Patricia A

Q3. (Matthew 6:5-7) Why does Jesus tell us to pray in secret? Though public prayer in church gatherings is commanded in scripture (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 1 Timothy 2:1), in which circumstances might public prayer in a church service be contrary to the spirit of Jesus' instructions in these verses? How do flowery prayers hinder the development of disciples? The most important and the most earnest kind of prayer is that which is done privately. In Matthew 6:6, Christ states, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." This certainly shows us the importance of private prayer. However, Christ is also dealing with a particular practice of the Pharisees. They made a big show of praying so that everyone would know just how spiritual they were. They were proud and ostentatious in their prayers so that others would see them. That is, they took what should have been their private prayer life and made a public show of it so that others would be amazed at their spirituality. This is akin today to those who continually brag on how much time they spend in prayer. Christ was teaching us that our personal prayer life is not to be displayed in public. He was not teaching that there was never an occasion for public prayer. Public prayer is common in the Old Testament. Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple (1Kings 8:22-23). Elijah prayed publicly on Mt. Carmel (1Kings 17:36-37). Ezra prayed before "a very great congregation of men and women and children" (Ezra 10:1). If public prayer is not allowed in the New Testament, it is definitely a change in what God allows. However, we continue to see public prayer practiced in the New Testament even after the teaching of Matthew 6:6. Christ prayed publicly before He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42) as well as on other occasions. Paul kneeled and prayed with the Ephesian elders before he left them (Acts 20:36). And although we receive few clear statements about the order of worship in the early churches, an important piece of information is found in 1Corinthians 14:15-16, which states: 1Corinthians 14:15-16 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? I believe the important element of prayer is that it is to glorify God and that we we are humble and do not try to impress others. We must be sincere in worshipping God and remember that we have nothing except what God has given us.

Q2. (Matthew 5:42 and 6:1-4) How does Jesus' teaching here and in 5:42 on giving to the needy influence you and your attitudes towards the poor? 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. But we know that it is not enough to just offer prayers for the needy. As 1 John 3:17 and 18 (NRSV) says,

Q1. (Matthew 6:1-18) How do the commands in this section relate to "performing for the audience of One"? We need to pray often and ask God to take away our pride and to remember anything we have is because of His grace. We must strive not to give and to perform to receive glory from men but rather because we want to glorify our Father in heaven. What is the antidote for the chief sin that is addressed here? We must remember that without God's grace we would have nothing and thus we must be humble. In what ways do churches and non-profit organizations use this sin to motivate people to give? Often organization motivate people to give by giving them recognition for their gifts and thus magnify their sense of pride. The gift is then given for recogntion rather than to glorify the Lord.

Q6. (Matthew 5:48) In the context, what do you think verse 48 means for the Christian? Is perfection taught here? Does maturity express the idea best? How about the doctrine of "sinless perfection"? How does verse 48 relate to verse 45? God's love for the just and the unjust is the end or purpose or goal of our love. It requires us to renounce our selfish and discriminatory love in favor of love for all, even love for our enemies. Christ's death on the cross for our sins is perhaps the best example of all. We Christians cannot settle for a love that only loves friends. Instead we are to embrace a greater love, impossible unless the Holy Spirit grows this love within our hearts. We aspire to a love that forgives the unforgivable, a love that bridges the enmity of decades, a love that refuses to tire from rejection, a love that never gives up. This is the love we are called to. This quality of love is God's perfection and glory, and is to be ours as well. We are not to reinterpret the Law in order to justify our hatreds, as the Pharisees did. Rather, we are to redefine ourselves, be renewed in God's image, and imbued with His Spirit so that we might "be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect."

Q5. (Matthew 5:39-44) If the principle that underlies verses 39-42 is found in verse 44 and 22:39, are there times we must defend ourselves physically against evil men in order to fulfill the principle? What might be some examples? There are times when in War when military are fighting to defend our free country, when people are violently attached and other situations when one needs to defind himself and help defend others. We need to strive not to develop hate for others even though we might need to attempt to defind ourselves.

Q4. (Matthew 5:38-42) If we were to assume that Jesus is teaching on retaliation and revenge rather than pacifism in verses 38-42, how would you sum up his teaching in a single sentence. LOVE ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN WITH THE SAME KIND OF LOVE WHICH HE LOVES US.

Q3. (Matthew 5:39-42) What do Jesus' examples or tiny cameos in verses 39-42 have in common? He wants us to do more than is required of us by our enemies, by those who are trying to use us, by those who are trying to take advantage of us. Rather than turn on them with resistance and retaliation we are to -- in love for them -- give them more than they require. Someone has said that if we were to carry out verses 39-42 literally, we would aid and abet evil. Do you agree? This law was never intended to give an individual person the right to indulge in even the least little bit of vengeance. It was, in every case, intended to be a guide for a judge to follow in the assessment of a penalty for a crime that was committed. How should we take these examples: Jesus expects a different standard from us than what the world expects of us. This Sermon on the Mount is a challenge. Knowing it, you're going to have to decide who you're going to follow. Jesus point is clear. He wants us to do more than is required of us by our enemies, by those who are trying to use us, by those who are trying to take advantage of us. Rather than turn on them with resistance and retaliation we are to -- in love for them -- give them more than they require.

Q2. (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:15-21) What was the purpose of the "Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth" regulation? Two things we must understand about this famous lex talionis, "law of retaliation." First, it was designed to restrain man's vindictiveness, and second it was designed to be administered as the justice of a formal court. Is this law designed to be administered by a court or judge, or by an individual? Clearly, the context is a court of law giving sentence. We see the same thing in Exodus 21:22-25. This is judicial punishment decided by a court. As John Stott puts it: "It thus had the double effect of defining justice and restraining revenge. It also prohibited the taking of the law into one's own hands by the ghastly vengeance of the family feud." Is it designed to govern judicial action or personal action? It also prohibited the taking of the law into one's own hands by the ghastly vengeance of the family feud."

Q1. (Matthew 5:33-37) What does it mean: Let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no? This means to say exactly what you mean and do not try to deceive others with the words you choose to use. Be honest. If we obeyed this command, what would be the result in our speaking? In our credibility? We would not deceive anyone with the words we use. We would be trustworthy and known as an honest person.

Warning. Believing Christians disagree on some aspects of divorce and remarriage. In addition, many have been hurt in bad marriages and divorces. Be gentle, sensitive, and loving with one another -- even if you disagree! Q5. (Matthew 19:9) Does a person who has remarried after a divorce that wasn't caused by marital unfaithfulness, live in a perpetual state of adultery? No, I do not believe the person lives in a perpetual state of adultery. There is sin involved when this happens. However, one can repent and live a truly Christian life in the second marriage. Should that person divorce or separate in order to get back into God's will? How can he or she get back into God's will, or is that no longer possible? The person can get back into God's will by repenting as one would do when any sin is commited. Ask the Lord to help live life now to glorify Him. Marriage was instituted by God to be a permanent and last relationship. However, when man sins, God forgives when one repents and strives to life a Godly life.

Q4. (Matthew 19:10) Why do you think Jesus' disciples reacted so negatively to his teaching on marriage and divorce? Did they misunderstand it? I believe the disciples did misunderstand Jesus

Q3. (Matthew 19:7-8)

Q2. (Matthew 19:4-6 quoting Genesis 2:24) [/size] Do people need to be Christians to be joined as one flesh? Is this making into "one flesh" accomplished by a religious ceremony or by natural law? God instituted marriage and made a man and his wife one flesh. It had nothing especially to do with church or religion. It had to do with God's institution of marriage, a kind of "natural law" based on God's intention for marriage and the way he made human beings. Of those who have entered into a first marriage, what percentage do you think have been "joined together" by God, according to Jesus' statement in Matthew 19:6? Even an illicit union involves this essential unity or "one flesh" relationship between a man and a woman. Men and women can be "just friends," but when they have sex the relationship changes significantly. This would indicate 100 % have been "joined together" by God.

Q1. (Matthew 5:27-32; 19:1-12) With whom did Jesus side: Rabbi Hillel or Rabbi Shammai? The stricter school of Shammai believed that the term divorce in Deuteronomy referred only to unchastity and this is the viewpoint Jesus taught. What exception does Jesus give to his prohibition of divorce? "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery." (5:31-32) How does this exception relate to Deuteronomy 24:1-4? The allowable cause for the divorce, "because he finds something indecent about her" (NIV, verse 1) was hotly debated -- in Jesus' day and in ours. Literally, the word means "nakedness of a thing" and may be a technical term. We just aren't sure of its exact meaning. The stricter school of Shammai believed that the term in Deuteronomy referred only to unchastity

Q5. (Matthew 5:27-30) The spirit of our age is very accepting and approving of ****. According to Jesus' words, how seriously are we to take ****? How does agape love help us combat ****? What God says about ****: **** is sin (Matthew 5:28) and sin is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus said, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to **** for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28 NKJV). When we entertain fantasies through ***********, masturbation, voyeurism, adultery, fornication, phone sex, etc., we sin with our minds. According to Jesus, that's the same as committing the act If I can train my eyes to see as God sees with the love with which God loves, it is hard to look with ****.

Q4. (Matthew 5:28) Sex is very closely tied to our core sense of person. This means that as we are healed in our view towards sex, it goes a long way toward making us whole inside. How would you counsel a brother who shared with you that he had trouble with ***********? 1. Daily reading of God

Q3. (Matthew 5:28) What is wrong with ***********? If "looking on a woman to commit adultery with her in your heart" is Jesus' definition of the spirit of adultery, then *********** fits the description precisely.In viewing ***********, nakedness, and explicit sexual displays **** is not only given the opportunity to rise (thereby enticing since) but most often lustful passions and thoughts are triggered in the heart and mind. This is obviously sinful and clearly demonstrates that *********** is sinful. Add to this that oftentimes *********** involves viewing sexual intercourse between unmarried people, and or homosexual and lesbian activities, and we have a very clear case of it being sinful. Even if the *********** does not involve viewing sexual intercourse between two people, it involves the viewing of naked individuals which is properly reserved for a husband and a wife. What is wrong with going to prostitutes? God forbids involvement with prostitutes. "For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell" (Proverbs 5:3-5). Prostitution not only destroy marriages, families, and lives, but it destroys the spirit and soul in a way that leads to physical and spiritual death. God's desire is that we stay pure and use our bodies as tools for His use and glory (Romans 6:13). 1 Corinthians 6:13 says, "...But our bodies were not made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies." Who are the victims of this "victimless" activity? Prostitution is listed among the crimes some refer to as victimless or consensual crimes, because no one present at the crime is unwilling, but research shows that may not be the true picture of prostitution. In short, the victims of prostitution are mostly the prostitutes themselves. It just may be that they no longer have the ability left to "consent" to be a willing participant in their so-called victimless crime.

Q2. God purposely created us with a good and natural sexual desire. How do we distinguish between that God-given sexual desire and forbidden ****? Sexual desire is a physical desire from God, just like any other God-given physical desire and can be quite liberating to those who are heaping condemnation upon themselves for those desires. So let me say it again: There is nothing wrong with you if you have sexual desire. Jesus plainly stated that only to certain men is given the obviously rare gift of celibacy (see Matt. 19:10-12). For all the rest of us, as Paul wrote, "It is better to marry than to burn with passion" (1 Cor. 7:9). God certainly understands sexual desire. It was His idea Although **** is not the same as sexual desire, its basis is sexual desire. But it is more than just that. It is the first step of undisciplined sexual desire. It is also important to understand that sexual temptation is not the same as ****. Sexual temptation is a temptation like any other temptation, and to be tempted to sin is not a sin. Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted, but He never sinned (see Heb. 4:15). That proves that being tempted to sin is not a sin.

What is the point of similarity between adultery and ****? The many lusts of the flesh, the passions and desires of the heart, often cloud the force of reason and leave us destitute of rational behavior and bereft of godliness and faithfulness. What many students of the Word fail to perceive is that not all "****" (in the negative sense of that term) is sexual in nature. [/size] What is the difference? The of the **** flesh and the **** of the eyes" (1 John 2:16) may frequently involve asexual passions and desires. How does **** break the Tenth Commandment? We must acknowledge that one can indeed look desirously upon a woman and "commit adultery in his heart" and have that "longing" and "adultery" be entirely NON-sexual in nature. Thus, those who declare that adultery is always and only an illicit sexual act are proclaiming more than Jesus did. Indeed, they proclaim a falsehood. The Contemporary English Version has done an excellent job of capturing the meaning of Jesus' words in the Matthew 5:27-28 passage --- "You know the commandment which says, 'Be faithful in marriage.' But I tell you that if you look at another woman and want her, you are already unfaithful in your thoughts." There are many ways to "want" a woman other than sexually, and there are many ways to be "unfaithful in marriage" besides committing some illicit sexual act with one other than one's spouse

Q5. (Matthew 5:21-26) Verses 21-22 are about murder, anger, and insult. Verses 23-24 discuss some fault against one's brother. Verses 25-26 discuss settling a civil suit before going to court. What is the overarching theme of Jesus' teaching in our entire passage, verses 21-26? In this particular passage we see how murder comes to be. If the general attitude toward another is scornful ("You fool"), and events cause anger in the heart, murder results...or at least it becomes more likely. This strikes me as psychologically true. Jesus is not trying to make life harder by expanding the commandments to our attitudes and emotions. He is simply trying to show the psychological truth that our actions, good or bad, begin with the attitudes of our hearts. Better to tackle the problem at the source...with the negative attitude, dealing with the anger by trying to directly resolve the conflict and being reconciled to someone. Then there will be fewer irreversible actions to worry about. Jesus is seeking those who do not let anger and hatred live in their hearts at all. He is seeking those who will show mercy, those who will forgive, those who will, in a word, love.

Q4. (Matthew 5:25-26) What is the point of Jesus' parable of settling out of court? Jesus is teaching his hearers to reconcile quickly with those they have wronged and not to put it off. The implication is that if they wait for God to settle the matter at his bar of justice, that judgment will exacting and harsh punishment. Who are we supposed to settle with, according to this parable? Jesus is teaching his hearers to reconcile quickly with those they have wronged What does "settling" entail? What are the reasons that we should settle? Reconcile quickly with those they have wronged and not to put it off. The implication is that if they wait for God to settle the matter at his bar of justice, that judgment will exacting and harsh punishment.

Q3. (Matthew 5:23-24) What's wrong with worshipping while a brother has something against us (or us against a brother, Mark 11:25)? What is the appropriate action for us to take? When we are at prayer, we must remember to pray for others, particularly for our enemies, and those that have wronged us; now we cannot pray sincerely that God would do them good, if we bear malice to them, and wish them ill. If we have injured others before we pray, we must go and be reconciled to them; Mt. 5:23, 24. But if they have injured us, we go a nearer way to work, and must immediately from our hearts forgive them. [1.] Because this is a good step towards obtaining the pardon of our own sins: Forgive, that your Father may forgive you; that is, "that he may be qualified to receive forgiveness, that he may forgive you without injury to his honour, as it would be, if he should suffer those to have such benefit by his mercy, as are so far from being conformable to the pattern of it." [2.] Because the want of this is a certain bar to the obtaining of the pardon of our sins; "If ye do not forgive those who have injured you, if he hate their persons, bear them a grudge, meditate revenge, and take all occasion to speak ill of them, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." This ought to be remembered in prayer, because one great errand we have to the throne of grace, is, to pray for the pardon of our sins: and care about it ought to be our daily care, because prayer is a part of our daily work. Our Saviour often insists on this, for it was his great design to engage his disciples to love one another. How far should we go to bring about reconciliation with someone whom we have offended? If we are worshipping and remember that our brother has something against us, we are to leave our gift behind and first be reconciled to our brother. Are there any situations that we shouldn't try to resolve? Or that we can't resolve? Reconciliation may be possible if we will humble ourselves. And even if it is not possible, we must make a sincere attempt if we would seek to fulfill the spirit of the Law. After all, the Law is not really about murder and stealing. It is about love and reconciliation. That is the spirit of the Law.

Q2. (Matthew 5:21-22) Why does Jesus treat calling someone a fool in the same classification as murder? Jesus is saying that we are guilty before God for a heart that lashes out in anger and venom. Whether or not a person's life is terminated as a result is not the point. Does this mean that murder is no worse than an angry insult in God's eyes? God hates name calling, gossiping, insulting someone, grudges, abusive looks or gestures as much as murder! "By forbidding murder God teaches us that he hates the root of murder: envy, hatred, anger, vindictiveness." What God hates is under his judgment. It deserves hell. It is sin. Jesus went to the cross for that. We will be called to account for every careless word on Judgment Day. (Matthew 12:36). How would we act differently if we actually believed that angry attitudes towards others are viewed by God as murder? We must not interpret the forgiveness of all of our sins, and the complete payment of Christ for us in such a way that we do not take him seriously when he warns us about our words, gestures and looks.