True Religion The Way Of Christ

Matthew 5:21-22 Ye have heard that it was said of 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.

What Is The “True Religion”?
Only The Way Of Jesus

I was shopping for some more pants the other day when I came across a brand of blue jeans called True Religion™ . That caught my eye. Why is it called “True Religion™ ”? I went and looked up the brand on the Internet. It was founded in 2002 by Jeffrey Lubell. The name of the company is based on his philosophy – these are his words – “There’s really only one religion in the world, and that’s people—and we all wear jeans”. What Lubell is selling besides blue jeans is what the devil sold from the beginning. He believes that every person should stay true to themselves regardless as to societal rules or religious divides. In short, a “True Religion” puts me first.

I don’t wear blue jeans, and the True Religion™ jeans are too expensive for me anyway. But the philosophy is just the old sermon the snake preached in the Garden of Eden.

When Jesus sat down to preach His “Sermon on the Mount”, the first thing He did was go through the various misunderstandings that the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees had about the Law of God. These religious teachers had departed from the core of the Scripture many years before, and Jesus would call them out on it. He told them:

(Matthew 15:7-9 NKJV) Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: [8] ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with [their] lips, But their heart is far from Me. [9] And in vain they worship Me, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’

Jesus is not rewriting the Law, nor erasing the Law. Jesus told us last week “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to FULFILL {plēroō, to bring forth the full measure}” (Matthew 5:17). That’s what Jesus starts to do. He says:

Jesus Fulfilling The Law

Matthew 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, THOU SHALT NOT KILL; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the JUDGMENT

Jesus is careful in how He states this. He doesn’t say “It is written in the Law, but I say unto you”. What Jesus says is “it was said OF THEM OF OLD TIME”. Not the Prophets. Not Moses. It was said by the religious teachers, not by God. The Sixth Commandment of God was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. It states:

(Exodus 20:13 NKJV) You shall not MURDER {rāṣaḥ, to murder or assassinate}.

The Pharisees and Scribes taught that that which was punishable was only to take innocent life. It was only the physical action that was prohibited. This is what was taught in the Synagogues, and had been mistaught from the time of the giving of the Law. Jesus said, “That’s not all that the Father was speaking of”. Jesus then fulfills the Law by saying:

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is ANGRY WITH HIS BROTHER WITHOUT A CAUSE shall be in danger of the judgment …

It is not sinful to be angry with someone, especially when they hurt you. The Bible says:

(Ephesians 4:25-27 KJV) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. [26] BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: [27] NEITHER GIVE PLACE TO THE DEVIL.

You can be angry with a brother or sister WITH CAUSE. But there must be cause. And even so, you MUST NOT NURSE THE ANGER beyond the sunset.

Homicide is many times the fruit of uncontrolled anger and hatred. If you leave the seed of anger in your soul, it may grow to destroy not just your life, but the life of another.

When you carry anger against another person beyond the sunset, you open the door for Satan to manipulate your life. Anger is not a fruit of the Spirit. It is the fruit of the flesh. God says that murderers will be in the Lake of Fire one day:

Revelation 21:8 (ESV) … as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as FOR MURDERERS, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

The Law of God declared:

(Leviticus 19:16-18 LSB) You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people, and YOU SHALL NOT STAND AGAINST THE LIFE OF YOUR NEIGHBOR; I am Yahweh. [17] ‘You SHALL NOT HATE YOUR BROTHER IN YOUR HEART; you MAY SURELY REPROVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, and so not bear sin because of him. [18] ‘You SHALL NOT TAKE VENGEANCE, and you SHALL NOT KEEP YOUR ANGER AGAINST THE SONS OF YOUR PEOPLE, but you shall LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF; I am Yahweh.

The Apostle John stated:

(1 John 3:14-15 NKJV) We know that we have passed from death to life, because WE LOVE THE BRETHREN. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER ABIDES IN DEATH. [15] Whoever HATES HIS BROTHER IS A MURDERER, and you know that NO MURDERER HAS ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM.

Uncontrolled Anger Can Not Only Lead To Murder
It Can Effect Your Walk With God

Matthew 5:22 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 {mōros}, shall be in danger of hell fire.

God looks at the heart of every person. If you harbor anger – even if no one else sees it – God sees it. And you are “in danger of the judgment”. God can punish you for this. God punishes His children because He loves them and wants the best for us (Hebrews 12:5-8; Proverbs 3:11-12). If you say to your brother “RACA”, and Arabic word which means “you are empty headed, worthless, or good for nothing”, you can be taken before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Ruling Council, and be charged with slander or defamation of character. The Bible says:

Proverbs 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.

To slander someone is also a violation of the Ninth Commandment, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). God told His Old Covenant Israel:

(Psalm 101:5-6 LSB) Whoever SECRETLY SLANDERS HIS NEIGHBOR, HIM WILL I DESTROY; Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart, I will not endure. [6] MY EYES SHALL BE UPON THE FAITHFUL OF THE LAND, that THEY MAY ABIDE WITH ME; He who walks in the way of the blameless is the one who will minister to Me.

Jesus also said “whosoever shall say, THOU FOOL, shall be IN DANGER OF HELL FIRE”. To call someone a “FOOL” is to say that they are totally without God. God can make these judgments. In fact, Jesus chastised the Scribes and Pharisees, saying:

(Matthew 23:17, 19 KJV) [Ye] FOOLS {mōros} and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? … [19] [Ye] FOOL {mōros} and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

All judgment is committed to Jesus – God Incarnate – so He, looking at the heart of the Scribes and Pharisees, could call them FOOLS {mōros}. But we cannot do this. And we should not.

Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there REMEMBEREST {mnaomai} 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.

When you come to serve the Lord, if you are nursing an old grudge and are a child of God, God the Holy Spirit will bring this to your memory (John 14:26). He will remind you the words of Christ. Before you serve God, go and seek reconciliation with your brother. As Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). The Kingdom of God does not need division, but unity and love.

Only The Darkness Wins When Believers
Are Public Adversaries

Matthew 5:25-26 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles 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.

Jesus is not telling us to modify or adjust the teachings of the Word of God in order to placate a lost and dying world. As believers in Christ, the most important thing we do is bring light into a lost world. There are many things that are just not worth arguing about. If someone is mad at you, or you are mad at them, you cannot share the Gospel of salvation with them.

In this particular text Jesus is not addressing the battles that occur between the Christ follower and the children of Adam.

Jesus would later tell His disciples that “If you were OF THE WORLD, the WORLD WOULD LOVE YOU. You are NOT OF THE WORLD. I have CHOSEN YOU OUT OF THE WORLD, therefore THE WORLD HATES YOU” (John 15:18-19). The lost will hate you, just as they hated Jesus THEN and hates the Biblical Jesus NOW. The “ADVERSARY”Jesus is talking about is not a lost person. Look carefully at His words:

Matthew 5:25 Agree with THINE ADVERSARY quickly, whiles THOU ART IN THE WAY WITH HIM

The phrase “IN THE WAY” is an early reference to Christ followers. Before we were called “Christians” we were called “Those IN THE WAY”. This is because Jesus said “I AM the WAY” (John 14:6).

To be “IN THE WAY” is to be “IN CHRIST”. You see this amply illustrated in the Book of Acts, which shows us the beginnings of the Church.

(Acts 9:2 LSB) {Saul} asked for letters from {the High Priest} to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any BELONGING TO THE WAY, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

This same Saul would later be saved on the Damascus Road, and would become through the Grace of God the Apostle Paul. When Paul went to preach at Ephesus, Paul was heckled by unbelievers. The Bible says:

(Acts 19:9 LSB) But when some were becoming hardened and were not believing, SPEAKING EVIL OF THE WAY before the multitude, he left them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

As Paul preached, people got upset and became adversarial – yet he kept preaching. Traveling to Asia, a maker of idols named Demetrius the silversmith said Paul was against the idols he and others were making. The Bible says:

(Acts 19:23 LSB) Now about that time there occurred NO SMALL DISTURBANCE CONCERNING THE WAY.

If you stand for Jesus, if you stand against idolatry, you will find many adversaries you CANNOT agree with. The darkness hates the light of God, and will always do so. Paul would eventually be brought to stand trial before The Roman Governor Felix. When the High Priest accused Paul of being in a cult and causing riots, Paul told Felix:

(Acts 24:11-15 LSB) … no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. [12] And neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor across the city did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. [13] Nor are they able to prove to you of what they are now accusing me. [14] But this I confess to you, THAT ACCORDING TO THE WAY, WHICH THEY CALL A SECT, I DO SERVE THE GOD OF OUR FATHERS, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; [15] having a hope in God, for which these men are waiting, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

So let’s go back to this text.

Jesus wants us as believers to NOT GO TO COURT WITH ONE ANOTHER. The Apostle Paul will later chastise the Corinthians believers for this very same behavior. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Paul chastised the believers at that Church for suing one another in court. It’s this kind of silliness that puts a basket over the Light of the Gospel. Paul asked those doing so at Corinth:

(1 Corinthians 6:5-8 LSB) I say [this] to your shame. [Is it really] this way: there is not one wise man among you who will be able to pass judgment between his brothers? [6] On the contrary, brother is tried with brother, and that before unbelievers! [7] Actually, then, it is already a failure for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? [8] On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. YOU DO THIS EVEN TO YOUR BROTHERS.

When a church has silly fights over mortal things, it does not represent Jesus but the flesh. Jesus said “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, LSB). A court battle between believers does not promote the glory of God.

Listen Beloved: Jesus is not advocating that Christians conceal crimes. He is not saying that we should allow abuse, or be walked on. Serious crimes should be prosecuted, as the Bible tells us that “we are to be subject to the governing authorities” (Romans 13:1). However, Christians should not carry personal or financial disputes outside of the Church and into the world. Our focus should be to shine our light, to let others see the glorious Gospel of Christ. Believers should be predisposed to seeking reconciliation between one another. Believers should want to glorify God with their lives.

If you get the Baptist and Reflector, you probably read about the lawsuit Johnny Hunt has brought against the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Mr. Hunt led the North American Mission Board Evangelism and Leadership Group (2018). A longtime Pastor at First Baptist Church Woodstock, Georgia, and the past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, Hunt said:

“I want to lead Southern Baptist churches to put evangelism back on the front burner again. Jesus came to seek and save the lost, we know what He is doing. We must join Him.”

Allegations became public May 22, 2022 concerning Hunt and another Pastor’s wife. Hunt resigned from the North American Mission Board and acknowledged a brief, inappropriate, extramarital encounter with a married woman in 2010. The woman claimed sexual abuse, which he denies.

Hunt has since sued the SBC for “lost employment, lost speaking engagements, and lost product sales”. The case went before a U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee. I quote this article:

“Last April, Judge William Campbell of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee tore apart Hunt’s claims in a scathing opinion that left only one part of the suit intact. He released the SBC, the SBC Executive Committee and Guideposts from the case but left open one small window — the claim against Barber, who tweeted about Hunt while Barber was serving as SBC president.

Then on August 12, Judge Campbell dismissed the last piece of the case because, he determined, Hunt was a public figure, which requires proving actual malice in a defamation case. Campbell said any reasonable jury would find Hunt to be a public figure, therefore requiring the higher standard.”

Without judging Hunt, should he be trying his case in an unbelieving courtroom? Jesus said no. Paul says no. I have to go with no. Mr Hunt should not have been in any compromising position with any member of Christ’s Kingdom. This is sin. And Mr. Hunt should repent, and drop the lawsuits. It is contrary to Jesus’ teaching, to Pauline doctrine, and to the spirit of love that we are to have for one another. As Mr Hunt previously said,

“Jesus came to seek and save the lost, we know what He is doing. We must join Him.”

Amen.