“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)
So did our Lord REALLY mean what he said when he stated what he did to his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew and Chapter 5? Did he mean what he taught just for his disciples then and not for now, or did he mean his words to reflect how we would live our lives in the future kingdom when God has ushered in the “new heavens and the new earth?”
Some might argue these words do not apply for us today. Okay then, what about his other teachings? Do we throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak or only keep the baby in the water we feel comfortable with? Hmmm, makes me wonder. Which part of his teachings are for today and which are not then if you believe they do not all apply? Who gets to pick and choose and decide what is for today and what isn’t? I definitely know we can all vote a big yes for his words such as “I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10), or “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). So those verses must apply today as we hear them quoted often in sermons from the pulpits across our land as well as on the radio, TV and Internet.
For my 2 cents worth I am totally convinced that Jesus said what he meant and meant what he said and that his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is totally applicable for today. I can hear the cries. “but if we give as Jesus taught we will be used or taken advantage of.” Imagine that. Such a terrible thing it would be so as to so live a life of love and generosity that people just might as Jesus stated it, “despitefully use us” and thus give us an opportunity to glorify our God by our actions. And just maybe as a result of our showing people in the world lavish, generous unselfish love for God by our actions more people would desire to know about our Savior and Lord and follow him.
Well, some spiritual food for thought.
You can let me know what you think by writing me at haroldcameron56@mail.com.
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