So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.” Genesis 30:33 (ESV)
Jacob’s integrity in his work and dealings with Laban were based on his trust and faith in God. If we trust in the Lord to take care of us there is no need for us to be dishonest or come up with our own schemes
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. Matthew 22:29 (ESV)
This is great, Jesus in rebuking the Sadducees makes clear to us that we should both know the correct context of scripture and experientially know the power and person of God
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37 (ESV)
God is uppermost in his own affections, this is the ultimate purpose of our lives, to Love God with everything, using the energy he has provided to serve, honour and glorify him.
If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” Matthew 22:45 (ESV)
Jesus points the leaders back to the old testament to make it clear that the Messiah is more than just a descendant of David but is the Lord God himself, The Son of the Living God.
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:8–12 (ESV)
Jesus doesn’t want us to live like the Pharisees who saw themselves as better than the “normal” believers in Israel. This is how we should live in the God’s kingdom, we should be humble and serve well. We are all brothers and are all equal under Christ and should not have priests like Roman Catholicism.
You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Matthew 23:33 (ESV)
Jesus boldly confronts, sin, falsehood and hypocrisy and tells them that (without repentance) there is no escape from hell. We can learn for Jesus boldness and unmixed speech.
Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Ecclesiastes 7:10 (ESV)
This is why we should not get sidetracked with relative moralism by looking back at older days and saying things like “what has happened to society?” etc. The fact is evil has always been in the world since the fall and the enemy would like us to be nostalgic.
Instead we should state the truth regardless of how today is different from yesterday, without appealing to relativism in any of its subtle forms.
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