DIG for Thursday the 6th of July…. so what about the Sermon on the Mount #02…..Ephesians 4 v 32

If you read the DIG yesterday you would have seen how I answered the question about the order of forgiveness with regards to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.

I said He was speaking to Jews pre-cross, therefore not speaking literally to you as a believer living under grace.

This is not good enough for some people, who have the attitude that if Jesus said it we do it.

They however seem to change their stance when I point them to another section of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus said we should pluck out our eye and cut of our right hand if they “offend thee” (Matthew 5 v 29 and 30).

Now I don’t know anyone who has never taken something that did not belong to them or never looked lustfully at another person.

Yet I do not see many one eyed and one-handed Christians in church!

Jesus is speaking in pictures during this discourse, with the main picture being that man can never uphold the law in their own strength.

He is saying we can never do these things on our own; we cannot forgive all others, we cannot live a sinless life.

He is “raising the bar” even higher with regards to the standards of behaviour expected under the law.

For example even thinking about adultery is now an offence (Matthew 5 v 27 and 28).

Jesus is showing we can never live up to the law, hence the need for a Saviour, He is not meaning for us to take these things literally.

We cannot pick and choose; if you think you have to forgive others before God will forgive you, you really should pluck out your eye and cut of your hand.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I have been forgiven for all my sin through the shedding of the blood of Jesus”.

Ephesians 4 v 32…..And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you

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DIG for Wednesday the 5th of July…..so what about the Sermon on the Mount…..Ephesians 4 v 32

Whenever I preach about unconditional forgiveness I always have someone asking me, “but what about the Sermon on the Mount?”

In this discourse Jesus says that in order for us to be forgiven by God we have to forgive others first (Matthew 6 v 14 and 15).

My reply is normally, “but what about Ephesians 4 v 32?”

In this verse we are told that we can forgive others because God has forgiven us first.

Now surely both cannot hold true? Surely there is a contradiction here?

Well no there is not, as something happened between the Sermon on the Mount and Paul writing his epistle to the Ephesians.

This event was Jesus’ finished work on the cross.

The Sermon on the Mount was pre-cross while Paul is writing to the Ephesians (and you) post-cross.

Pre-cross the Jews were living under law and Jesus said what He said in Matthew 6 v 14 and 15 to people living under law.

Paul is writing to people (including you and the Ephesians) who live under grace.

We live under grace and not law (Romans 6 v 14 and 15).

We no longer live having to perform to approach God, as if we were under law.

We now live in a time when sin is not held against man, as forgiveness is a done deal.

So the Sermon on the Mount and what Jesus says about forgiveness would only hold true for you if you were living pre-cross and living under law; and neither hold for you.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I have been forgiven for all my sin through the shedding of the blood of Jesus”.

Ephesians 4 v 32…..And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you