Matthew 5:21-48 continued…

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?” Matthew 5:38-47 (KJV).

Could you get from these verses this thought? “Absence of giving equals no love”. The correct and always right attitude for the follower of Jesus Christ is the attitude which Jesus had. We are quick to strike back. We are slow to love when we are struck. In our society this would seem like the attitude of naivety, or cowardice. It is actually the response of courage.

The Old Testament Law does tell us, “An eye for an eye…” (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21), and Jesus is not denying these laws but showing a better way of respecting one another. “I am no one’s doormat”. Have you ever heard anyone say that. Would you be a “Doormat” if it meant that person coming to faith in Jesus? Does that put another spin on it? Another view? It should. I am not trying to say I can do that, but that ought to be the heart of the Christian. Be willing to lose an eye without retaliation. Go the second mile without payment. Give to any who asks of us. Love those who may despise us.

What reward is there in loving someone who loves me? It is much more rewarding for ourselves and the other person who may despise us when we show them an unconditional love – the love that Jesus has shown us.

This SERMON ON THE MOUNT is really tough. Again, anyone who tells me that they are living by the SERMON ON THE MOUNT better have a very impressive testimony for Christ, and living by these words of Jesus very faithfully, or I will be sure to call him/her a liar; or they are at the least very deceived. Let’s endeavor by our faith in Jesus and the power of His Spirit within live by His words. We have already failed. Let’s trust Him and His grace.