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The Beatitudes: Be Perfect
June 15, 2019

For the last several weeks, we have been looking at the beatitudes and last week saw what Jesus taught on adultery, divorce, and oaths. We conclude this week with a look on retaliation, loving our enemies, and being perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. Jesus teaches us that retaliation is evil, even when retaliation is used in response to evil. We need to rely on God and use established systems of justice for the wrongs committed against us.

Matthew 5:38-42
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:  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. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Jesus also taught that we are to love all people, including those who are our enemies. If all we do is care for those who are our friends or jsut like us, Jesus refers to us as publicans, generally considered to be legal hypocrites in the day.

Matthew 5:43-47
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which 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. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

What Jesus taught us through his teachings which expand upon and do not cancel the ten commandements, is the path to perfection.

Matthew 5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect

Jesus came and everything he did and taught was so that we could be on the path to perfection, and ultimately be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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