Utumishi Blog

Brian Masinde continues his reflections:

Part 1: Introducing the Kingdom

Part 2: Living as Children of the King

There are many issues of life that we find ourselves in even when born again. Many times we are confused and wonder what the Word says and what Jesus would say about them. From Matthew 5 verse 21, Jesus gives us direction in these issues. It is not that Jesus is hardening the Law but giving us the reality – children of God bearing the likeness of the Father.

It is now not, as the Pharisees interpreted the Law, just about the action of murder, but the heart that may lead to murder which as sinful as murder. Many of us claim never to have done such terrible acts of killing, just like Pharisees, but we may have already killed many in our hearts. We become angry to the point of killing and only lack the opportunity to kill physically. This is already murder and such are liable for the same judgment of murder just like those cattle raiders who killed the 42 policemen in Baragoi, Kenya in November, 2012. Jesus goes on to explain that we cannot even have a good relationship with God if we cannot maintain a good relationship with our brothers and sisters. He says, don’t offer a gift to God before you reconcile your case with your brother or sister who has something against you. Even if you had reached the altar, leave it down there, go make peace before you come. This means we should never pretend but work out peace with others. This is also in 1 John 4. Without love for our brothers and sisters, no matter from which back ground, we can never claim to love God.

About adultery, it is not just about the acting of sleeping with someone’s wife that is sin. The sin begins in the heart of someone looks at a woman lustfully. I don’t know much about the side of women here but Jesus has addressed us men directly because we are easily moved by what we see. This lustful looks are the ones that lead to adultery. In Job 31, Job says, “I have made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully at a young woman”’ In the contemporary world, there is even a greater challenge due to technological advances and the increase access to many sexually oriented filthy sites. Pornography seems to be accessible even to young children in schools through internet and through some other media in people’s houses. The world seems careless about it and unless we ask Christ to help us be alert, we can still fall in the same trap. May God help us and make us a true light to the world.

As we continue we find that, no divorce is allowed unless for marital unfaithfulness (or possibly it means pre-marital unfaithfulness cf. Matt. 1:19). I find this also teaching me about my faithfulness to God. We ought never to allow unfaithfulness in worship of God. We ought to worship Him alone and nothing else, just like a wife should remain faithful to her husband who is faithful to her always. God is always faithful and wants us to emulate Him even in our physical life.

In the Old Testament, it was allowed to make oaths and no one was to break them but here in Verse 33, as we read on, we find that Jesus commands us never to make a vow or to swear by anything whether by heaven or earth. This is because we don’t have the power of our own but we depend on the grace of God. Swearing is self dependence and pride of its own. We ought only to say Yes or No. Any addition comes not from God but from the evil one.

As the believers in Christ, we are not supposed to revenge but leave vengeance to God. We ought not to do like pagans in the way we respond to those who want to take from us – being offended and concerned about losing our dignity when they do some hurtful things against us. Instead Jesus says that we should love our enemies and pray for them. I know this is hard at times because of the kind of world we are living in but nevertheless, the word of God stands and is possible unto us who believe in Christ by his Spirit. We will have no difference with the pagans or we will be even worse than the pagans if we will pay evil for evil and love only those who love us. I have found many boast of never forgiving some people until they get justice done them. This is not to say that those who go against the law of the land should not face the law. Let the law deal with them but forgive them from your heart when they ask for forgiveness. The call to love is not a variable but a constant whether to our friends or enemies.

Why live like this?

In all these teachings of Jesus, Christ calls us into perfection just as He and the Father are perfect. Peace-making, faithfulness to the unfaithful, loving enemies, gospel-shaped living – this is the perfect character of God and his children are to bear that family likeness.

I pray that God will lead us on as we find out more from this Gospel of Christ according to Matthew.

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Brian is working for the King in a semi-arid, Muslim-dominated, sometimes unstable region in the far North of Kenya. He has preaching and pastoral responsibilities and is heavily involved in school ministry and other outreach efforts. He needs to raise  KES 25k ($312 or £185) per month for his living and transport costs, ministry training and medical cover. If you’re interested in partnering with Brian in this please contact the iServe Africa office.