**This post is the fifth post of an exciting series on the Sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7, as translated in the English Standard Version of the Bible. You can read the passage online by Clicking Here so that you can gain the most value and context for these posts. Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates on new posts! You can read the whole series in order by Clicking Here**
Recap – We left off with the last section in this series (Matthew 6:19-34), which could be summed up by the following theme: If we want to follow Jesus, we should know that earthly possessions do not matter as much as trusting the Lord in all of life’s circumstances.
The theme in Matthew 7:1-14 is more like: Every one of us is on a journey in life, and each one of us isn’t perfect. We should not lose sight of our own imperfection and judge others, instead, we should pray for help, or pray for any need we have, and we should always treat others as we would wish to be treated.
People tend to look at the imperfections of others in higher standing than their own. It is easy to look at the flaws of others while ignoring the prideful and arrogant lenses that we view them through.
Christians have a bad reputation for judging others, both other Christians, and those who are not Christians. This reputation hurts the spread of the true good news of Christianity greatly because instead of one person making a positive impact for Christ, one person could single-handedly blacken the name of Christ to another.
When we judge others, we look past the “log in our own eye” and concentrate on the “speck” in another’s. Jesus said “Judge not, that you be not judged”, emphasizing that God forgives abundantly, God is the only one to judge anyone, and that if we judge someone, we will be held accountable for the judgement by God.
Ask & Receive – Matthew 7:7-11
The greatness of Christianity is the ability to have fellowship with God; the ability to communicate our thoughts, concerns, praises, and requests, directly to the same God who created life and light.
Jesus tells us to ask of him, and you will receive; seek, and find. Jesus said this after instructing them to fix their own flaws first, as well as telling them in teh previous chapter to not worry about wealth. We can come to God with anything, and he WILL answer.
The Golden Rule – Matthew 7:12-14
Jesus instructs his listeners here, after talking about judging and wealth, that we should treat others in the way in which we would wish to be treated. Would we want to be judged by others? No. Would we want to be called names? No. Would we want to be looked upon as anything less than a human being? No.
A pastor who I met in college had this saying that he tried to live by: “Nothing in the Bible permits me to be a jerk”. Followers of Christ should not have the stereotype of being judgmental, mean, or insensitive.
Directly after Jesus communicated “The Golden Rule”, He made mention that we are to be on teh narrow gate (or go through the narrow gate), for the gate is wide and easy on the path to destruction. But the narrow road is tough. The narrow road requires a love that supersedes our natural tendencies; a love that treats others the same or better than we wish to be treated.
How have you made an impact to others? Have you been a positive image, or a negative one?
There are things that I regret doing, and saying, years later; even after I have sought forgiveness. The key is learning from our failures, and striving to live like Jesus to those around us.
Lamb Theology 