A Warning

Toward the end of the sermon on the mount, Jesus issued two important maxims for everyday life. The most common one being, “do to others as you would have them do to you,” the second, “you will know them by their fruits.”

The sermon also contained a warning for that age:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven.’ On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.

I feel like the disciples when hearing Jesus say “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” asked “then who can be saved?”

The people Jesus said would not enter the kingdom recognized him as Lord, they prophesied in his name, they cast out demons in his name, and they did many deeds of power in his name. Those are people who in that day would have been seen as very religious. And yet Jesus said they were evil doers. It is not up to us to judge the motives of those Jesus said would not enter the kingdom. We must instead look at what he said would allow a person entry into the kingdom – “one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” John reports Jesus saying, “my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life.” When asked what should be done as the works of God, Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

The apostle John in his gospel used the Greek word translated believe 98 times the most commonly quoted verse is likely John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Summing up his writing John said “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes, “for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied rightly about you when he said: ‘This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’” Another time speaking to the same group Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practised without neglecting the others.” The weightier matters of the law are emphasised in scripture: “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” 

A scribe asked Jesus, “Which commandment is the first of all?” He answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ there is no other commandment greater than these.” According to James speaking to Jewish believers the royal law of scripture is “you shall love neighbour as yourself.” Paul wrote: “the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’” 

God has not prescribed religion he has offered a relationship to those who believe.

Faith and Life Conditions

 

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 

Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection.

…Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. 

People listening to Jesus were confused by his saying, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Their response was “Then who can be saved?” In Jewish tradition prosperity was a blessing from God. From ancient times people associated blessings with godliness, and suffering with sin. After sitting silent for seven days, Job’s friend addressed his condition, “Think now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?” Moses spoke to the people of Israe saying that they would prosper if they kept the commandments of God. Mount Gerizim represented the blessings for obedience and Mount Ebal the curses for disobedience.

The passage from Hebrews appears anomalous to Israel’s beliefs on blessings and curses. The Psalmist said those who follow the law of the Lord “are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.” And, “The face of the Lord is against evildoers to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.” Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal were in essence “the carrot and the stick.” Positive and negative responses to how people conducted themselves. These were not absolute laws as can be seen from numerous examples in scripture.

Jeremiah asked God “why does the way of the guilty prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?” The Psalmist adds “I was envious of the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked; all in vain I have kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and am punished every morning.” Habakkuk complained to God, “Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are you silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” 

God’s does not limit his love to those who serve him; “he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” God’s love extends to all people. The apostle John wrote saying “God is love.” James in the opening passage of his letter said, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” He also wrote that God doesn’t tempt anyone, and, “every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.” The greatest gift from God was his Son. Through the suffering of Jesus believers are ensured of an eternal home.

Where does suffering come from? Not from God! The situation for early Christians was different than requirements today, but the principles given by Peter are sound. “Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.” 

The Devil is responsible for suffering, pain and death, he is the enemy of every believer and will do whatever he can to destroy faith in God. Humans are not able to defeat Satan, that battle was won by Jesus. Our security is in God. Satan is in the world today just as he was in the Garden of Eden as an option necessary for our free of will.

God is our hope and strength:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  

Paul speaking for those who suffered persecution, wrote:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

To the Ephesians Paul wrote:

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

Luke recorded a conversation of Jesus in which he asked and answered a question, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” In John’s gospel speaking to his disciples Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” At a later date while discussing his leaving Jesus told the disciples that they would be scattered leaving him alone. He consoled the disciples saying, “Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” 

Love, peace, hope, and joy, are words used frequently in the late scriptures. Another significant word is gospel, meaning good news. These are all positive words which foster confidence and assurance. These are spiritual qualities based on faith. Loving your dog is not the love of God. Peace in the world is not peace of mind. Hoping for a warm summer day is not the hope of heaven. Faith is Abraham when he was called, went out, not knowing where he was going. Not knowing where he was going does not mean there was no destination, or that Abraham was aimlessly wandering about. Abraham was told to leave his land and go to the land that God would show him. Faith focuses on the destination not on the journey.