The Life of Christ (19)

1. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Volition (Choice) • Jesus makes a radical observation (5:29-30). • Verses 29 and 30 are designed to shock the listener, rather than be taken literally. • To appreciate and understand the teaching presented we must approach this with certain doctrines or teachings before us. • The first of these is the doctrine of volition. Heb. 11:6 • There are those who are seekers and those who are not. • Those who are seekers will ultimately find salvation, Ph1 in Jesus Christ. • For some among the seekers certain stumbling blocks must be removed in order for them to express their positive volition toward the truth. The Life of Christ (19)

2. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Volition • Jesus makes a radical observation (5:29-30). • Matthew 5:29–30 (NASB95) • 29“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. • 30“If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. • Hebrews 11:6 (NASB95) • 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. The Life of Christ (19)

3. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Volition • Jesus makes a radical observation (5:29-30). • These verses are for unbelievers who are letting some physical or material thing stand in the way of their positive volition for salvation Ph1. • If that is the case, God will remove the object that is causing them to stumble over the gospel so that they can be saved. • That is to say that under the easy and normal conditions of life, they would not exercise (use) their positive volition. • They must experience some loss, or some form of suffering, which varies from person to person. • Their negative counterparts (those that are not seekers) will not turn to God when similar loss or sufferings are experienced. The Life of Christ (19)

4. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Volition • Jesus makes a radical observation (5:29-30). • Examples of things that can be stumbling blocks for unbelievers are good looks, wealth, intelligence, and athletic ability. • Two case studies for this are Nebuchadnezzar, the king and the Pharaoh of the Exodus. Nebuchadnezzar was positive but was very arrogant (proud); he was given a rare disease that caused him to thinking he was a cow (Dan. 4:30-33). • Pharaoh was negative and all the miracles in the world did not convince him to believe. Ex. 7-11 • The story of the rich young ruler is an example of one whose wealth was a stumbling block to saving faith (believing Ph1). Matt. 19:20-22 However, there is no evidence that this man made the salvation adjustment and believed. The Life of Christ (19)

5. Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4:30-33 Daniel 4:30–33 (NASB95) 30“The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31“While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ 33“Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. The Life of Christ (19)

6. Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 4:30-33 The Life of Christ (19)

7. The Life of Christ (19) The Sermon on the Mount Nebuchadnezzar’s Salvation Ph1 Daniel 4:34–37 (NASB95) 34“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ 36“At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me. 37“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.” The Life of Christ (19)

8. The Life of Christ (19) The Sermon on the Mount The Pharaoh of Egypt And The Ten Plagues of Egypt • Pharaoh was negative and all the miracles in the world did not convince him to believe. Ex. 7-11 The Life of Christ (19)

9. The Life of Christ (19) The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 19:20–22 (NASB95) 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. The story of the rich young ruler is an example of one whose wealth was a stumbling block to saving faith (believing Ph1). However, there is no evidence that this man made the salvation adjustment and believed. The Life of Christ (19)

10. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • People go to heaven based on faith in Christ and people go to hell based on rejection of Christ, not upon the kinds of sins they commit. John 3:16 • We must remember that salvation cannot be lost as a result of some sin like mental attitude anger (or overt murder); or that the commission of such sins is not an indication that one was never saved in the first place. • These false concepts could easily be inferred (concluded) from these verses (vv. 5:29-30). • To interpret these verses apart from the body of Scripture is to fall into error. • For some as long as they can pursue the desires of the lust pattern unimpeded (without stopping), they would continue in a state of unbelief. The Life of Christ (19)

11. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • Nebuchadnezzar had to be humiliated or his pride of accomplishment would have kept him from humbling himself and believing. • Loss of some asset is often the thing that brings a person to the place where they are willing to believe. • This is by no means true of all who are positive but it is the testimony of some. • As long as certain persons are allowed to pursue their own lusts and fulfill those desires, they continue in unbelief. • Only by the imposition or burden of some loss will God get their attention. The Life of Christ (19)

12. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • We recognize that God causes us to suffer as believers to get us to fall in line with His righteousness; we call this divine discipline. • A person whose grid or way of living is the pursuit of pleasure may have to lose a part of the body related to that activity. • The eye is an important, but sometimes overlooked part of the human anatomy in the pursuit of things. • Inhibit or stop the vision in some way and maybe God will get the person’s attention. • The right eye is normally the dominant eye and its loss may bring about a change of mind. • The hand is mentioned because it is God-given part of our bodies that is a vital part of the pursuit of fun and pleasure. The Life of Christ (19)

13. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • These two parts of our bodies (eyes and hands) are often used in a sinful way, and the sudden loss or malfunction or failure of these members gets the attention of some who are in violation of the righteousness of God. • Some individuals require a much more radical or drastic loss than others. • But God will do whatever it takes to bring positive volition to the surface; the alternative is eternal hell. • It is far better to go through life maimed and disfigured than to spend eternity in perfect condition in the lake of fire. • These verses teach that the body suffers in hell, which means that the unsaved will have to receive a resurrection body. The Life of Christ (19)

14. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • Scripture teaches that the unsaved (unbelievers) are provided some sort of body that is capable of experiencing pain and suffering after they died. • Luke 16:22–24 (NASB95) • 22“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. • 23“In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. • 24“And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ The Life of Christ (19)

15. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • The doctrine of the resurrection of a body of damnation is taught in the following verses. • John 5:28–29 (NASB95) • 28“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, • 29and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. • Revelation 20:13–15 (NASB95) • 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. • 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. • 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. The Life of Christ (19)

16. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine Salvation • The second doctrine that must be kept before us is the doctrine of salvation (5:29-30) • In conclusion, it must be noted that most people will not voluntarily amputate or remove a member of their body, so God in grace may do it for them. • Finally, the same radical procedure may be applied to the believers so they can advance to maturity; however, believers should not assume that God will intervene and do for them what they should do for themselves. • God may either intervene with some judgment that causes the believer to change his behavior or God may let the believer continue and lose out on eternal rewards. The Life of Christ (19)

17. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Divorce • The s doctrine of divorce (5:31-32) • Matthew 5:27,28,31,32 (NASB95) • 27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; • 28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. • The link between these verses and the discussion on mental attitude adultery in the verses in Matthew 5:27-28 is that unjustifiable divorce and remarriage also constitutes an act of adultery. • 31“It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; • 32but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. The Life of Christ (19)

18. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Divorce • The s doctrine of divorce (5:31-32) • The Old Testament allowed divorce because of the hardness of men’s hearts, but this was not God’s directive will. Deut. 24:1-4; Matt. 19:3-9 • The Pharisees allowed divorce for almost any reason and some of them were very frivolous (not cleaning or cooking properly). • Biblically, no one has the right to divorce and remarry unless one partner has been sexually unfaithful. • Even in cases of unfaithfulness, divorce is not commanded, merely permitted; the ideal is to reconcile and stay in the marriage. The Life of Christ (19)

19. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Divorce • Deuteronomy 24:1–4 (NASB95) • 1“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 indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house, • 2and she leaves his house and goes and becomes another man’s wife, • 3and if the latter husband turns against her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter husband dies who took her to be his wife, • 4then her former husband who sent her away is not allowed to take her again to be his wife, since 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 gives you as an inheritance. The Life of Christ (19)

20. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Scripture (Matthew 5:29-32) • Doctrine of Divorce • Matthew 19:3–9 (NASB95) • 3Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?” • 4And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, • 5and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, andthe two shall become one flesh’? • 6“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” • 7They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away?” • 8He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. • 9“And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” The Life of Christ (19)

21. The Life of Christ (19) • The Sermon on the Mount • Questions for discussion. • How was Nebuchadnezzar an example of one whom God tested to bring out his positive volition? • How was the Pharaoh of the Exodus an example of one whom God tested and he remained negative? • Is there a sin we can commit to keep us from going to Heaven? If so, what is it? • Would it be worse to lose an arm or to lose out on salvation? Why? • If we see someone with an amputated hand, does it necessarily mean that God is trying to get his or her attention? The Life of Christ (19)