As Good As Gold Mike Mazzalongo BibleTalk.TV

Matthew 7:12 12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

“What is hateful to thyself do not to thy neighbor; for this is the whole law, and all else is its exposition.” Rabbi Hillel

“Treat others in the same way you want others to treat you.” Jesus

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5:21-26

Matthew 5:21 21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘Y OU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER ’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’

Matthew 5:22 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Matthew 5: Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Matthew 5: Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5: Respect Others – Mt. 5:27-30

Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Y OU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY ’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Matthew 5: If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5: Respect Others – Mt. 5: Be Faithful – Mt. 5:31-32

Matthew 5: “It was said, ‘W HOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE ’; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5: Respect Others – Mt. 5: Be Faithful – Mt. 5: Be Honest – Mt. 5:33-37

Matthew 5:33 33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘Y OU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE L ORD.’

Matthew 5: But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT K ING.

Matthew 5: Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5: Respect Others – Mt. 5: Be Faithful – Mt. 5: Be Honest – Mt. 5: Be Forgiving – Mt. 5:38-48

Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘A N EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.

Matthew 5: Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

Matthew 5: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5: For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Practical Applications How to Treat Others 1.Speak Kindly – Mt. 5: Respect Others – Mt. 5: Be Faithful – Mt. 5: Be Honest – Mt. 5: Be Forgiving – Mt. 5: Don’t be Critical – Mt. 7:1-5

Matthew 7:1-3 1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Matthew 7:4-5 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Matthew 7:7-9 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

Matthew 7: Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Matthew 7:12a 12a “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you,

Theological Application Matthew 7:12b 12b for this is the Law and the Prophets.

The “New” Legalism Golden Rule = Salvation

Fulfilling the Law & Prophets 1.Not fulfilled by works. – Gal. 2:16

Galatians 2:16 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Fulfilling the Law & Prophets 1.Not fulfilled by works. – Gal. 2:16 2.Fulfilled by Jesus – Rom. 10:1-4

Rom. 10: Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

Rom. 10:3-4 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Fulfilling the Law & Prophets 1.Not fulfilled by works. – Gal. 2:16 2.Fulfilled by Jesus – Rom. 10:1-4 3.We fulfill through faith – Rom. 10:4

Rom. 10:4 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Questions: Why bother with the Golden Rule if I receive its benefits through faith?

Answer: Only the saved can truly obey the Golden Rule, fulfill the Law & Prophets, and received the benefits.

Why? 1.Consider Jesus’ audience.

Why? 1.Consider Jesus’ audience. 2.Jesus fulfills the Golden Rule on behalf of His disciples.

Gal. 3: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Why? 1.Consider Jesus’ audience. 2.Jesus fulfills the Golden Rule on behalf of His disciples. 3.Disciples practice the Golden Rule as a witness.

Mat. 5:16 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I John 4: In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Rom. 8:13 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

It’s not our Love that is good as Gold It’s our FAITH.

Summary Treating others well identifies us as disciples of Jesus.

Summary Our Faith is what fulfills both Law/Prophets and the Golden Rule

Summary The Golden Rule is the rule of the Kingdom.