Having digressed for a short series on the "advent of the Christ," we return now to our study of the Gospel of Matthew. We left off, last time, in the middle of our Lord's "Sermon on the Mount," most specifically, where He is addressing the sinful actions of the religious leaders, in contradistinction, to the way, in which, those who are truly part of God's Kingdom, must and will act. We recall that we have already considered our Lord's examination of their erroneous teachings, and their abuse of the Law, showing that the Law of God goes deeper than mere outward observance and formality, getting down to the very motives and intentions of the heart. The Kingdom of God, in fact, is a kingdom of the heart; where those indwelt by the Holy Spirit,
act righteously, in accordance with pure, God-glorifying motives.
Following this, we considered how our Lord had exposed the ungodly actions of the religious leaders, most specifically, dealing with matters related to worship. They did their good deeds, tithed, prayed and fasted, in such a way that they would be seen by men, so that they could receive the praises of men. They were not genuinely concerned about glorifying God. And so, the praise that they received was their ultimate reward. But, those in the kingdom of God; those who are truly God's people, will be zealous to ensure that their works are done unto the glory of God, and not unto seeking the praises of men. |
