Matthew Chapter 7
is full of Christian doctrine, and it’s all built upon the rock of our salvation. In this section, Jesus gives specific instructions on how to govern our thoughts and our actions according to a Kingdom position. He says, “Anyone who listens to My instruction gains wisdom. He is like a person who builds a house on solid rock instead of sand." Matthew 7:24-27 In this poem, I will focus in on what Jesus says about passing judgment on one another. He said, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging others is the standard by which you will be judged.” Matthew 7:2 Paul spoke about this same concept in his letter to the Romans. In Romans Chapter 2, Paul said, “You may think you can condemn such people (the people described in Romans Chapter 1 as being wicked and evil in the eyes of the Lord), but you are just as bad!” He said, “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant and patient God is with you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” The Lord says, “Why worry about a speck in your brothers eye when you have a log in your own eye? How can you think of saying to your brother ‘let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? You Hypocrite!” Matthew 7:3-5 Let me ask... Do you remember the story of the woman in the Book of John, who was caught in an adulterous act? The religious leaders brought the woman to Jesus, and made her stand in front of everyone - accusing her of what she had done wrong. They literally put her on display for all to condemn, and all to stone - but in the end, the Word of God was a giant mirror for each of them. They said, “Teacher, we caught this woman in an an adulterous act. In his teachings, Moses ordered us to stone women like this to death. What do you say?” John 8:6 says, “They asked this to test him. They wanted to find a reason to bring charges against him.” So here we see controlling men who were accusing a woman for her sin, who were actually trying to condemn the Son of God. Let us see - how did Jesus respond? “Jesus bent down and used his finger to write on the ground.” “When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, ‘The person without sin should throw the first stone.” "Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground." “One by one, beginning with the older men, the experts of the Law left, and Jesus was left alone with the woman.” “Then Jesus straightened up and asked, Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?” “The woman answered, “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I you. Now go and sin no more." John 8:8 This has to be my favorite Bible story, because it speaks to the heart of everyone who was lost but found. Isn’t it amazing how the Lord chases after us? What man intends for bad, the Lord turns into good! In Matthew 7 the Lord teaches another doctrine, He said, “Do not waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Do not throw your pearls to swine; If you engage, they will trample your pearls, then they will turn and attack you.” The religious men that held to the Law had no idea that they were perfectly imperfect. They didn’t understand that the Law, given by God, to His servant Moses was actually meant to be a mirror for them - to be a true reflection of their imperfections, and their need for God. In Matthew 5, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” By grace through faith, we are made right with God. Jesus came to forgive all the sin that separates us from an eternal life with God. You see, none of us are good or holy on our own, for we all fall short of the glory of God. The first doctrine of being a Christian, after accepting Christ as your Savior, and being baptized by the Holy Spirit, is to love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind, and to love others as you love yourself.
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