Discuss Matthew 5 Page 7

Dear Jacquie,

That's unfortunate you have to be in this situation. I am dealing with neighbors too presently and having a challenging time knowing how to be loving while also protecting myself.

Luke 6:35

Matthew 5:44

Luke 10:27

You might consider praying for them as it says in Matthew. Luke says God is kind to the unthankful and evil, and we should be too. I don't believe this means to be a doormat or allow ourselves to be unprotected or be taken advantage of, however. Jesus fled the Romans out of danger, for example (initially). Paul fled danger and people trying to do him harm many times.

Sometimes the imagination of someone's motives can be falsely attributed and is helpful to sort out what actually has happened that may be illegal or harmful that you have witnessed and try to separate from other feelings or assumptions. For example, it's possibly anyone's behavior might seem suspicious if they don't know what is really behind it. For example, a lady in my neighborhood acted like I was suspicious and she opened her window to warn me away, but I was not on her property but just looking over a fence at the end of the street. I didn't tell her that I saw a backyard BBQ fire that I was checking on that I thought could possibly have put everyone's lives in danger in that community. I didn't explain because I didn't want to give false alarm until I really knew if it was a threat and ended up being mostly smoke and died down. Sometimes it helps to give people the benefit of the doubt because we need it for ourselves too.

God bless.

Reply to Maria. The OT observances of the Sabbath were mandatory. There are no mandatory NT observances of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is a commandment of God. In the book of " Exodus 20" the 4th commandment. It says "remember to keep the Sabbath, six days you shall do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath, you shall keep it holy unto your God. Sunday is the first day of the week. the Sabbath starts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.

It helps if you describe briefly what kind of warfare you're going through. It can be physical, mental or emotional or spirits.

I went through the whole list. With Jesus inside of you, "they" know their time is over. Satan will accuse that you are not saved! That hurts but is not the Truth. I tell everyone to write the date of salvation in your Bible. "It is written!"

LUKE 11:24-26

Christ sends the evil spirits away. But if we neglect feeding on the Bible frequently; building up our most holy faith..

The spirits may return: Luke 11:24-26 (the stronger man is Jesus 11:21). You must furnish yourself with Bible, Praise, and Assembling with the church folk)

A reading list for you:

Ephesians 6

* Acts 19:19

Galatians 3:13

Luke 6:28

Matthew 5:44

Ephesians 2:13

The angels are sent by God, so we can ask in prayer for their presence in our homes. Act on the promises of the Lord. God wants us to go on from being milk fed baby Christians, to stand up and be warriors of FAITH in ahi's Word.

John 8:23-59,

Matthew 5:48, Matthew 6, Matthew 7, Matthew 12:50,

Jesus went even further to say: Matthew 23:9,

Hopefully these are helpful

Dear brothers and sisters.

Have you ever thought about God's commandments in the New Testament, the dos and the don'ts? What are they? Why the specific ones and not some other ones? Are they what God likes and dislikes? Are they what God thinks it is right or wrong? Definitely yes. But they are not only that. God through His commandments reveals Himself to us. What God ask us to be like is what He is like Himself. Through the commandments God reveals Himself to His children and asks them to be like Him. It's not easy, it's not easy to be like God in character, not at all. It is actually impossible for humans to be like God. We, God and man, have different natures. But this is why we are given the Holly Spirit for. Our fruit in life is not a result of our own capabilities, it would be impossible for us to do so, but a result of God Spirit's work in us. So the conclusion is that it is a necessity for God's children to be baptized in the Holly Spirit.

Matthew 5:44-48

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;......Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'

God Bless You All.

Hi Sarah. The Jewish Sabbath starts from the evening of the Friday according to our Gregorian calendar. They keep to the same dates as we have them, except that their year is different (their current year is 5782). So whether your calendar shows Sunday as the first day of the week or Monday as the first, it won't matter, as the Sabbath will always start from Friday evening. And all their other holidays & observances are based on the calendar we have.

As the Jew remains under the Law, it is imperative that they abide to the given Law, for by it they will be judged ( Romans 2:12). But for the one In Christ, our judgement was at the Cross & the Law has no hold or gives any penalty to us ( Romans 8:1-4).

Dear Sarah

It depends where someone lives. In Europe Sunday is considered as the last day of the week, according to the International Standard System. In US Sunday is the first day of the week. For ancient Jews as well as early Christians, Sunday, (which Christians called Lord's Day) was the first day of the week, since Sabbath was the seventh and last day. GBU.

How do we declare the Sabbath? Referring to 7th day? There are calendars where Monday is first and also where Sunday is first. Thank you. Ev. Sr. Henning

Jeremiah 33:17-18, Jeremiah 33:19-22, Luke 1-2, note JESUS was cousin to Elizabeth whom was daughter to Aaron, Luke 1:5, making him heir also to priesthood after Aaron, it appears. Fulfillment of the law, not necessarily replacing: Matthew 5:17,18,

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Be strengthened & comforted dear one, that the Lord is mindful of what you're going through & will give you grace to bear up or give you a way around them. Search out good company with a good moral standing or even believers that you can pray with. Share what you're going through with your teacher or principal & leave the matter with them.

Hebrews 12:4, "Follow peace with all men"; Matthew 5:44; & I would leave you with Matthew 5:11-16. May the Lord be very near to you & give you strength & wisdom during those times of trial.

Paula,

I would also like to share with you some things about the Beatitudes in Matthew Chapter 5. There are 9 of them and in the original language they are presented in progressive form meaning the second beatitude is based on the first, and the third is based on the second, and the fourth is based on the third, and so on.

The first Beatitude, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" is the foundation for all the others, and all the others are built upon that. All 9 beatitudes begin with the Greek word MAKARIOS and it is the word that is translated blessed in our English bibles. In Greek, MAKARIOS means to experience the fullness of something.

Many Bible translations and commentaries will tell you that the word blessed means "Oh how happy," and that the Lord is presenting how to have a happy life. But technically from the original language, (Greek), and its presentation, what the Lord is saying here is how the disciples of the kingdom of God will experience all the fullness of who God is by these principles.

So principle number 1 in Verse 3 says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The word "poor" in Greek, PTOKOS, was first used by Plato to describe the beggars, not poor people, but worse than poor people, beggars! Anybody in a position that has to beg to survive is a PTOKOS. In Luke Chapter 16, Lazarus was a beggar.

So when we are talking about a beggar and we are talking about poor "in spirit," the Lord is saying that the number one principle, because the first thing Jesus says is "blessed are the poor in spirit," is that those who that realize their poverty, they are the ones who are going to come to Christ.

Remember, these are progressive. A person can't go any further than this if they don't realize the depravity of their spiritual condition. Mourning in Matthew 5:4 is attached to the realization of the poverty of one's spiritual condition, and mourning over that spiritual condition.

What does it mean when it says, poor in spirit as in Matthew 5:3 when it says, "Blessed are the "poor in spirit"?

Hi; The two greatest commandments you spoke of is something I had never understood all my Christian life until 2007, then God opened my spirit to Matthew 5:19 the least commandments, you see I could quote the greatest commandments, but I did not know how to do them, so I prayed after all those years since 1981 God help me understand how to love God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength and how to love my neighbor as myself. When God revealed to me the least commandments, I wrote down around twelve hundred of them, every chapter and verse, it was from these I learned that each one teaches us either how to love God, or how to love our neighbor.

2 Peter 1:19-20

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy, unto which ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the morning star arise in your hearts, knowing this first: that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation."

Revelation 22:16

"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star."

Gog is Russia, Magog is Turkey.

Proverbs 18:2

"A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions."

Matthew 5:33-37

"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true." -Jesus

Isaiah 54:16-17

"Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc. No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.

It appears he's speaking to those who identified themselves as "children of Abraham" "under the Covenant" &/or self-righteous:

Matthew 5:20, Matthew 7, Matthew 8:10,12, Matthew 23, Matthew 25:31-46, note also Matthew 23:34-36, * Matthew 21:23-46,

Matthew 9:34, Matthew 11:12, Matthew 12:25, Matthew 13:57, Isaiah 53,

Exodus 19:6, 1Samuel 13:13,14, 1Samuel 15:28,

the promise made to David 2Samuel 7:12-17, 1Kings 9:5, 1Chronicles 22:9,10, 1Chronicles 28:7, Isaiah 9:7,

1Samuel 13:13,14, 1Kings 11:11-14, the Bible has in the past shown how GOD will reject those who reject HIM.

Psalms 22:18,

Hopefully these are helpful

Additional scripture for you:

Matthew 3-7, Matthew 5, Matthew 5:20, Matthew 9:10-13, Matthew 9:14-17, Matthew 9:27-34, Matthew 12:14, Matthew 12, Matthew 15, Matthew 16, Matthew 16:6,12, Matthew 19:3, * Matthew 21, Matthew 22, Matthew 22:15, it appears they were wrongfully referring to the book of Tobet, in 1611 version, Tobit 3:7,8, Matthew 22:29,

* Matthew 23:2, whole chapter Matthew 23, Matthew 27:62,

Matthew 23:13,14,

Mark 2:16, Mark 2, Mark 3:1-6, Mark 7:1-23, Mark 8:11,15, Mark 10:2, Mark 12:13,

Luke 5:17-39, Luke 6:2-11, Luke 7:29-50, Luke 11:37-54, Luke 12:1, Luke 12:31, Luke 14:1-24, Luke 14, Luke 16:14-31, Luke 16, Luke 19:35-39,

John 1:19-34, John 3:1-21, John 7:28-32, John 7:43-53, John 8:3-22, John 9, John 9:15,16, John 11:37-57, John 12:19, John 12:42, John 18:3,

Acts 15, Acts 23,

Hopefully these are helpful in your study, I included several Chapters to read next to verses, to read within context, for better understanding

Hi Leigh,

This is a hard discipline, a hard lesson for us to love our enemies. And others have given great responses, filled with godly wisdom. Now I'd like to encourage you with some things that help me to grow in this area.

First of all, it isn't just 'those people' who tell us to love our enemies. It is our Master Who tells us to do so. Matthew 5:44,

"BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Whenever Jesus says, in Scripture, "BUT I SAY UNTO YOU", boy...I sit up and take notice! It is the LORD commanding us to do so, not mere human beings.

Secondly, Jesus would not ask us to do something without giving us grace and Holy Ghost power to do so.

Thirdly, when I am treated badly, I think of how Jesus died for me when I was His enemy. Before I knew Him, when He was on that cursed tree paying for my crimes, He looked down through history and was forgiving me, for I was so depraved in my sin, I had no idea what I was doing...REALLY. What a Savior!

It is an honor then, when we are mistreated, to get a chance to be like Jesus, the Lord Who we love, and choose to forgive.

Fourthly, we pray our godly example will lead our troublers to repentance. And if they do not repent, justice will be served at God's good pleasure. Vengeance belongs to Him. He WILL repay. All will work out in righteousness as we wait on God.

Fifthly, I think on many examples of saints who have been persecuted and/or martyred for the faith; how many sealed their testimony with forgiveness to those who took their lives! Again...no human can do this alone; but we're not alone! We have the Holy Spirit!

Don't be discouraged! It is God's will that we forgive - and He will help us to do it! He will get all the glory for it, for it is by His own power we overcome evil with good!

Blessings, Leigh!

Yes, this is the "Good News" we are to tell others-that their sins are forgiven in the name of Jesus, by the power of Jesus, through the blood sacrifice of Jesus!

Thanks to all.

Thank you, I believe if someone asks you to bless them, or can you forgive me, I say to them, believe all your sins forgiven in Jesus name and precious Blood. Or close to that.

Hi Phil,

We are to forgive others (and tell them so) who have sinned against us because our own sins are forgiven in Jesus (we can say that, too.) Having an attitude of forgiveness is really important because we will sin against others and them against us throughout our lives.

We can tell people that their sins are forgiven when they repent from them and believe the gospel that Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins and the sins of those who believe in Him are forgiven and removed from us.

We can assure a penitent believer caught up in sin to remember that we can confess our sins to Jesus and He is faithful and just to forgive us.

So, I would say, yes, to your question. But the forgiveness really comes from God, not men, even our ability to forgive others who sin against us is from the Holy Spirit within us to work in us this forgiving spirit.

No. We have no authority to do so. That Catholic nonsense.

Dear sister

I cannot imagine that I myself found a note under the matress with all my foults written on it, I would really go nuts. Wouldn't you?

You ask for advice for something that is obvious to do. Some things are common sense whether a christian or not.

Since you ask what the Scripture says read Matthew 5:23-25

v23 - Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

v24 - Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

v25 - Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

And the above is for our husbands/wives too. As soon as you found out that your husband had something against you then the first thing you had to do is to go and explain to your husband what happened. Told him that your purpose was good, didn't aim to hurt him. Discuss. Whether your husband is a christian or not it's not right to have secrets from him, at least not serious ones. Dont forget God made us one with our mates. Ephesians 5:30-31.

So what I'd do in your shoes? I would spent a day or two fasting and praying ( Esther 4:16) and then go and talk to my huaband and explain him what happened using the words of wisdom that God gives me. Great advices are also given in the other posts below .

And some more advice. Aren't you in a church? Don't you have a pastror, priest ... that you know, who knows you and your life, and can talk to him about your problems and seek help? It not wise to go around the internet and seek advice since you don't know who is to whom you are talking to.

May God help you out. God Bless you.

James 5:9-20, Matthew 5:44, Matthew 6:5-34, Matthew 14:23, John 17, Romans 8:26, Romans 8, whole chapter, 1Thessalonians 5:17, 1Corinthians 7:13-17,

James 1:5,

Hopefully these are helpful

Very interesting question. Only God can forgive sin; but we are told to "confess our sins to one another". ( James 5:16). We are told to reconcile with a brother before "offering a gift before the altar" ( Matthew 5:24). If we bear unforgiveness in our hearts; then the effectiveness of His grace is stunted; for the woman who put the perfume on Christ was forgiven much so she loved much ( Luke 7:47).

All of us individually are accountable before God. We can forgive "seventy times seven" ( Matthew 18:22); and Ephesians 4:32 indicates that we are to forgive others even as God has forgiven us. If we don't forgive others then God won't forgive us according to Matthew 6:14-15. This wouldn't necessarily indicate that we are nonbelievers; but if we don't bear fruit "worthy of repentence" ( Matthew 3:8-10) then we have to seriously test ourselves to see if we are in the faith ( 2 Cor. 13:5).

So the short answer is that God can only forgive others if they are wanting forgiveness. Each of us is judged individually; and since we are not God we don't have the authority as Christ did to forgive sins as the Pharisees stated only God can forgive sins ( John 20:23). Confessing our sins to one another can allow transparency so that the Lord can possibly speak a word of wisdom which in turn gives someone a better understanding of themselves; as well as clearing up what can be a stone wall in relationships ( Prov. 18:19). The best we can do is a formulaic process to give a partial assessment of sins in others as only God knows the intentions and motives of the heart even if the Spirit gives us a glimpse into such things. It is the same as asking can we save anyone by "confessional regeneration". The words are only effective if God grants one repentance first ( Acts 11:18; etc). Indirectly then; forgiving one another allows God to repair the sin or estrangement with Him.

Can a believing Christian forgive sin the Name of Jesus

He became our righteousness ( 1 Cor. 1:30). I would state that perfect fulfillment was completed at that point. Christ lived His whole life as the perfect Man; in obedience and submission to His parents; partaking in the synagogue activities expected of a rightous Jew at that time. He showed through His actions and scripture that mercy should accompany activities on the Sabbath; and since He was Lord of the Sabbath certain ceremonial rites could be bypassed by both Him and His disciples. The law itself and its standards still are in effect; although it is in society for the unrighteous. We are given the new standards as to how to behave with our motives; as Christ preached regarding lust and anger. Ephesians 2:15 is interesting in that Christ abolished the law; so to speak as far as us receiving the due wages of sin; that is eternal death.

It is interesting that at the time: Christ said the weightier matters were to be looked after; with the rest NOT being undone ( Luke 11:42). It was not yet time to abandon Judaism until the work on the cross was accomplished. In fact; until heaven and earth go away not one "jot or tittle" of the law will expire ( Matthew 5:18). This; clearly refers to all things EXCEPT that which the New Covenant ( Heb. 9:15; etal) abrogates. That is; exceptions are ceremonial laws ( Acts 10:14-16) and the Sabbath Day ( Mark 2:27-28). It appears that because of Christ fulfilling Pentacost; or the eight day ( Leviticus 23:15) fifty days after the Passover; or Good Friday when Christ was in the tomb made Sunday the new day of rest. The early church appeared to meet the first day of the week.

Therefore; we should love the law as admonished in Psalm 119. Only through Christ can we do good works ( Eph 2:10). Only by fulfilling the first couple commands as summarized by Christ can we desire His ways and demonstrate any love towards what is against our flesh nature. May we daily trust the Spirit and die to the flesh. Agape. RP

Matthew 5:17, Romans 8,

The concept here appears to be doing things to be seen of men. The word "reward" can be taken as the consequences of our actions; heaped up ( Psalm 91:8). This is; according to that passage so bad that we will only see it from afar. We reap what we sow; whether to the flesh or the Spirit ( Galatians 6:7-9). What is considered honorable among me is an abomination to God ( Luke 16:15-16). Our prayers are to be in secret; so that we can be seen in Matthew 6:6 that our reward is from God Himself.

This brings up the issue of just when prayer should be corporate and when it should be private. This fits in; of course with the "good deeds" that we do to help others (let not your left hand know what your right hand doeth) Matthew 6:3-4. The whole concept here is not to draw attention to how "righteous" we are through an outer display. That gets into another verse where it states in Matthew 5:34 as well as in the book of James that we are to swear by no name; but simply say yes or no. Clearly; this needs to be taken in context; as covenants such as marriage still are in effect and other such vows. Again; the focus is to be on not being hypocrites who wish to be praised but to glorify God. Verses that indicate we are to bear one another's burdens; confess sins to one another and that in Acts where Peter was being prayed for and the prison cell opened ( Acts 12:5) surely shows how appropriate prayers are given in corporate settings. Many testimonies; however indicate how some old lady was praying for a person when in open rebellion for many years and how they changed. "The effectual prayers of a righteous man availeth much" ( James 5:16-18).

Clearly; it isn't worth seeking praise of men during this short life; which is as a vapor; when eternity awaits. Christ Himself saw the "reward" for His sufferings in bringing "many sons to glory" ( Heb. 2:10; Eph. 1:18). In the end; sin doesn't pay; and all glory goes to God. Agape-RIch P