Friday, October 9, 2020

Giving Without Hypocrisy (Matt. 6:1-4)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 10/9/2020 9:13 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  A Very Short Intro to Matt. 6:1-4

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  Matthew 6:1-4

 

            Message of the verses:  1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 "When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing 4 that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

 

            I want to quote in this SD from Matthew Henry first and then John MacArthur as they both preview the first four verses of the sixth chapter of Matthew.

 

1-4 Our Lord next warned against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties. What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men. In these verses we are cautioned against hypocrisy in giving alms. Take heed of it. It is a subtle sin; and vain-glory creeps into what we do, before we are aware. But the duty is not the less necessary and excellent for being abused by hypocrites to serve their pride. The doom Christ passes, at first may seem a promise, but it is their reward; not the reward God promises to those who do good, but the reward hypocrites promise themselves, and a poor reward it is; they did it to be seen of men, and they are seen of men. When we take least notice of our good deeds ourselves, God takes most notice of them. He will reward thee; not as a master who gives his servant what he earns, and no more, but as a Father who gives abundantly to his son that serves him.”  (Matthew Henry)

 

John MacArthur entitles this chapter in his commentary “Giving Without Hypocrisy” and as mentioned it covers the first four verses of chapter six.  He writes the following short introduction to this chapter as follows:  “Matthew 5:21-48 focuses on the teaching of the law, on what men believe and 6:1-8 focuses on the practice of the law, what men do.  The first section emphasizes inner moral righteousness—giving six representative illustrations regarding murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge, and love.  The second section emphasizes outward formal righteousness—giving three representative illustrations of religious activity.  The first has to do with giving, our religion as it acts toward others (vv. 2-4); the second with praying, our religion as it acts toward God (vv. 5-15); and the third was fasting, our religion as it acts in relation to ourselves (vv. 16-18).”

 

Now as we move through this section from Matthew 6:1-4 we will be looking at three different main sections:  “The Danger of False Righteousness” (6:1); “The Practice and Reward of False Giving” (6:2); and lastly “The practice and Reward of True Giving” (6:3-4).  Lord willing, we will begin with the first section in our next SD.

 

10/9/2020 9:33 AM

           

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