Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. (Mat 6:5-8 NKJ)

The hypocrite was far more concerned about being seen praying than they were about the reason and the content of their prayers.  The hypocrite assumed that people would think they were spiritual and righteous.  Jesus tells them that they are fake and have already received their reward.  They give nothing and will receive nothing.  And don’t keep on repeating or chanting vain words, God is neither deaf nor is He ignoring you.

When you pray, do it in a place where you’re alone with God, prayer, after all, is about the relationship.  That relationship means that your Father knows what you have a need of even before you pray one word.  Our Father is not far off, He is closer than you think, so draw near to Him, and he will draw near to you.

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. (Mat 6:1-4 NKJ)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Mat 5:16 NKJ)

How many realize that when Jesus said, “Letting your light shine before men.” He was not telling us to put our name on display with neon lights?  We have all seen the celebrities and heard of a business tycoon that donates a huge sum of money to this cause or that charity.  The cameras are flashing; television is present, and everybody is amazed at such large donations. Jesus would tell us, “I say to you, they have their reward.” The Message translation puts it this way, “When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.”  Thank God for His grace!

You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matt 5:48. AMP)

[A note for my Islamic friends that may be reading this devotion. Islam like Christianity and Judaism is monotheistic and is gender neutral; I would respectfully ask, do we not see the traits of fatherhood in God? The prophet said, puh, “Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving” (Surat An-Nisa, 99]

The gospel is a paradox, a contradiction that if you try to make sense of it using the world’s standards as a measuring stick, it will never make sense. We come to the end of this section of the Sermon on the Mount, during which Jesus turned their world upside down.  Today, the world has infiltrated the Church to the point that if Jesus were to return today, He just might sit us on a hillside to correct some ‘stinking thinking.’

People, family, will often ask me why I am pastoring where I am and not in some big church.  Alternatively, why I am not working for some big corporation and being successful.  All I know is that when I signed up for the Kingdom, I did not sign up to know everything, just to know Him and the power of the resurrection.  Just before we left for the States in 1994, I received a prophecy that said I was going to get a ‘coat of many colors.’  I fell into the same trap as Joseph, think that I might be somebody only to realize that I am nobody.  There had been times when, like Joseph, I’ve said to those that I’ve meet along the way, “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.” (Gen 40:14 NKJ) The butler forgot, and Joseph remained in prison.  Discontent will only come in life when you try to measure the things of God by the world’s standards.  Paul wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:2 NKJ) As for me, the world might think I am down, but I am up.  They might think I am out, but I am in, in the House, and whether I am the doorkeeper, the cup-bearer or the butler, I have to say that it is well with my soul.  

The world does not change us; we change the world.

“You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:43-48 NKJ)

So where in the Bible will you find the quote, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy?” You won’t, it is not there.  The quote was taken from the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees.  This question was put before Jesus by a lawyer in Luke 10:29, “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” To the Pharisee a neighbor was Israelite and Jewish, anyone outside that category was worse than a dead dog.  So you can imagine their disgust when Jesus defined a neighbor using the parable of the Samaritan.

It’s easy to love those that love you, have the same likes and dislike and go to the same church, synagogue or mosque.  Today there is a rising spirit of division and hatred against Muslims, Jews, people of color, Latino and Gays.  What to make America great again? Then love your neighbor regardless.

“Furthermore it has been said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.  (Mat 5:31-32 NKJ)

 I want to spend some time on this text primarily because of the poor teaching and pharisaical attitudes often expressed in the Church.  A great deal of damage was done in the very beginning by certain denominations that sought to make marriage a holy sacrament and thereby making divorce out of the question.  Scripture was taken out of context in order to bolster this teaching.  For many, marriage became a sentence rather than a loving commitment.

 Going back to the beginning, Jesus says that he had not come to abolish the Law of Moses, but rather to fulfill the Law.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is not changing or trying to correct the Law of God, rather he was wanting to correct the misinterpretations of the Pharisees and scribes.  Today, I want to look at just what exactly does the Mosaic Law say regarding divorce?

“When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, “when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another man’s wife, “if the latter husband detests her and writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her as his wife, “then her former husband who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that is an abomination before the LORD, and you shall not bring sin on the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance. (Deu 24:1-4 NKJ)

In the days of Moses adultery was not mentioned in the context of divorce—adultery resulted in a judgment of death.  However, because women were not regarded as equals to the man and more like property, divorce was becoming an issue.  Men were throwing out their wives for any miniscule reason they could find.  It should be mentioned that the very fact this issue comes after Jesus’ teaching on lust should not go amiss.  Wives were not to be divorced because the man had his eye on a newer model.  To regulate this trend, Moses introduced some controls.

1.            A husband could divorce his wife if he found some natural, moral or physical defect in the wife.  This had to be confirmed by two witnesses.

2.            The wife was to be given a certificate of divorce.  This would keep her from being stoned as an adulteress, and allow her to re-marry.

3.            Should the second husband divorce her, the first husband was not allowed to re-marry her again, emphasizing the importance of marriage.

So Moses was not trying to lay down the law, merely trying to control a chaotic situation.  (Can I say ladies, that anything that considers a women as being anything less than equal abhorrent.)

Let’s look at the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees.  To get an idea of their teaching we need to look at Matthew 19.

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?” And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning `made them male and female,’ “and said, `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh ‘? “So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” (Mat 19:3-9 NKJ)

 The Pharisees had no concept as to what the Law allowed or what Moses said.  In fact, they were allowing the very things to happen that Moses tried to stop.  So what did Jesus say?  Jesus clearly stated that the only reason for divorce was sexual immorality.  The reason for this is simple; marriage is a lifetime covenant contract. Marriage is a sign and a symbol of a person’s faithfulness and fidelity. It should not be entered into likely.

 Paul says, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1Co 6:15-18 NKJ)

Just as a postscript—when you meet somebody that has been the injured party in a marriage relationship, treat them with the love and grace that the Lord would offer, and not like a Pharisee seeking to see the letter of divorce.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not commit adultery.’ “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Mat 5:27-28 NKJ 

Strong words from Jesus, but look at his reaction to the woman caught in adultery. “Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman is standing in the midst. (Joh 8:3-9 NKJ) The fact that she was caught in the act must have meant that her male counterpart must also have  been present and yet appears to be missing at the trial, or was they?  I say this because according to the words of Jesus, even to look with lust is to commit adultery in the heart.

In Genesis 3:6,  we are told that the woman saw—desired—and took. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen 3:6 NKJ) By the time, the act has taken place it is already too late.  The seed has already been planted and taken root.  I believe that when Jesus saw the crowd of self-righteous men standing around he bent down and started to write the names of those men that had also committed this sin even if it was only in their hearts.  The gospel tells us that the men, being convicted, turned and walked away.

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Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) was a prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.

Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:

First, they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

The quotation stems from Niemöller’s lectures during the early postwar period. The fact is that pre-war Germany was not the same country as the Germany Niemöller speaks of here, it had changed and that change was gradual and progressive, and before they realized it, the change had gone too far to go back.

It serves no useful purpose to compare President-elect, Donald J. Trump to Hitler; they are not the same, and the Bible commands us to pray for those in authority.  However, there are spiritual forces of darkness that have their roots in American history, that will always seek to manifest themselves given any opportunity.  The Apostle Paul warned the church at Ephesus that the fight was not about flesh and blood, but about fighting those spiritual entities, through prayer, in the heavenly realms.

In America today, we see the ‘Butterfly Theory’ in operation. In 2008 America elected Barak Obama as President.  It was the first time this nation had elected an African American to this position and was seen as a progressive move forward. 2016, and a complete reversal takes place, as those forces try to take back lost ground.  We see a rise in racism, islamophobia, misogyny, and xenophobia. So how should the Christian respond?

Romans 12:1-2 tells us, “So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service.  Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is–what is good and pleasing and mature. (Rom 12:1-2 CEB) Standing still, keeping silent is not an option.  Either we are being transformed, or we are conformed.  Being conformed means that we allow things to change, people and groups to be persecuted and harassed, the Jews, the Muslims and the Gay’s. Until they come for you and there is nobody left to speak up for you!

The transformer seeks knowledge and wisdom, is a person of prayer, both passive and aggressive, and speaks out for righteousness and injustice. But that could be costly; I hear you say.  Yes, it may, but you will not be the first person that has paid the price with everything that had.  Let me finish by paraphrasing Niemöller quotation:

First, they came for the Muslim’s, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Muslim. Then they came for the Gay’s, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Gay. Then they came for the African-American, and I did not speak out— Because I was not black. Then they came for me, the Christian—and there was no one left to speak for me.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother,`Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, `You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, “leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.  (Mat 5:21-26 NKJ)

 The key to the next six sections of the Sermon on the Mount are not about the Law of Moses versus the interpretation of Jesus, but the preceding verse where Jesus says, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:20 NKJ) Jesus required a higher standard of righteousness, the kind that can only come from God.

 The Pharisees and scribes had taken the commandment “You shall not murder.” (Exo 20:13 NKJ) and added the text from Numbers 35:30, “Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. By doing this, they had reduced the punishment to a civil judgment, rather than a divine judgment. Jesus, on the other hand, raised the standard, telling them that not only should we not physically murder a person, but we should avoid murdering a person with the words from our mouths.  The Pharisees were so self-righteous, they would pass judgment on a person in conversation just by looking at a person, and condemning them as nothing more than trash.

 Years ago they would say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” We all know that nothing could be further from the truth.  We can destroy a reputation, and tear down a person’s confidence with words.  Children can be bullied to the point of suicide. We should not judge a person by the color of their skin, the clothes they wear be it a hajib, turban or overalls. And no, not all immigrants from south of the border are ‘Mexicans,’ and they are not all rapists or drug dealers. Neither are refugees all terrorists; they are just ordinary people looking for a better life.

 To the Pharisees, the letter of the Law was civil judgment.  The spirit of the Law, however, was that the anger in a person’s heart could destroy two lives.  Paul suggests in Romans 12 that we offer ourselves daily to God as a living sacrifice. Jesus is telling us to make sure our heart is right first before we come to God with our offerings. You can check your heart condition by the words of your mouth.

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:19-20 NKJ)

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”  So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “`You shall not murder, ‘`You shall not commit adultery, ‘`You shall not steal, ‘`You shall not bear false witness,’ `Honor your father and your mother,’ and, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Mat 19:16-21 NKJ)

 The Scribes and the Pharisees kept the letter of the Law, but they lacked righteousness and holiness, which is the spirit of the Law.  The rich young man who comes to Jesus, has that same the same attitude as the Pharisees, seeing the Law as the keeping of external regulations.  Remember the first commandment, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deu 6:5 NKJ) He claimed perfection, yet Jesus knew where this man’s heart was and what he really counted as being important—his wealth.  His reaction to Jesus’ words clearly showed that he didn’t ‘love the LORD your God with ALL his heart, with ALL his soul, and with ALL his strength.’

 As a Christian, Jesus wants us to keep the spirit of the Law, in that we should seek inward righteousness and holiness and external fruit of our actions, thereby exceeding the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. (Mat 5:17-18 NKJ)

And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. `Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. `You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. `You shall not steal. `You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. `You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’ (Deu 5:15-21 NKJ)

Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Col 2:14 NAS)

Why do Christians and churches have copies of the ‘Ten Commandments’ on the walls or outside their building as though they have kept or meet the full requirements of that law? Paul makes it quite clear in his letter to the Colossians when he reminded them that the law was a “certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and that was hostile to us.  Jesus came not to change the law or take it away, but to meet the full requirements of that law and nailed the notice onto the cross that said ‘paid in full.’

Now you can if you, so wish go back and try to live under the law.  You might be a Muslim and want to live under Sharia law, but I want to invite you to live to a higher standard called grace. Grace causes us to do the right thing, not because of tablets of stone but because God has written these things in our hearts and we now have a desire to please him.