Is He Serious? (2)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go a mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
Matthew 5:38-42
Was, and is, Jesus really serious here? If so, you’d hardly guess it by how we live; especially, here in the states. In America, we fight for what is ours. God has endowed us with life, liberty and property. The Declaration and our Constitution establish such. The Gadsden flag reads, “Don’t Tread On Me.”
Jesus sure seems to pour cold water on Christianity as it functions in America. Apparently, the kingdom heart wasn’t designed to buy into the gospel we sell around here. Stuff is stuff. It’s all a gift of God. But none of it is enduring. So then why do we cling to it like it is?
Inevitably, someone is going suggest that “theft is condemned in the scriptures,” and it most certainly is. Therefore, private property rights are inherent of God. I agree, to a degree. Jesus though isn’t discussing the issue of property rights. He’s discussing how we view property.
Invariably, someone is going to say, “But what about self-defense?”. Once again, I am not convinced that Jesus is talking about the right of self-defense here. Too, regardless of what one might infer from elsewhere in Scripture, we still have to ask, “Did Jesus then not mean what he said?” Or, as I have posed, “Is he serious?” Keep in mind, he offers no exceptions or qualifications. How would his hearers have understood him?
I see this passage as the test of how much stuff, time, or a reputation means to us. Must we always have the upper hand? Must we always have the last say? Are our possessions really ours?
Is Jesus really serious about turning the other cheek? Is Jesus really serious about going the extra mile, even when it comes to property? Is Jesus really serious about giving to beggars or maybe panhandlers, and not refusing those who would borrow from us?
douglasryoung.net
Good thoughts! We looked at these scriptures in our small group this past Sunday night. We decided it has to do with the attituded of our hearts, our willingness to be like Chirst where our possessions and “rights” are concerned.
YES JESUS IS REALLY SERIOUS. TAKEN AT FACE VALUE A COMMUNITY THAT LIVED THIS MESSAGE OUT WOULD TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. hmmmm>
Janice…Thank you, again, for stopping by.
Randy…I think your comment is deserving of a shout! We exhaust all channels, especially legislative ones, trying to make the world a better place, and yet kingdom living is designed to do it by itself.
Doug, this irritates me. I don’t mind you challenging folks, but you don’t have to meddle.
You stepped on my toes big time, here.
Seriously, I have a lot of work to do in mastering this, and will readily admit that I have not applied this as well as I should. But this I do know; if we pushed this as hard as we push some of the things that Jesus didn’t actually say, we would have a completely different affect on the world around us.
Good thoughts!
True. Very true.
Great post! Good reminder Bro! Look like we are all reminded once again to strive to live as followers of Christ. Not the “American way”….