Perfectly Compassionate

You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate....Luke 6:36

Though He introduced the Age of Grace, in reading through the New Testament we find that Jesus had a lot to say about the Law of Moses.

In the fifth chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus taught His disciples His seemingly extreme views of what it meant to truly live up to the Law.

He started out by clarifying that He did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets, but to accomplish their purpose.

The purpose of the Law of Moses and the writings of the prophets is to make us aware of our sin and our desperate need of Christ -- our sinless sacrifice.

Jesus taught His disciples that if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:19).

God made us aware of our sinful nature for a reason. So that we would know to avoid sin as much as possible. So that we could live as clean and pure a life possible. So that we could share with others the wisdom and blessings of obedience to our Father.

As children of God, we are called to obey God and teach obedience to those within our sphere of influence.

The most effective teaching is accomplished by example. Jesus became our perfect example, and Christians are still learning from His teaching and His life today. It is our privilege as Christians to teach others in the same way. By becoming a living example of Christ.

No matter how clean a life we live, we could never live up to the Law of Moses. And just in case we ever think we could, Jesus, using examples from the Law, demonstrated His own awareness of sin.

The Law condemned murder. But Jesus said, if you are even angry with someone you are subject to judgement! (Matthew 5:22).

The Law condemned adultery. But Jesus said, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:28).

The Law, bent to the desires of the people, allowed divorce. But Jesus said, that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery (Matthew 5:32). 

The Law condemned breaking vows. But Jesus said, do not even make any vows! (Matthew 5:34). Only God is truly capable of fulfilling every vow or promise He makes.

I don't believe that Jesus was trying to give an impossible standard that no one could possibly live up to. The Law had already done that.

I'm sure that scholars could probably point to a much deeper spiritual purpose for His teaching here. But I believe His purpose was, at least in part, to shock those who might think that they are living up to the Law.

My husband can hear this portion of scripture, particularly the verse about lust, read a million times in church and every time he will shake his head in conviction and say, Man, I'm in trouble. It hits home. He comes face to face with his own sin and his own need for Christ's redemptive blood.

He doesn't wallow in his guilt or beat himself up with shame. He is simply reminded of his sinful nature and his need for Christ.

The passage about anger does the same thing to me. Never would I consider murder, but if we're calling anger a sin, then I'm guilty as sin.

I don't believe for one moment that these scriptures are meant to weigh down believers who are walking hand in hand with God. They are meant instead to wake us up when we think we've got it all figured out. They are meant to remind us that living a good life does not equate to living a sinless life.

If we don't come face to face with our own sin and our own need for Christ every once in a while, it's easy for us to become half-hearted in our Christianity and complacent in our faith.

Furthermore, a continual awareness of our own sin and our own need for Christ keeps us from throwing stones at others. Christ demonstrated this truth in John 8 when the scribes and Pharisees brought Him an adulterous woman and asked whether they should follow the Law of Moses and stone her.

Jesus answered them, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her (John 8:7). With their own sins before their eyes, they found it impossible to throw a stone at her.

Just as Jesus demonstrated compassion and mercy for the adulterous woman, His teaching to His disciples regarding the Law of Moses, encouraged compassion and mercy as well.

The Law instituted punishment equal to the crime. But Jesus said, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also (Matthew 5:39). 

We are to grant mercy instead of punishing those who commit wrongs, even when the wrongs they commit are against us, personally. Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do...

The Law taught the Israelites to love their fellow countrymen and, at times, to completely wipe out their enemies. But Jesus said, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven...(Matthew 5:44-45).

Jesus is the true child, but we have been made true children through His sacrifice and our subsequent adoption. We are to strive to act as much like true children -- like Christ -- as possible.

Jesus said, But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:48). In Luke's telling of this same portion of scripture Jesus says, You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate (Luke 6:36).

We won't ever live up to the Law of Moses or the perfect example of Christ, but compassion for our fellow man is entirely possible. And I think it's a good place to start because if you put Matthew's telling with Luke's telling it seems that perfection in the Kingdom of Heaven translates to compassion for our fellow man on Earth.

I think that's what Jesus' teachings here all boiled down to -- compassion for those around us brought about by our own awareness of sin, and dependence on Him.

One day we will be perfect, but, for today, we can be compassionate.

That is the gift of faith in us.

(Journey: Matthew 5:17-48; Luke 6:27-36)