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Sermon on the Mount
185
In the book of God’s providence, the volume of life, we are each
given a page. That page contains every particular of our history.
God’s children are never absent from His mind. “Therefore do not
be anxious about tomorrow.” RSV. God does not give His children
all the directions for their life journey at once. He tells them just
as much as they can remember and perform. Strength and wisdom
imparted are for the present emergency.
“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Do not think yourself better
than other men and set yourself up as their judge. You cannot discern
motive. In criticizing him, you are passing sentence on yourself; for
you show that you are a participant with Satan, the accuser of the
brethren. See
2 Corinthians 13:5
;
1 Corinthians 11:31
.
The good tree will produce good fruit. So the fruit borne in the
life testifies as to the character. Good works can never purchase
salvation, but they are an evidence of the faith that works by love
and purifies the soul. The reward is not bestowed because of our
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merit, yet it will be in proportion to the work done through grace.
Thus Christ set forth the principles of His kingdom. To impress
the lesson, He added an illustration. It is not enough, He says, to
hear My words; by obedience, you must make them the foundation
of your character. If you build on human theories, your house will
fall. By the winds of temptation and trial it will be swept away. But
these principles that I have given will endure. Receive Me; build on
My words.
“Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them
will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the
rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that
house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”
RSV.
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