Note to Readers...

Dear Friends,

Although the contents of this blog have been preserved below, new postings to this blog ended on January 3, 2011. But please checkout my new blog: "Embracing Jesus."

April

Monday, October 26, 2009

Have hearts that match righteous actions

Jesus taught that God judges our hearts not just our actions.

Matthew 5:21-22 21 "You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder'; and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.

Do we ignore Jesus' teaching that God judges our hearts and not just our actions?

Note: "You have heard... but I say."  Jesus constrasts what humans are able to judge (murder - an outward crime) with what God is able to judge (anger, insults - what goes on in the heart, what seems minor in comparison to anger). 

Note: The expression "hell of fire" refers to the "Valley of Hinnom," a ravine south of Jerusalem once associated with the pagan god Moloch and his disgusting rites, prohibited by God. When King Josiah abolished the practices, he defiled the valley by making it a, dumping ground for filth and the corpses of criminals (2 Kings 23:10). Late traditions suggest that in the first century it may still have been used as a rubbish pit, complete with smoldering fires.

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