Jesus is Essential
Matthew 5:46–48: 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.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones said: We can emphasize that by putting it like this. The Christian is the man who is above, and goes beyond, the natural man at his very best and highest.… There are many people in the world who are not Christian but who are very moral and highly ethical, men whose word is their bond, and who are scrupulous and honest, just and upright. You never find them doing a shady thing to anybody; but they are not Christian, and they say so.
They do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and may have rejected the whole of the New Testament teaching with scorn. But they are absolutely straightforward, honest and true.… Now the Christian, by definition here, is a man who is capable of doing something that the best natural man cannot do. He goes beyond and does more than that; he exceeds. He is separate from all others, and not only from the worst among others, but from the very best and highest among them. 1
Walking with Jesus
The sooner we surrender our standard of perfection, and receive His perfection to cover all our failures, the sooner we will experience heaven’s love on earth.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Colossians 1:28
Many times it’s the unlovable people that God uses to purify His love in us. – TWEET IT
Praying
Lord, thank You for teaching me that life is impossible without You.
1. Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
