SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1032

“You Have Heard”

 …in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:9)

‘Fake News!’ is the outcry of the day. From social media to the broadcast networks carefully selected information bites are pulled out of context and skillfully spun to further an agenda. It has become increasingly difficult to discern the truth.

Sadly, this problem exists in the church context also and it is not something new. Since the fall of Adam and Eve there have been false prophets among the prophets of God and to this day we have false teachers among us. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus spoke the Truth with authority. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus addressed six topics prefacing His statements with ‘You have heard…but I say to you.’ He corrected conventional thinking and false doctrine on the subjects of Anger, Lust, Divorce, Oaths, Retaliation and Love for enemies.

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment… (Matthew 5:21-24) Jesus clarified the intent of the Law to matters of the heart. You cannot harbor bitterness and hate in your heart and still offer an acceptable gift of worship at the altar of God.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28) Again, lust is more than an act – it is a matter of heart intention. We often cannot avoid seeing things that entice us to lust; however, the second look is a choice.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32) Divorce has become too easy in our society and the demographics of our churches are no different than that of the unsaved world. We cannot undo what has been done and forgiven by the shed blood of Jesus, but we can teach future generations by word and example of the value and importance of purity in premarital relationships. We need to teach them the Biblical Truth of the covenantal relationship of marriage as God intended it to be.

Jesus continued to undo twisted teachings concerning making empty oaths – Let what you say be simply Yes or No; retaliation – Do not seek an eye for an eye vengeance; and to Love not only your neighbor but your enemies also.

How does one discern the Truth? Discernment comes by reading and studying the Word of God for ourselves, guided in all Truth by the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come; so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (John 16:13; Ephesians 4:14)