Wednesday, October 28, 2009
No Loop Holes
(Matthew 5:21-24)
Jesus did not come to destroy the law; rather, He came to fulfill it (5:17). According to today’s passage, He also came to intensify the Old Testament Law. You see, the law generally addressed actions as opposed to heart and motives. “Thou shalt not kill” prohibits an action. Many Jews viewed themselves in technical obedience to the law as long as they didn’t shed blood. They could hate, malign, and slander—anything short of murder. Jesus, however, burst their legally technical bubble. Killing, He affirmed, is certainly wrong; but hating and unreasonable anger are equally wrong. In other words, there really are no loop holes.
Most Christians seek loop holes in the area of personal relationships—marriage, friendship, etc. It is this pastor’s experience that in no other aspect of life is the Bible so quickly disregarded by professed believers as in relationship issues. That’s why Jesus poignantly addressed grudges held by believers within the context of intensifying the law. It’s not enough to refrain from murder. It’s not even enough to treat one’s brother with studied indifference. Where there’s a grievance, it must be addressed and reconciled (23, 24).
You see, the standard set by Jesus does not destroy God’s law. Rather, His standard intensifies it to deal with heart attitudes in addition to actions. And until one deals with heart issues—specifically in regard to human relationships—all other religious activity and service must be put on hold. God isn’t satisfied with our technical obedience. He demands our hearts as well.
