The Christian's life light

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (kjv)

• A Christian should shine as a light in this world so people see their good works. 
• A Christian’s good works should be visible so people will glorify God the Father in heaven.
• Therefore a Christian should reflect God’s glorious light and not his own glory. 
• The true Christian should always direct the unbeliever towards praising God: not to themselves, a mortal sinner. 
• The Christian only has good works because of the work of God in him. 
• Without God, a Christian’s works are no different to anyone else's and he would cease to be a Christian.

Don't be saltless

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (kjv)

It is important that the doctrine of the messenger is always profitable. Theology should never just be a purely academic exercise. Profitable teaching should always have a positive effect in seasoning those that accept the message. The bearer of the message ought to be seasoned in both word and deed.

For example, a religious doctrine that preaches righteousness through your own works is vain: it is without seasoning. A doctrine that teaches righteousness through Christ’s righteousness is valuable and full of flavour.

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (kjv)

The scribes and Pharisees were often portrayed as having a very proud self righteous view of themselves. Those who are justified before God are those who are humble before him coming without their own righteousness. 

Read Luke 18:14 if you would like to read an example of this.

Be this the right attitude? part 8

Matthew 5:10, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: (kjv)

If we are to be peace makers bringing the gospel of peace, it is likely that we will suffer persecution.

It is often those that try the hardest to bring peace that receive the least peace in return.

The love of a faithful servant is not usually reciprocated by the hearer, if it isn’t understood or appreciated. However, love is reciprocated in those that do understand the message of peace.

Be this the right attitude? part 7

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God. (kjv)

How do we become peace makers? Is it our own efforts at Christian peace that we must somehow bring to others? Is it all about our works and our ability to be tolerant of others? Is it about our doing lots of good things in order to make everyone happy? I don’t think so!

In Ephesians 2:14 we are told where peace can be found. It says, ‘He is our peace’: the Lord Jesus Christ is our peace. He gives us life. He makes it possible for us to be renewed and to live out the Christian life. He has removed the barrier between man and God. God’s peace is about bringing about oneness of relationship between God and his people. It is about the Lord Jesus Christ who has become the peace of Christians: the mediator between God and us.

So who are the peace makers? Those who proclaim Christ’s peace to all: those who proclaim the gospel.  Matthew 5:9 is about the gospel and evangelism.

In Ephesians 6:15 we are told to have our, “..feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”

‘a peacemaker’: one who courageously proclaims God's requirements for making a person whole

Be this the right attitude? part 6

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (kjv)

In order to see God we must be pure. We must not be mixed with any impurities.

How is this possible when we are full of sin? Well, we need to be washed by God. Only the spotless Lamb of God can take away sin.

Psalm 51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:7 ...wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (kjv)

Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God; (kjv)

If we are washed by God, we will certainly see him as he is. To see his purity we must be made pure lest our sin warps our view of him.

Be this the right attitude? part 5

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (kjv)

When a Christian has received mercy from Christ, the 'Bread of Life', he starts to become thankful and loving towards God. Because he comes to appreciate God’s merciful love towards him, he cannot help but love God. His love is born out of his trust in God's love by the Holy Spirit. This love of God and his mercy then helps to motivate him to become more merciful towards others.

1 John 4:19 We love him*, because he first loved us. (kjv)

Some modern scholars remove the word 'him' due to their textual preferences. Personally my textual preference is to keep it in. I'm not going to argue over manuscript evidence in this post, however, I believe this is the beginning of a logical argument through verses 19-21. First he loves us so we then love him. It is natural to reciprocate love to those who love us. This is common sense and fits with verse 19. When a Christian sees the mercy God gives him, he becomes thankful and begins to love him. As we learn to love him, we start to conform to his desires. Because we love his desires we begin to love those who he loves. This theme is developed in verses 20 and 21.

1 John 4:20 “If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar...” (kjv) 

Verse 20 prevents misinterpretation of verse 19. It prevents us professing that we fully love him without the necessary evidence of loving our brother. Verse 20 helps us to understand what loving God really means. The evidence of loving him is when we love our brothers (verse 20). 


It is a bit like this: if a teacher were to say to a class of children, "Have you all washed your hands?" Then, in response, all of the children put up their hands and shout, "Yes!" But then the teacher says, "Why then do your hands still look dirty?" 


The evidence of true hand washing is for your hands to look clean. To apply the example we can say, the evidence of loving God is to love your brother.

In verse 21, again the emphasis is first a focus on loving God and then the evidence of that is to have love for your brother. In verse 19 it makes less sense to me to describe love as a generic, non-specific love, otherwise the progression of loving God to loving our brothers is less apparent. I believe the fruit of God's love is that we love him, and the fruit of loving him is to love your brother.


It is important to remember that no christian has perfect love. We will be made perfect by the Holy Spirit. When a Christian has faith in Christ, a process begins which is called progressive sanctification. God works in them so that they start to become practically righteous. When a Christian's love fails they are forgiven through faith in Christ. 

agapáō 'to love': actively doing the Lord's desire


The type of love we need to have is love which reflects the love Christ has for his people, namely a love that is self-sacrificial and forgiving, love that shows mercy.