My Favourite Chapter

Matthew 5
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, his disciples came unto Him:
2 And He opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Rejoice? How can you rejoice when someone is persecuting you?
Well, here's your chance to shine! Here's your opportunity to really witness your faith in God! "There is no testimony without a test!"

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Keep your salt salted. Keep reading the Word and praying. Read the Word in faith! The Word + Faith = Dynamite!

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.
20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
-
Ok, HOW do you get to be more righteous than a Pharisee? They obey every single detail of the law! Don't they? How can a simple layman become more righteous than them?
--- By yielding to God and allowing God's Spirit to live in you! Only the righteousness of God is real righteousness. What the Pharisees had was SELF-righteousness. And when you're self-righteous, you actually think YOU are good! But, there's no such thing! As the Apostle Paul said, "In me there dwells no good thing; that is, in my flesh." But we have the righteousness of God through Jesus.

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Note that it doesn't say "if you remember that you have something against your brother", but, "if you remember your brother has something against YOU".

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilest thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast if from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Here is a verse that must be read in the Spirit, Love and Wisdom of God, or else some idiot may take it literally and come up with a really dumb idea like making it into a LAW. I know if my heart that Jesus was NOT saying that if a man steals, his hand should be cut off. NOT. This was just an extreme way of looking at your spiritual condition. Jesus was trying to show people that they should get control of their bodies and not allow sin to rule over them.


31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Again, this is a verse that should be applied with wisdom. Every case should be judged on its own as well.