Matthew 9:20-22 A Woman Healed

And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, "If I only touch His garment, I will get well." But Jesus turning and seeing her said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." At once the woman was made well. [Matthew 9:20‭-‬22 NASB]

 The book of Mark gives more details of this incident.

"A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”" [Mark 5:25-34 NASB]

This woman was afraid. It wasn't that she was shy or timid, but she had a legitimate reason to be afraid. In the Jewish culture, any person with an issue of blood was considered unclean, and anyone they touched became unclean as well. It was her obligation to keep herself away from other people. Her unhealed hemorrhage gave her the same status as a leper.

Jesus had previously healed a leper by walking up to the leper and touching him. This case is different. Jesus didn't approach her. She didn't get his attention and ask to be healed. She tried to be secretive, by blending into the crowd, and brushing against him, as so many others were. Jesus was not fooled. He was aware of the difference between a casual touch, and the touch of faith. 

I'm only speculating, but I think that when Jesus said, "Who touched My garments?", he already knew the answer. The Bible says, "He looked around to see the woman who had done this." He knew where to look. I think His purpose was to give her the opportunity to publicly testify.

Jesus said, "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." [Matthew 10:32-33 NASB] 

Jesus gave this woman the opportunity to either confess Him or deny Him. In spite of her fear and trembling, she chose wisely and confessed Him.

She was healed the moment she acted in faith. The power of God flowed from Jesus the moment she touched Him. His words to her weren't for her healing, but for her comfort.

He called her "Daughter". She is the only one recorded in the Bible to be called "Daughter". Her flow of blood meant that she had been unclean, ostracized, and outcast for the last 12 years. Jesus' term of endearment demonstrated complete acceptance.

Jesus said, "go in peace and be healed of your affliction." She had already been healed, but now, instead of sneaking away, she can go with Jesus' blessing.

Matthew 9:18-26 Raising a Dead Girl

While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples....When Jesus came into the official's house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, He said, "Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him. But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. This news spread throughout all that land. [Matthew 9:18‭-‬26 NASB]

Jesus repeatedly showed His contempt for the hypocrisy of the religious establishment. In this passage He demonstrates that He has compassion for the leaders of that establishment. It was a synagogue official who came to Him. When Jesus saw the man's pain and humility, He responded with grace. There was no reprimand nor vindictiveness. He might have said, "It is you religious leaders who are persecuting and denying me. And now that you have a need, you come to Me?" He didn't say anything like that. He simply got up and followed the man.

As for the official, he demonstrated great faith. He said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live." How many of us dare to ask Jesus to raise the dead? And of those, how many pray in faith that Jesus will actually do it? He didn't ask Jesus if He could do it. He made his need known to Jesus and said, "she will live."

Jesus responded at once and came to the official's house. Notice the mention of flute players and a noisy crowd. These were probably paid mourners. It was the custom of the time to pay for people to mourn a death. Even the very poor paid for mourners. The minimum was "two flute players and one wailing woman". As a synagogue official this man would have been wealthier, so he had a crowd. their lack of true sympathy was revealed by their reaction to Jesus. They began laughing at Him. They went from weeping and wailing to scornful laughter in the blink of an eye.

Even as He responded with grace toward the grieving father, he responded with scorn toward the hypocritical "mourners". Just as He drove the merchants and money changers from the temple, so he drove the professional mourners from the home of a grieving family.

Then He did what the official asked of Him. "He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up."

Jesus didn't go around raising dead people. But He responded to this father's faith, and raised his daughter.

If you need a miracle in your life, don't hesitate to ask Jesus, just because you've never seen it done before. Jesus is God. All things were made by Him, and He has the power of creation. Pray in faith that the God of creation will do mighty things in your life.

Matthew 9:14-17 Fasting

Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.  But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.  Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved." [Matthew 9:14‭-‬17 NASB]

 For a practice that seems to dominate much of religious life, there is very little instruction about fasting in the Bible. Jesus told us that we should do so privately, and not to be seen. We have today's passage, and the rest must be discerned from a very few examples.

In the Old Testament, fasting was an act of mourning and repentance, seeking God's mercy. It was a show of humility.

In the New Testament, the Pharisees made a very public show of fasting twice a week. They were very proud of their humility. The disciples of John the Baptist followed the example of their leader who preached that people needed to humble themselves and repent. They were still operating under the Old Covenant.

Jesus taught that it was inappropriate for His disciples to mourn, or to fast since fasting was an outward sign of mourning. Mourning when you are joyful is like patching an old garment, or putting new wine in an old wineskin. It is inappropriate and has no value.

We have three examples of fasting in the New Testament. Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness in preparation for His public ministry. Interestingly, there is no record of the disciples fasting after Jesus' death (although they did go fishing).

There are two passages that mention fasting in the book of acts. The first is in chapter 13. There were prophets and teachers gathered in Antioch. "While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." [Acts 13:2-3 NASB]

In the second instance, Paul and Barnabas were visiting a number of churches that had been established. "When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed." [Acts 14:23 NASB]

Under the New Covenant, we no longer fast as a sign of mourning, because through the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Bridegroom (Jesus) is always with us. However, the believers in the book of Acts followed the example of Jesus in that they fasted as a preparation for ministry. 

If you feel an urgency to fast, then do so, but make sure your motivations are pure. We don't mourn the absence of Jesus, because He is with us. Fasting so that your prayers will be answered is not appropriate. God hears our prayers and knows our needs. He answers our prayers because He loves us, not because we have coerced Him, or shown ourselves to be "spiritual" by fasting.

If you are seeking direction, fasting will not make God speak to you, but it may focus your mind so that you are more able to hear Him. 

When preparing for works of ministry, it is appropriate to fast. When the disciples failed to cast out a demon, Jesus instructed them, “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” [Matthew 17:21 NASB] This confirms that fasting is not only appropriate, but an important part of preparing for ministry.

I confess that I don't know how fasting affects our spirit, because the Bible doesn't explain it. I can infer that fasting prepares your spirit to commune with God. He is always there, and always available to us, though we may not always give Him our attention. Fasting is not for God, but for ourselves. It is not to convince Him, but to prepare ourselves.

Matthew 9:9-13 Eating With Sinners

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector's booth; and He said to him, "Follow Me!" And he got up and followed Him.  Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, "Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?" But when Jesus heard this, He said, " It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means: 'I desire  compassion , and not sacrifice ,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." [Matthew 9:9‭-‬13 NASB]

Religious people today are not much different than they were 2000 years ago. I don't know very many Christians who would sit down and eat with an abortion provider. And it's in the news that Christians are denying service to gay people. Not only that, they are receiving awards from other Christians for their denial of service. This is not the example that Jesus set.

Consider who Jesus ate with. Tax collectors of the time weren't like the IRS who have to go through a legal process to get your taxes. The tax collectors of Jesus' time were considered even worse than Gentiles. They were traitors. They collaborated with Rome in the oppression of Israel. Their methods were heavy handed. They didn't only sit in an office waiting for taxes to come in. Rather, they forced their way into peoples homes and took what they wanted. They didn't typically limit what they took to taxable goods, but took the best items out of the home for their personal gain.

Tax collectors were the most despised people in Israel, even more than the Romans. Jesus sat and ate with them, and called one of them to be his disciple.

If Jesus followed the example of many modern Christians, He would have picketed the tax collector's booth, and called him out to his face by calling him a traitor, and an evil man. And the gospel of Matthew would not exist.

By showing them acceptance and love - not judgement - Jesus was able to win the hearts of the lost.

"Sinner's" in this context refers to irreligious Jews. In the church today, they would be comparable to non-Christians. The level of their sin is irrelevant, whether they were thieves and carousers or "good" people going about their business. They were not worshipers of God.

We too, were sinners before we came to Jesus. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8 NASB]

Personally, I am very glad that I met a Christian who was willing to spend time with me -  a non-Christian. It was through his acceptance of me, and his example that I came to know Jesus as my Lord.

Instead of judging the world, let's accept it for what it is; lost and in need of a Savior. The world is sick and needs the Physician.

Matthew 9:1-8 Healing and Forgiveness

Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.  And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven."  And some of the scribes said to themselves, "This fellow blasphemes." And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, and walk'?  But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home."  And he got up and went home. But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. [Matthew 9:1‭-‬8 NASB]

Jesus continues to shake up the religious establishment. By this time people were used to the idea that Jesus was a healer. But when Jesus saw the paralytic, he went beyond healing and said, "your sins are forgiven." 

The result was predictable. Whenever a religious person sees something he doesn't understand or agree with, it is labeled "blasphemy".

Jesus defends Himself against the charge of blasphemy by demonstrating His authority. The same one who says, "Your sins are forgiven" also says, "Get up, and walk."

Some religious people today accept that Jesus heals sins, but deny that he can or will heal physical infirmities.

Jesus has authority to forgive sins and to heal. At no time has Jesus abrogated that authority. Don't believe it when people say that God no longer heals.

When I was a young Christian, an older man stuck his face two inches from mine, and said in a very angry voice, "Healing is of the devil!" As a young believer, I didn't know a lot, but I understood enough to know that this couldn't be true.

The Bible says, "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." [Acts 10:38 NASB]

I never read a verse that said that the devil went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by God. I did read, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." [John 10:10 NASB]

Somehow, the tradition got handed down that says that healing and miracles were limited to Jesus and the original twelve apostles. I'm reminded of Jesus' words, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition....thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down." [Mark 7:9-13 NASB]

As for the continuation of the healing power of God, Paul taught about gifts given to believers in the church. "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit....For to one is given....gifts of healing by the one Spirit," [1 Corinthians 12:4-9 NASB]

And James instructed the church, "Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." [James 5:14-15 NASB]

Satan may be the "god of this world" but he has no authority in the kingdom of God. Jesus has all authority. And if He can forgive your sins, then He can heal your body. When Jesus uses His authority to heal your body, He brings glory to God.

Matthew 8:28-34 Demonic Knowledge

When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. And they cried out, saying, "What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. The demons began to entreat Him, saying, "If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine." And He said to them, "Go!" And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region. [Matthew 8:28‭-‬34 NASB]

The first thing I see in this passage is that demons may have more spiritual insight than humans. Even though they feared Him, they recognized Jesus as the Son of God.

A similar incident happened to Paul. "It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling. Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out at that very moment." [Acts 16:16-18 NASB]

You will encounter many people in life who are "spiritual". Many of these will talk about God, and identify Jesus as the Son of God. They will come in the guise of believers. Remember the warning, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." [James 2:19 NASB] Jesus was speaking of false prophets when he said, "“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’" [Matthew 7:22-23 NASB]

I believe that there are psychics in this world who are con artists who are very good at reading the subtle clues given off by their marks. I also believe that there are real psychics who are in league with a demon that gives them knowledge and spiritual insight. It's easy to spot a psychic when they hang a "psychic readings" sign in a window. It's harder when they come into the church claiming to have a gift of prophecy or words of knowledge.

Their purpose in doing so would be to sow confusion and discord within the church. Don't simply accept a person as a "gifted man of God" simply because he can show signs and wonders. Look at the fruit of his life. Listen to his words. Do they divide or unite? Do they injure or heal? Is the gospel he preaches true and pure from the Bible, or does it seem "off"? 

Jesus responded to the demons by casting them out. I am not, of course, implying that you should cast demons out of everybody who's theology you disagree with.

Don't by taken in by somebody just because they seem to have spiritual knowledge. A godly person may have spiritual knowledge because of the Spirit of God that lives in him. A worldly person may have spiritual knowledge because of demonic influence. The difference lies, not in the accuracy of the knowledge, but in the truth of the message. As Jesus said, "“You will know them by their fruits." [Matthew 7:16 NASB]

Matthew 8:18-22 The Cost of Following Jesus

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea.  Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead." [Matthew 8:18‭-‬22 NASB]

Jesus proved Himself to be contemptuous of religious practices of the day. I believe He is just as contemptuous of our religious practices today.

Jesus' response when He saw a large crowd was to give the order to leave the crowd behind, and go to the other side of the lake. He never set out to draw a crowd, and was happy to leave it behind. Churches today measure their success by the size of the crowd attending their services. Church growth seminars and conferences exist for pastors. I have attended these seminars, and can tell you that the emphasis is not on winning the community for Christ, so that they fill the church. They emphasize programs and orders of service. Music leaders are given formulas for how to conduct an effective "worship" service.

Pastors of mega-churches are held in high esteem. They must be very blessed by God to have so many followers, right? Don't count on it. A charismatic speaker who tells people what they want to hear will most often draw bigger crowds than the man of God telling people what they need to hear.

Then there's the way Jesus recruits followers. He doesn't make it easy. In evangelical churches, it is common to end the service with a call for salvation. Typically the pastor will say something like "With every head bowed and every eye closed, if you want to follow Jesus today, raise your hand. Don't worry, nobody is looking." This is not a call for public testimony or commitment.

I want to see people get saved as much as anybody, but I sometimes think we make it too easy. If you count the number of people who have raised their hand for salvation in the last year, the local church would not be able to hold them all. There should be no empty seats. So where did they all go?

I think many are like the scribe who came to Jesus. Making an emotional decision, they say, "I will follow you." Then reality sets in. The heavens didn't open up for them in glory. They weren't instantly blessed with abundance and riches. In short, nothing got better. Jesus dealt with the scribe by saying, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Perhaps we should make it a little harder. Let people know that there is a cost to following Jesus. Jesus promises trials, tribulations, and persecution for those who follow him. It doesn't make for a good sales pitch, but if they count the cost before they commit, they are less likely to be disillusioned by reality.

Some others are like the disciple who wanted to bury his father. In the idiom of the time, this didn't mean that his father was dead, and he needed to go dig a grave. I meant that he would put off following Jesus while he took care of his father. That could be a year or twenty years - the meaning is the same. Some make an initial commitment (remember that this was a disciple who came to Jesus), then the responsibilities of life intrude. They have to choose between commitment to the world and commitment to Jesus. Jesus said, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."

I bless soul winners. I bless the pastors and ministers who give a call for salvation at each service, inviting people to know Jesus. I invite these wonderful people to consider the tactics of Jesus when dealing with new recruits. They don't need a sale pitch. It is the Holy Spirit who draws them. What they need is education. Let them know that it is not always easy being a Christian, and that once they are committed, they need to be fully committed to Jesus. Then they need follow-up so that they know where to go from here.

Matthew 8:14-17 In Peter's House

When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: " he  himself took our infirmities and  carried away our diseases ." [Matthew 8:14‭-‬17 NASB]

First, it is established that Peter was married. This flies in the face of the tradition of priests not being allowed to marry, give that the "first pope" was married. Nor did he abandon his family. He cared enough to invite Jesus into his home where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. We also know Peter's wife traveled with him. "Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?" [1 Corinthians 9:5 NASB] (Cephas being another name for Peter).

When Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law, she got up and served Him. I had a Bible professor in college say that Jesus was hungry and healed her so that she could fix his dinner. To this day, I don't know if he was joking or serious, but I'm pretty sure Jesus' motives were less selfish. The fact that he got a dinner out of it was a bonus.

Seriously though, her response was appropriate. Luke's account says that she had a "high fever" or in the Greek, a mega-fever. This indicates that what she had wasn't a simple cold or flu, but a more serious infection. When Jesus healed her, the kingdom of God came to her. Our response to the kingdom of God should be the same - a willingness to serve Jesus. In her case, it was immediate and very practical. He was hungry, she was well enough to cook, so she prepared a meal.

Notice that she didn't wait for a grand calling. She didn't say, "I don't know His plan for me. So I will wait and see. If I am called to be a cook, then I will prepare meals." I know that sounds silly, but how many of us fail to do any work for the kingdom of God because we are waiting to be sure of our calling? 

Peter's mother-in-law did what was at hand, according to her abilities. God may have a particular calling for you, but He may make you wait for a season to fulfill it. In the meantime, look around and see what is at hand that you can do. What if you are called to preach, but there are no preaching opportunities open to you? Does the church need ushers? Maybe you can help trim the landscaping. If you're good with a saw and a hammer, you might help to remodel. These things may have nothing to do with your calling, but remember Jesus' words, "His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’" [Matthew 25:21 NASB] If you prove faithful in the small things, God will reward you with greater things.

Later, crowds came to the house, and Jesus healed them and cast out demons. Jesus transitioned from ministering to one person to ministering to a crowd. But nobody got lost in the crowd or overlooked. Jesus healed "all who were ill".

Never think that God has overlooked you. You may have to wait for season. You may not understand Him or what He is doing. But Jesus is with you always, and He love you as an individual.

Matthew 8:5-13 The Centurion

And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented." Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him."  But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it. " Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.  I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven;  but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed that very moment. [Matthew 8:5‭-‬13 NASB]

The Jews deeply detested Gentiles, and especially Romans, whom they saw as their oppressors. If a Jew saw another Jew lying injured by the side of the road, he would be compelled by law to help the fellow Jew, even at his own expense. If a Jew saw a gentile lying injured by the side of the road, he would be compelled by culture and tradition to leave him there.

Therefore, for Jesus to actually stop and talk to a Roman centurion was outrageous. For Him to offer to enter the centurion's home to heal a servant was a complete rebuttal of Jewish tradition. Even the centurion understood that a Jew did not enter the home of a Roman.

This tradition was so ingrained that it continued into the early church. It took three visions for God to convince Peter to enter into the home of Cornelius (a Gentile). Afterwards, he was condemned by his fellow apostles for the act. (See Acts chapters 10 and 11). Even though he was vindicated by the Holy Spirit, Peter lost his status as the leader of the Jerusalem church. (That position fell to James).

The centurion demonstrated great faith by coming to Jesus for help. It is doubtful that he worshiped the Hebrew God, much less that he had any kind of understanding of the Trinity. Nevertheless, he understood authority, and rightly discerned that Jesus was acting under an authority. At this point, even Jesus' disciples didn't understand the relationship between God the Father and God the Son, nor that Jesus willingly submitted Himself to the authority of His Father. But the centurion's faith allowed him to understand just enough, for he said, "I also am a man under authority...."

The principle here is that authority exists only where it has been given. If I walk up to a thief and say, "You are under arrest," he will laugh in my face and walk away. But if a police officer, who has been given authority, says to the thief, "You are under arrest," then the thief is compelled to go with the arresting officer.

Even though Jesus is God, "In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form," [Colossians 2:9 NASB], He submitted Himself to the Father. "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." [Philippians 2:6-8 NASB]

Therefore He was able to pray, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”" [Matthew 26:39 NASB]

If I act of my own accord, it is meaningless. But if I am led by the Spirit of God, and act according to His will and authority, then I will have my reward in the kingdom of God.

Mattew 8:1-4 Cleansing of the Leper

When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." [Matthew 8:1‭-‬4 NASB]

It seems that Jesus made it a point to outrage the religious establishment. Leprosy made a man unclean. A Pharisee would no sooner touch a leper than he would eat lunch out of a dead body.

This is what the Levitical law has to say about a leper: "As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ “He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp." [Leviticus 13:45-46 NASB]

Under the law, the leper was unclean, and was ostracized. Jewish tradition went even further. One would have to stay at lease 6 feet away from him, or if the leper was upwind one would have to stay 150 feet away.

If anyone touched a leper, he would become unclean and would need to go through ceremonial cleansing to become clean again. When Jesus touched the leper, He did not become unclean because, as God, He is pure and incapable of becoming unclean. Instead, the purity of Jesus cleansed the leper.

Jesus told the man to go to the priest and present the offering of cleansing. This was not necessary for him to become clean again, because Jesus already took care of that. The offering was done, not to be cleansed, but to be a testimony.

When Jesus died on the cross, his blood cleansed the world. We have only to accept Him by faith to receive that cleansing.

This means sins are forgiven, and whatever is filthy and dark in our lives is made clean and shiny. 

When we are baptized, we are not baptized for the forgiveness of sins. That was the baptism of John the Baptist. The forgiveness of sins is already ours when we confess them to God and ask his forgiveness. The blood of Jesus has cleansed us from our sins. We are not baptized for cleansing, but as an outward testimony of what the Holy Spirit has done within.

Matthew 7:24‭-‬29 Sermon on the Mount Summarized

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.  Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell-and great was its fall."   When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. [Matthew 7:24‭-‬29 NASB]

Remember the lessons that Jesus has taught us so far. The themes covered in the Sermon on the Mount are:

• Humility - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." [Matthew 5:3 NASB] In the Beatitudes, Jesus is teaching us that the humble and penitent man is the one whom God considers blessed. This is counter to the culture of the world that glorifies power, position, wealth and fame. The humble man will stand in the face of persecution and endure it, where the prideful man will take up arms against it. "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." [James 4:6 NASB]
• Righteousness based on faith instead of law - "For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." [Matthew 5:20 NASB] The Pharisees were meticulous about keeping to the letter of the Law. But Jesus ushered in a New Covenant to replace the old. "this is the covenant that I will make with them  after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them," [Hebrews 10:16 NASB] He has give us His Spirit, and by the power of that Spirit, we can live righteously. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]
• The dangers of hypocrisy - "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven." [Matthew 6:1 NASB] "But the LORD said to Samuel, "For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." [1 Samuel 16:7 NASB] Check your motivation that you are serving at the pleasure of God and not for your own pride.
• Simplicity of prayer - "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name...." [Matthew 6:7-9 NASB] Don't simply recite the Lord's prayer. If you do, it will become a meaningless repetition. Instead see the lesson Jesus is teaching. This prayer is short, simple, and to the point. You can drop the "thee and thou" and flowery language. If you have a need, simply ask in faith for God to provide. If you are interceding for another, simply ask God to intervene. Prayer is a conversation with God, not a display of religion.
• Faith in God's provision - “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?" [Matthew 6:25 NASB] Our God is a good Father. He doesn't promise us riches, but He does promise that our basic needs will be met. This doesn't happen by sitting back and waiting for manna to fall from heaven. But He will make a way for us to work and earn what we need. "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." [2 Thessalonians 3:10 NASB] We are not like a 30 year old child still living in Mom and Dad's basement, expecting to be waited on and provided for.
• Judgmentalism - "Do not judge so that you will not be judged." [Matthew 7:1 NASB] The Bible says that all of us "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB] None of us has a sinless background, but we have relied on God's grace for our salvation and forgiveness. Just as God tolerated our sin, and led us to repentance, we need to tolerate others and pray for their salvation. "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" [Romans 2:4 NASB]
• Danger of false teachers - "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?" [Matthew 7:15-16 NASB] Don't follow a preacher or spiritual leader based on signs, number of followers, or empty promises of "health and wealth". But rightly judge their teaching that they are teaching the true word of God. See the fruit of their life, whether they are profiting from the labor of their followers or if they are living a humble life, and submitting themselves to others.

James tells us, But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. [James 1:22-24 NASB]

Matthew 7:15‭-‬23 False Prophets

"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  So then, you will know them by their fruits.   "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.  Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.' [Matthew 7:15‭-‬23 NASB]

From the beginning of the church, there have been those who would try to gain from the gospel for their own purposes. When Philip preached in Samaria, many miracles were performed which caught the attention of Simon the magician. He eventually believed and was baptized. Then Peter and John came and laid hands on the people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. "Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”" [Acts 8:18-19 NASB] He craved the power he once had, and was ready to pervert the power of the Holy Spirit into something that could be bought and sold.

The gospel is for sale in modern America.

I have listened to preachers of the so-called "prosperity doctrine". What they are promoting isn't the prosperity defined in the Bible, but they are preaching a doctrine of riches and greed (which is idolatry). 

Prosperity preachers define prosperity as financial wealth. The Bible demonstrates prosperity as succeeding in whatever God calls you to do. Is the pastor of a mega-church more spiritual than the pastor of a small local church? Is Joel Osteen more spiritual than Mother Teresa? I have never heard Osteen preach the gospel. I have, however, heard him preach about money, and especially how you will be blessed if you give your money to him. He grows wealthy at the expense of the desperate.

Prosperity preachers equate spirituality with financial gain. The more you have, the closer you are to God. Yet Jesus praised the poor widow in the temple who gave a penny - not the wealthy who gave much.

They want you to speak positive affirmations over your life, speaking health and wealth into existence. But Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." [Matthew 16:24 NASB]

False prophets are almost always skilled at speaking and manipulating. They prey on the lost of the world and on Christians who are weak in the faith. People who are desperate will latch on to anyone who tells them what they want to hear. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." [2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB]

Many who are poor think that more money will be there deliverance. When the preacher says "give to this ministry and God will double it back!" they respond. It's like buying a lotto ticket.

Those who need healing will follow the one who promises healing. But what does the Bible say? "Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." [James 5:14-15 NASB] This is what the local church body is for. This is why it is good to be involved in a church that preaches and believes the Bible, rather than chasing after "faith healers".

There are false prophets who speak in the name of Jesus and have healings and miracles as a part of their ministry. And Jesus will say to them, "I never knew you; depart from me." Don't judge a preacher based on the signs in his ministry, or on the number of his followers. Look at the fruit of his life.

The man of God should be humble, not arrogant. Many like to dress in fine robes of their office, showing themselves to be "clergy, above the common man". Those from a tradition that does not allow robes dress themselves in suits that cost more than my college education. "Reverend" is applied to anyone in full-time ministry. As a tradition, there's nothing inherently wrong with that, but there are some who insist on it. Some are "The Reverend" or "The Right Reverend" or His Holiness. They like to impress people by dropping the names of world leaders that they associate with.

Just because a preacher has thousands of followers, that doesn't mean he is being blessed by God. It may just mean that he is especially good at manipulation, and telling people what they want to hear.

The man of God will fully demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Don't look for signs, or numbers of followers. Before committing to a spiritual leader, judge his message. Follow the one who preaches the unadulterated gospel - Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, giving us the gift of His Holy Spirit so that we can all have the power to live in the purity and righteousness of God. The talk should be Christ-centered, and not preacher-centered.

Don't let yourself become like the false prophets. Seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. As for myself, when I stand before the Lord, instead of "I never knew you", I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’" [Matthew 25:23 NASB]

Matthew 7:13-14 The Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. [Matthew 7:13‭-‬14 NASB]

As Christians, we wish that everyone would become a Christian too. I have often heard of people envisioning a move of God that sweeps across the country, so that almost everyone will become saved. That is a grand dream, but there are some spiritual truths that cannot be denied.

The first is that - for now - this world is under the dominion of Satan. Paul refers to him as "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). Jesus calls him the ruler of this world “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out." [John 12:31 NASB] And, "“I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;" [John 14:30 NASB]

And John said, "We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." [1 John 5:19 NASB]

Satan's goal is to destroy God's work. 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] And Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." [John 10:10 NASB]

The second truth is that, even without demonic influence, the human soul is corrupt and capable of evil. We are told, "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." "Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving," "the poison of asps is under their lips"; "whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness"; "their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known." "there is no fear of  God before their eyes." [Romans 3:10‭-‬18 NASB]

Jesus said, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil." [John 3:19 NASB]

However, in spite of the evil in the world, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." [John 3:16-17 NASB]

Satan may have dominion in this world, but he does not have dominion over those who are in Christ. "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." [Colossians 1:13-14 NASB]

We are no longer citizens of this world, subject to the ruler of this world. We are citizens of the kingdom of God. "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household," [Ephesians 2:19 NASB]

 

The spiritual truth that Jesus is communicating in today's passage is that true followers of Christ will always be in the minority. That shouldn't stop us from trying to reach as many people as we can for Him, but we should be careful to not grow discouraged when they refuse Him.

Instead, let us glory in our salvation, and rejoice whenever a soul is saved.

Matthew 7:7‭-‬12 Ask, Seek and Knock

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!   "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. [Matthew 7:7‭-‬12 NASB]

God is good. It is in His nature to give good things to His children. There is a cliche that says, "God gives us what we need, not what we want." I think this is true, but gives the wrong impression. God will give us the good things we need, and He will not stop us from getting the things we want - even if it is to our own detriment.

There are some basic needs - food, clothing, shelter, love - God will provide a way for us to gain these things. There are other things we want that are not harmful in themselves - cars, televisions, cell phones, computers - God allows us to work and acquire these things. There are things that are bad for us - alcohol, drugs, pornography - Although it breaks His heart, God will not prevent us getting these things.

Sometimes we blame God for not giving us the things that we want. James says, "...You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." [James 4:2-3 NASB]

I have heard it said that the new "American dream" is to win the lotto. How many times have you prayed that God would give you the right numbers before marking the card? And when you don't win, you blame God for not answering your prayer. After all "Ask, and it will be given to you." This is a classic example of asking with the wrong motives.

It is in our nature to think in terms of material need. I have personally experienced God's provision in times of financial need. I can testify to His giving nature. God loves us, and it gives Him pleasure to provide for His children.

But don't think that prayer is all about asking for things. Remember what Jesus has just previously said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 NASB]

Leaving behind the things of the flesh, let's move on to better things. He said, "Ask, and it will be given to you." If you ask for salvation, He will save you. If you ask for His Spirit, He will fill you. He said "seek, and you will find." Seek His kingdom and you will find it inside yourself and all around you. Seek righteousness, and He will make you righteous by sharing with us His righteousness. He said, "to him who knocks it will be opened." Knock, and He will open the gates of the kingdom to you.

Ask, seek and knock. When you ask, be sure you are asking the right person (That would be God) for the right things. You will find whatever you seek, whether that be freedom in the kingdom of God or slavery to material possession, or drugs and alcohol. When you knock, be sure you are knocking on the right gate. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." [Matthew 7:13-14 NASB]

Matthew 7:6 Judging Hypocrisy

"Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. [Matthew 7:6 NASB]

In one breath Jesus tells us not to judge. In the next, He is calling some people dogs and pigs.

Actually the "dogs" comment tempers the "do not judge" comment. In contemporary usage He is telling us, "do not judge people, but be discerning about people."

Jesus loves sinners. In His earthly ministry, He spent more time with sinners than He did with religious people. He ate with them, comforted them, and shared the gospel with them.

Interestingly, their is no account of Him sitting down and eating with the Sadducees or Pharisees. Rather, Jesus took many opportunities to condemn their hypocrisy.

When Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the gospel, he gave them these instructions, "“And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. “As you enter the house, give it your greeting. “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city." [Matthew 10:11-15 NASB]

There are people who will not hear about the things of God. If you share with them how God has blessed you, they will treat you with ridicule and scorn. If you share the gospel with them, they will treat it like a pig trampling pearls. 

When Paul went to Corinth, he initially went to the synagogue and preached to the Jews. "But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”" [Acts 18:6 NASB]

He repeated this behavior in Ephesus: "And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus." [Acts 19:8-9 NASB]

So we see that Paul, while not condemning anyone for their sins, rightly discerned by the behavior of some that they would not receive the gospel of Jesus. In response Paul refused to give "what is holy to dogs".

Paul is making this distinction in his letter to Corinth. "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?" [1 Corinthians 5:9-12 NASB]

We are not to judge sinners. Leave that judgment up to God. But we are not to tolerate hypocrisy. 

Preaching the gospel to the lost is like spreading seed. True, some will fall by the wayside, but some will fall on good soil. Some will reject the message, but some will receive it. Sharing the holy things of God with a hypocrite is like casting pearls before swine. Throughout His ministry, Jesus repeatedly shows tenderness and compassion for the sinful who are lost, and disdain for the religious who are hypocrites.

The kingdom of God is not about religion, but about relationship. God the Father has adopted us as His children. Let us then approach our loving Father, not with religion and ritual, but with love. Jesus said, "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers." [John 4:23 NASB]

Matthew 7:1-5 Judgment

"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." [Matthew 7:1-5 NASB]

Paul agrees with Jesus when he says, "Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things....Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" [Romans 2:1-4 NASB]

The Bible teaches us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB] If we judge sin in others, there will always be sin found in us.

When we are appalled by the sin that we see in the world, we need to think back and remember that at one time we, too, were lost in sin. You might say, "but I've only sinned in little things, his sin is huge!" Perhaps, but that doesn't matter. That person has sinned, you have sinned. If you are a true Christian, then you have received the forgiveness of God. Remember, He was kind to you while you were still a sinner, and drew in to Himself. He was tolerant with you when you sinned, and led you to repentance. It is only right that we show the same kindness and tolerance for the sinners in the world that God showed toward us.

I want to address judging within the church.

If a non-Christian is immoral, we should accept him. If a Christian is immoral, we have the obligation to judge him. Paul tells us, "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." [1 Corinthians 5:9-13 NASB]

Let's be clear. This does not give a Christian the right to be judgmental, even of other Christians. Paul tells us, "Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand." [Romans 14:4 NASB]

Here is the difference. As an individual, you have no right to judge another's behavior. But, if there is a Christian in the church who is living a sinful lifestyle, and is unrepentant, then the church body needs to come together to judge that person. Do you see the difference? You are not to judge a person in your heart. But the church can come together, like a jury, to dispense fair judgement.

The judgement in our heart is condemning. But the judgement of the church is for the purpose of leading a brother to repentance, then receiving him again, "Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him." [2 Corinthians 2:6-8 NASB]

Therefore, you are without excuse if you judge another. But the church, by upholding righteousness and supporting one another, can come together to "see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye."

Matthew 6:25-34 Don't Worry

"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,  yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!  Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'  For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.   "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. [Matthew 6:25‭-‬34 NASB]

It can be said that worry is the opposite of faith.

In the full context of scripture, it is clear that Jesus is not saying that we should never plan ahead. Nor is He saying that we should be idle, and not work. Rather, He is saying that we should not worry.

Food, drink and clothing are the most basic needs, followed closely by shelter. Jesus is telling us that God the Father will provide the means for us to get them. He does not mean that you should stand outside with your mouth open and expect to be fed, or that clothing will fall from the sky. You might get rained on, so maybe you'll have something to drink. That's not how it works. Even the birds that the Father feeds have to work for their food. They fly around from place to place pecking around on the ground, until they find nuts, seeds, worms, or whatever it is they are looking for.

Paul said, "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." [2 Thessalonians 3:10 NASB]

Jesus applauded good industry when he told the parable of the man who went on a journey and left his slaves to manage his money. On his return, he finds that they had variously invested and gained back more money. He said to the slave who invested well, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’" [Matthew 25:20-21 NASB]

It's not work and planning that Jesus opposes, but lack of faith. He told the parable of the seeds. Some fell to the side, others among rocks, others among thorns, and other in good soil. In explaining this parable to his disciples Jesus said, "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." [Matthew 13:22 NASB]

Today's passage concludes what Jesus was teach in the previous passage. If you store up riches for yourself, you are placing your trust in riches, and not in God. This applies equally to the rich and the poor. The poor can strive for what he doesn't have, while the rich strives for more of what he already has. Both are required to give up their striving and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In this case the poor man has the advantage in that he has less to let go of.

I have found myself in dire financial straights before, with crushing medical bills. When I was young, I worried about how we would get by. Over the years I have seen God's provision and have learned to trust in Him. No matter how bad things got, we always got by. Sometimes our meals were very simple (which is to say, cheap), and my clothes were from the bargain rack, and my debts got paid off. But I never went hungry. As I write this, I am waiting for a kidney transplant. I know that it will be very expensive, but I am seeking His kingdom first, and I trust that God will always provide.

Matthew 6:19-24 Love of Money

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!   "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. [Matthew 6:19‭-‬24 NASB]

This passage has to be understood in context with the preceding verses in this chapter. If you make a display of giving to the poor, then you have treasure on earth, but if you give in secret, then you have stored up treasure in heaven. In the same way if you pray or fast publicly to be seen by men then you have treasure on earth. If you pray and fast in secret, you have treasure in heaven.

Treasure on earth is fleeting, but treasure in heaven is eternal.

Jesus takes this general principal and narrows it to one issue: greed. "You cannot serve God and wealth." Jesus is the ultimate anti-"prosperity doctrine" preacher.

One day when He was in the temple, He saw many rich people putting large sums of money into the treasury. When a poor widow put in the equivalent of 1 cent, Jesus praised her saying, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on." [Mark 12:43-44 NASB]

Jesus is not impressed with riches.

Prosperity preachers teach that holiness can be measured by your checking account. In a nutshell they say that the New Testament is a contract, that Jesus' redemptive work includes health and financial prosperity, and to receive it, all you have to do is confess it. If you don't have it, it is because of sin in your life.

That is so contrary to Jesus' teachings.

Prosperity preachers weren't around in Jesus's day, but this passage applies to them. Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation." [Mark 12:38-40 NASB] They prey upon the fears, hopes and dreams of the less privileged, telling them that if they will only contribute money "into this ministry", then God will bless them, and they will become rich.

The apostle Paul was the most prolific preacher of the New Testament era. He spoke of his many hardships, and said, "I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure." [2 Corinthians 11:27 NASB] Paul confesses that he became sick, "but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;" [Galatians 4:13 NASB]

Money isn't evil in itself. Paul said, "...I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction." [Philippians 4:11-14 NASB]

The key is to be content in whatever circumstance you find yourself. But if you are grasping for money, "confessing" prosperity, or making it the focus of your life and ministry, then you are displaying a love of money. Paul says, "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." [1 Timothy 6:10 NASB]

We are told in the book of Hebrews, "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." [Hebrews 13:5 NASB]

I would agree with this prayer of the writer of the proverb, "Keep deception and lies far from me,

Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God." [Proverbs 30:8-9 NASB]

Matthew 6:7-15 The Lord's Prayer

"And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.  So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. "Pray, then, in this way:  'Our Father who is in heaven,  Hallowed be Your name.  'Your kingdom come.  Your will be done,  On earth as it is in heaven. 'Give us this day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [ For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.' ]  For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. [Matthew 6:7-15 NASB]

Jesus is teaching us about prayer. He is about to give us the "Lord's Prayer" or the "Model Prayer", but first He has some instruction.

"Do not use meaningless repetition." He then says, "Pray, then, in this way." So we have a "don't do this, but do that" situation. Don't babble on, but be clear and succinct with your prayers.

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you have probably experienced the same thing I have. I sit down to dinner. I'm hungry, and the food is ready. Then some dear Christian prays the blessing over the food. 20 hours later (or at least that's what it feels like), he is still waxing eloquent in his prayer. I have known people to take the opportunity to pray for every individual at the table, all the poor in Africa, and prayers for forgiveness all the lost in the world. I just want to say, "This is not the time for your daily devotionals. Let's eat!" The point is, all of your many words don't impress me. Nor, apparently, do they impress God.

The Lord's Prayer is an example of how to pray. It is not a prayer that is to be repeated over and over. It is the Catholic tradition to say 10 (for example) "Our Fathers" for penance after confession. First, Prayer as punishment? Really? Second, Meaningless repetitions of the Lord's Prayer completely violates what Jesus just said.

My overall impression of the Lord's Prayer is this: it is short, sweet and to the point.

For example, I googled "prayer for supply of needs" and this is the first response; 

"Jehovah Jireh, O God who Provides! The Lord is my shepherd, how can I ever want! You shall supply all my needs, according to Your bountiful and limitless riches in glory. El-Roi, the God Who Sees, You have given your angels charge over me. In my time of greatest need, I can always come to my Father’s place where there are many mansions. All I need do is ask of my father, Abba Father. I give thanks to you Oh God, for this blessed day. Today, my dreams will abundantly flourish. My plans will surely succeed. My destiny will be assured. And my heart’s desires will be granted. All this, in accordance with the will of you, Oh Father, in Jesus’ holy name. I will continue trusting in You with all my heart and soul." And it goes on...

By contrast, Jesus said, "Give us this day our daily bread."

The first has the outward appearance of holiness, but Jesus would say that they are babbling on and on. They quote a few scriptures, say some "affirmations" and repeat themselves, but never come right out and ask God to provide.

Don't simply repeat the Lord's Prayer as if it's some magical formula. Look at what Jesus is saying. If you have a need, simply ask for it. If you need forgiveness, it will be given. Are you facing a trial? Ask for His deliverance.

At its heart, prayer is a conversation with God. Don't turn prayer into some grand event, but speak to His as you would speak to a friend. 

Finally, He follows up with a reminder. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Fail to forgive, and you will forfeit God's forgiveness. If you harbor unforgiveness in your heart, don't expect to receive answers to your prayers.

Matthew 6:1-18 Hypocrisy

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
"So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full....
"When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full....
"Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.... [Matthew 6:1‭-‬18 NASB]

Attention all attention seekers: it's not about you. The self-righteous need to have their righteousness affirmed by others. After all, you've worked hard to project an image of a holy, righteous and spiritual person. You deserve to be noticed and applauded by others. Right?

After finishing Bible College, I attended exactly one alumni meeting. I was naive enough to think that an alumni gathering was kind of like a reunion. i learned that it is really a fund raising event. The highlight of the event is the dinner, where everyone dresses up and looks their best. After a non-memorable meal, the pitch begins. "The college needs money. Reach deep into your pockets and give." This led to a number of attendees to try to "outbid" each other by standing and proclaiming "My name is Sam Spade, and I pledge $200 a month for the next year." And, "I'm Pastor Hypocrites Pharisee of the Church of the Mega, and I'm pledging $250." Or, "I'm giving a gift of $2000." Followed by "I'm giving $3000." While this was good for the college coffers, it exposed a very sad state of a number of pastors and businessmen who were all alumni of a Bible College, as well as the administrators who organized it.

The best pastors know that giving is a private thing, and if they turn it into a public display, they are depriving people of their heavenly reward.

It is the same with prayer. I remember a church I attended when I was a brand new Christian. There was one man who was consistently asked to give an opening prayer for the service. Oh, the King James that flowed from that man's mouth in a clear rich baritone! The people loved to hear him pray, and he received much praise for his ability. He received his reward.

I've known Christians who love to announce that they are fasting. "I'm on day 3 of my fast!", then "I'm on day 6 of my fast, and I don't even feel hungry anymore. How about you? Are you fasting? How long do you fast?" Whatever spiritual benefit they hope to gain by fasting is lost in their boasting.

Jesus gave us the examples of giving, praying and fasting as good things that become bad for us if done with the wrong motives. Don't think that this is a limited list. The principle applies to any good work done for selfish reasons.

This is especially difficult if you are in a public ministry such as preaching, teaching or singing. It's hard to know another person's motives, although they sometimes make it clear. Some preachers avoid preaching about salvation and righteousness, but carry on about their own life. They somehow manage to bring the subject around to money, and how blessed the members will be if they give more to the private jet fund.

I admire the gift that God has given singers and musicians. I know some very sincere and gifted worship leaders. I am also familiar with some divas and showboaters who always manage to get the spotlight, and soak in the praise. They have their reward.

Don't be like them. Do good works. Whenever possible, don't let anyone know that you are doing them. If you must be seen, then I suggest that you constantly humble yourself before God, and let Him reveal your motives, that they may remain pure, and your reward will be from God.

Matthew 5:43‭-‬48 Pray For Your Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. [Matthew 5:43‭-‬48 NASB]

The previous passage was about "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." [Matthew 5:38 NASB] Jesus taught that we should let ourselves be wronged.

Today's passage is similar, but takes it a step further. Don't just let yourself be wronged, but repay wrong with good.

Christians should stand out from the world. Mahatma Gandhi is revered in the world because of his example of passive protest. Jesus would have us be much better than Gandhi. Instead of passive protest, Jesus advocates active love.

I, along with most true Christians, see abortion as an abominable sin. It is the willful murder of the innocent, and one day those in the abortion industry will answer to God for their part in it. What should the Christian's response be to the abortionists?

I've seen news footage and viral videos online showing protesters waving signs and shouting at the abortionists and the women who go in. I understand the anger, but anger doesn't equal godliness. The protests are not even passive, but active. Gandhi did better with his cause. The world looks more righteous than the church when we do these things. But we are to be better than the world.

The argument is that abortion is evil and must be protested. Yes, it is evil, but God has not appointed us to be the judge. The time will come when He will judge all things.

When the world sees Christians carrying sign, shouting at them, and protesting them, they don't see righteous people fighting for a good cause. All they see is an opponent who holds different political views than they do. They consider it as no different than Democrats vs Republicans.

As Jesus said, "Do not even the Gentiles do the same?" By this He means you are acting no different from the ungodly world.

What does Jesus say our response to evil should be? It is not active resistance. It is not passive resistance. It is active love. Jesus said, "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you," [Luke 6:27 NASB]

Paul taught us, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”  [Romans 12:17-20 NASB]

Pray for your enemies, and don't think that prayer is doing nothing. "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." [James 5:16 NASB] Consider practical ways to do good to those who hate you. Obviously, I don't imply that you should help fund abortions, but a kind word and a plate of cookies will show the love of God more than a shout in the face.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." [Romans 12:21]

Matthew 5:38‭-‬42 Christian Rights

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'  But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.  Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. [Matthew 5:38‭-‬42 NASB]

Oh, how we love to defend our rights. The news is full of Christians in court defending their rights.

A homosexual couple walks into Christian's Auto Service and asks, "Will you fix our car?" Christian answers, "No! I don't approve of homosexuals riding in the car together." They are sued, and go to court. $100,000 in legal fees later, they are still in court defending their "right" to deny service.

Jesus said, "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent." [Matthew 5:25-26 NASB]

Someone will say, "But homosexuality is a sin!" Yes, it is. 1 Corinthians 6:10 says they will not inherit the kingdom of God. But Jesus said "do not resist an evil person." Are they sinners? Yes. Are they of the world? Yes. Does the Bible tell us "don't do business with sinners?" No. On the contrary.

Jesus had no problem with sinners. "Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. “But go and learn what this means: "I desire compassion, and not sacrifice," for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”" [Matthew 9:10-13 NASB]

Paul said, "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world." [1 Corinthians 5:9-10 NASB]. The only people he had a problem with were fellow Christians living an immoral lifestyle. "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one." [1 Corinthians 5:11 NASB]

The people of the world will trample your rights if they get a chance. What Jesus is saying is "Let them."

Sinners say that Christians hate them. Christians reply, "I don't hate the sinner, I hate the sin." But you can't separate the sin from the sinner. Either you accept him the way he is, or you reject him entirely. Before you were saved, were you a sinner? Did God accept you just as you were, including your sin? Shouldn't you do the same for sinners? If you don't, who will minister the love of Christ to them?

God doesn't differentiate between sins. He doesn't say, I'll accept this sin, but not that one. But what does it say, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," [Romans 3:23 NASB] "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." [Romans 5:8 NASB]

Jesus died for homosexuals and abortionists and even politicians. Providing a service to a sinner does not mean that you approve of his sin, any more than Jesus approved of the sins of those sinners who ate with Him. It does, however, give opportunity to show that God's love is greater than sin.

Matthew 5:33‭-‬37 Oaths

"Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.'  But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,  or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil. [Matthew 5:33‭-‬37 NASB]

The commandment says in Exodus 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." And then we are told, "‘You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD." [Leviticus 19:12 NASB]

The Pharisees twisted the intent of this commandment with their traditions. The meaning is this: If you make an oath to God, you must keep it; to do otherwise is to swear a false oath. The Pharisees legalistically prohibited the use of God's name, substituting "heaven" or "the temple". In this way, they could make oaths "by heaven" and consider them non-binding, because they were not made in God's name.

This is what Jesus was addressing when He said heaven is the throne of God, the earth is His footstool, Jerusalem is His city, and even your head belongs to God. There is nothing you can swear by that does not relate to God, and all promises are therefore made before Him.

There are some religions that take this passage so strictly as to say that no oath of any kind can be made before the Lord. But the weight of scripture doesn't bear that line of reasoning. Jesus Himself answered under oath before the Sanhedrin. Rather, He is saying do not swear frivolously or lightly.

For instance, if you are asked to swear before a jury to tell the truth, I would have no problem with that. Just understand that you are swearing an oath before God to tell the truth, so to perjure yourself would be making a false vow.

It is common to hear oaths in casual conversation. "I swear I'll be there by 10." By golly, I'll do it." I swear to God..." The statement, "I swear I'm telling the truth," actually weakens your argument. Be aware of casual oaths. Some people try to make deals with God. "If you let me win the lottery, I'll give half of it to orphans." Or if they are in trouble. "If You get me out of this mess, I promise to pray every morning."

If you want to do something for God, just do it. If you need something from God, ask for it. He doesn't give us good things because we made a deal, but because He loves us.

James reiterates Jesus' teaching, "But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment." [James 5:12 NASB]

The takeaway is this: Just tell the truth. The truth does not need to be embellished with an oath or a promise. It stands alone.

Matthew 5:31-32 Divorce

"It was said, 'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce';  but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [Matthew 5:31‭-‬32 NASB]

This is a hard saying in contemporary society, where so many people are divorced and remarried. Roughly 43% of first marriages in the United States end in divorce. The percentages increase with subsequent remarriages, with 60% of second marriages and 73% of third marriages ending in divorce.

Within the church, committed Christians (defined as those who attend church regularly) are about 35% less likely to get a divorce, compared to the general population. Of course, it is impossible to get statistics about how many are truly born again, have a sincere relationship with God, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. The best they can do is approximate by the number of people regularly attending a church. Interestingly, those who call themselves Christians but do not regularly attend a church (nominal Christians) are 20% more like to get a divorce than the general population.

What this tells us is that the marriage rate within the church is better than in the world, but even so, more than a quarter of committed church going Christians are getting divorced. About 3 out of every 4 divorcees will remarry.

Be assured that divorce is contrary to the Bible. Jesus taught more about divorce when He was questioned by the Pharisees. He said, "But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." ...And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her;  and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery." [Mark 10:6‭-‬12 NASB]

In God's eyes, once you are married, you are always married. Divorce removes you from the marriage legally, but not before God. He considers any further affairs to be adulterous.

The apostle Paul reaffirmed this by saying, "But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife." [1 Corinthians 7:10-11 NASB]

So, what should you do if you come to the Lord, and are already divorced and remarried? acknowledge the sin of adultery, confess it to God, and He will forgive you.

If you know the Lord and are married, do not get a divorce. If you believe you have to get a divorce because of an abusive situation, then do so, but remain single. By the way, remaining single excludes cohabiting or having sex outside of marriage.

The best solution for a successful marriage is to put Christ first in the marriage. Make a commitment together to place Jesus first in your life, and each other second. Pray together. Attend a church of like-minded believers where you can be encouraged.

If you are willing to put Jesus first in your relationship, but you have an unbelieving spouse who is not, don't seek a divorce. "Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace." [1 Corinthians 7:15 NASB]

The purpose of this teaching isn't to be strict, or to put you under bondage to the "law of divorce", but to emphasize the seriousness of marriage. Marriage is a metaphor of the relationship between Christ and the church. It is a holy thing, and should be treated with reverence.