has given you. The Holy Spirit is alive in your heart. Listen to Him, and trust Him to lead you into righteousness. 

It may be scary to leave behind the rules of religion and rely on the Holy Spirit for every moral decision. It takes faith. But the rewards are far more than worth it. When you are free from the law, you are free to have a mature relationship with God the Father. When you are free from the bondage of religion, the Holy Spirit will free you from the bondage of sin.