Brother Phil,

You are right, and might I add that the Christ in us is the beatitudes.

Quote: You said,

""I think we would do well to understand that when Jesus gave us the beatitudes, He was describing to us the qualities of what His desire and His will for the life of every christian would look like. it is not for a select few, but for all who claim the name of Christ as their Savior.""



This truly is His will, but moreover it is the Will of God the Father also: Hbr 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The perfection He added in the Beatitudes, being now perfect Law was the fulfillment of Himself and who He is, The Son of God Himself, making Him God incarnate in a man, the only One who could fulfill the Law. This is why we as born again son's of God, are now in The Father's sight, perfect, it is Him that is in us who the Father sees'. The Father is depending on His Seed not ours. It is for all those the Father has called and given to the Son, who believe That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, The Incorruptable Seed of the Father making Him God also. That is why we as born again believers are as Christ Is.
Because: 2Cr 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he [is] Christ's, even so [are] we Christ's.

1Jo 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

This is what the Church has not taught in it religiosity and do doctrine of works commingled with Grace. So we should teach this doctrine that has always been there; Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

This is our calling of reconciliation, this is our ministry In this world by the Christ that is in us.

2Cr 5:18 And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Cr 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Hbr 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

1 Peter 1:1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1 Peter 1:22-23 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Phl 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Hbr 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hbr 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

1Jo 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1Jo 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This is what the Church has missed, and not making us son's of God.

Or are we son's of men? Not having this revealed to us by the body of man's church, which must be understood to be the Body of Christ His Church.

Ephesians 3:1-5 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip

[b]Adultery[/b]

[i]Matthew 5:27-30[/i]

27 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old, `Thou shalt not commit adultery.'

28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye cause thee to fall, pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand cause thee to fall, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

[b]Divorce[/b]

[i]Matthew 5:31-32[/i]

31 "It hath been said, `Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement.'

32 But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

[b]Oaths[/b]

[i]Matthew 5:33-37[/i]

33 "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old times, `Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths.'

34 But I say unto you, swear not at all: neither by Heaven, for it is God's throne;

35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37 But let your communication be `yea, yea' or `nay, nay'; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

[b]An Eye for an Eye[/b]

[i]Matthew 5:38-42[/i]

38 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, `An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'

39 But I say unto you that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him two.

42 Give to him that asketh thee; and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.

[b]Love For Enemies[/b]

[i]Matthew 5:43-48[/i]

43 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, `Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.'

44 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you,

45 that ye may be the children of your Father who is in Heaven. For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same?

47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?

48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in Heaven is perfect.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said,"


this phrase from our Lord is so vital, thatwe understand what came with Christ, that the bar was raised, a new way of life was avalible, what the prophets and angels had prophesied and longed for, we can live by the spirit.

Ye have heard....

But now I say unto you....

Who says?

God




Be ye therefore perfect.....

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CHRISTIAN

Good stuff. I remember having a blast teaching the sermon on the mount over the course of 4 or so months week after week at a homeless shelter. The Lord really blessed. Sometimes when I have done street ministry, I simply read the sermon to all.

I highly commend to anybody the work by Martyn Lloyd-Jones on the subject matter. Even though from a reformed perspective, still one of the best I've heard on the matter. He taught it for over a year at his church.

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Jimmy H