SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/24/2020 9:02 AM
My Worship Time Focus: “The
Positive Consequence”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 5:19
Message of the verse: “19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of
these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called
least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
In
our SD for today we move into the positive side of the consequences of men’s
response to the law, and the positive result is that “whoever keeps and teaches
them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus again mentions the two aspect of doing
and teaching. Kingdom citizens are to
uphold every part of God’s law, and they are to do this in both living and also
in teaching.
Paul
gives an example that the Thessalonians did in 1 Thes. 2:10-12 “10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how
devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11 just
as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one
of you as a father would his own children, 12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of
the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” The letters
that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians are my second favorite books in the NT
with of course Revelation being my first one.
The Thessalonian letters show how great that church was and it only took
a short time for this to happen as Paul was not there too long. Another reason that I like these letters so
much is because in every chapter of both letters there is mention of the return
of our Lord Jesus Christ. John MacArthur
explains more from the three verses in 1 Thessalonian as he writes “Paul had
been faithful to live and teach among them all of God’s Word, just as he had
done at Ephesus and everywhere else he ministered.”
When
we look at God’s moral law we can see that it is a reflection of God’s very
character and therefore it is changeless and eternal. The things that His law requires will not
have to be commanded in heaven, and the reason for this is because they will be
manifested in heaven because they manifest God.
However while God’s people are still on earth they do not naturally
reflect the character of their heavenly Father, and His moral standards
continue to be commanded and supernaturally produced. “1 Therefore there
is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For
what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering
for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law
might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according
to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-4).
Paul
writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:11-12 “11 Prescribe and teach these things. 12
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech,
conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who
believe.” MacArthur writes “Near the end
of the same letter Paul tells Timothy to flee from all evil things and, as a
man of God to ‘pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and
gentleness. Fight the good fight of
faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.’”
We
have looked at the following part of verse 19 at the beginning which says “be
called great in the kingdom of heaven,” and Paul kept and taught the full Word
of God so he is therefore a part of those that Jesus is talking about. MacArthur adds “No one who does not do the
same will not be in the ranks of God’s great saints.”
I
think that sometimes we get the wrong idea of what greatness is all about as
greatness is not determined by gifts, success, popularity, reputation, or even
the size of one’s ministry. Greatness is determined by a believer’s view of
Scripture as revealed in his life and also in his teaching.
We
conclude this SD with a final quote from John MacArthur: “Jesus’ promise is not simply to great
teachers such as Paul—or Augustine, Calvin, Luther, Wesley, or Spurgeon. His promise applies to every believer who
teaches others to obey God’s Word by faithfully, carefully, and lovingly living
by and speaking of that Word. Every believer
does not have the gift of teaching the deep doctrines of Scripture, but every believer is called and
is able to teach the right attitude toward it.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: To be a believer like the last
highlighted portion of MacArthur’s quote.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the
Lord to use the things that I write and put onto my blogs to help both
believers, and for unbelievers to become believers, through the power of His
Holy Spirit.
7/24/2020
9:34 AM
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