Life Beside Christ
Life Beside Christ
Love, Lies, and Turning the Other Cheek
Can you love someone without accepting their sins? Join us as we explore the delicate balance of love, acceptance, and discipline within the Christian community. We'll discuss how the church can welcome everyone while maintaining biblical truths, emphasizing compassion without endorsing sinful actions. Our conversation draws from scripture and seeks to clarify the importance of loving others—including our enemies—while standing firm against evil.
Have you ever felt the weight of your words? Inspired by Matthew 5:33-37, we reflect on the transformative power of honesty. Hear about a personal journey from taking pride in deceit to valuing simple, unembellished truth. We'll discuss why integrity is crucial, especially as adults, and how maintaining honesty, even in tough situations, can earn trust and respect. The pitfalls of invoking God's name in oaths and the true essence of honoring one's word are also covered.
What happens when faith meets fear? We share personal experiences and biblical insights on trusting God's will, even in times of distress. Learn about the human tendency to bargain with God and the importance of surrendering to His plan. We also tackle the concept of "turning the other cheek," clarifying its call for forgiveness and peacemaking rather than passivity. Finally, we discuss performing good works for God's glory, emphasizing genuine motives over seeking personal praise. Join us for an enlightening discussion that encourages faith, integrity, and compassion in every aspect of life.
We love hearing from our listeners whether it's criticism, advice, or just thoughts on the conversation we had. Find us or reach out to us here:
•Email: lifebesidechristpod@gmail.com
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•Intro/Outro Music: "Our Days" by David Hays
welcome back to life beside christ podcast. This is part two of our previous episode, so if you haven't, I recommend going back and listening to that episode and hearing the discussion that leads us into this question that Brady left us off with.
Speaker 2:So earlier you mentioned, cast the first stone, like those without sin, go ahead and cast the first stone. So that reminded me. It's probably been two or three weeks now, but we went to a service and the discussion overall was about how Christians can I don't know if it's tend to be, but can get to where they're kind of gatekeeping the church and thinking, well, I go to church and I can't believe those people don't, and stuff like that, and keep other people out or scare other people away by being that way, which I think is a very fair point what I struggle with and I don't struggle because I think that because I go to church, I'm better, because I'm sure if you could look at a snapshot of my sins, you'd be like he's got a christian podcast and he and he goes to church. He's just as bad as I am, which that's kind of the thing, yeah, um, where I struggle is I on social media.
Speaker 2:You see these woke pastors who are like hey, there's all this stuff that our sins and the Bible says don't do because you'll go to hell. That's okay, we're accepting. So where do we draw the line? And maybe we don't draw the line, I guess, of letting things go or um, I don't, I guess. I don't know how to finish the question I kind of know what you mean so when?
Speaker 3:when do we? Uh? When do we say, okay, we accept everyone because we love everyone. And when do we say, okay, we accept everyone because we love everyone. And when do we say that's wrong, you can't do that? God said that's wrong. Yeah, and it's a very so.
Speaker 3:Paul said that all parts of the Bible are good for teaching rebuking and the rebuke we don't like anymore, but it is something you have to be careful with. For instance, if we go to the Beatitudes, it said blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Well, nowadays, when we hear meek, we think of weak, we think of somebody who's like they just go along with whatever because they don't want to cause any problems. But that's not what it meant. In the Greek language, meek meant and the word that they translate to meek. It was more like a horse that obviously is powerful but had been trained to do a job, and so the power is there, the strength is there.
Speaker 3:It doesn't mean that you're weak and timid. It means that you control the way you act and you don't lose control of yourself. You do, you work for God, and so I can be meek, but a warrior, you know, because I'm focused on God, I will let someone talk bad about me. I'll let someone I'll turn the other cheek because I have my eye on God, but it doesn't mean that you have to go along with everything that's evil. And so there, I think, is the line. We all know people, and ourselves, that are struggling with a sin or several sins, or whatever the case is. Well, the key is, are they struggling?
Speaker 2:with it.
Speaker 3:We don't have to go along with evil. If something is evil, it's it's. It's even less than meek to go. Well, yeah, I don't want to cause a problem, I don't want to. You know, you can still stand up for yourself and say no that's not right.
Speaker 2:Well, and in a way, um, you're kind of just letting them go ahead and stumble into the wrong direction and eventually it's not our choice, I know, but it looks like probable hell, you know. So is it? Is it the thing of? Like, um, if you come at it from a place of love, it's like, hey, I love you, I want all of us to get to heaven. Um, what you're doing right now, you're preaching about how, um, I don't take any of the sins, yeah, or how well, he didn't really mean that and we accept you and it's good um more or not even, except it's like praise, it's celebrating your.
Speaker 1:More accepting the person, like you said when hoping that they struggle with it and want to repent of it, but not accepting the sin, the person before.
Speaker 3:The saying is hate the sin, not the sinner.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's perfect.
Speaker 3:And it gets mixed up because we're not very good at it.
Speaker 3:We're human and we're not very good at communicating really what we're trying to do. For instance, if I point out someone's sin, they feel attacked, like I'm mad at them, I'm not Believe me. I point out my own sin all the time. But if you go to Matthew 5, verse 43, you have heard that it was said love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his son to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even tax collectors doing that?
Speaker 3:And if you greet only your own people. What are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. So we're commanded, we're told by Jesus. He didn't say do this if you want to. He said this is the way you should do it. And so we should always love some others, but if they're evil, if they're doing evil, we shouldn't accept that and so saying, well, yeah, I know that they're evil and they're doing everything that God says not to do, but we don't want to be mean. Well, it's not about being mean. And so, as you grow as a parent as you guys become parents.
Speaker 3:Some days all this stuff starts to make sense, when you start raising your children because you're like I love my children so much that I'll discipline them. I need them to know when I say stop, stop because, it's for their own good.
Speaker 3:It's not because I want to be their commander. They're running out into the street, so when I say, stop, they need to freeze right. Then it's the same way with God. When God tells us something, we may think. But I like adultery, it's fun, but it's for our own good. There's bad things coming for us who ignore God's commandments and God's rules. God don't lay these rules down, because it's like I'm a killjoy. I just don't like to see my creation have any fun at all.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he lays these rules down because he knows what's best for us, much like parents know what's best for children. We don't understand it all yet, uh, but, but you can see it as you get older. Uh, this will sound a little weird, but you can see in today's society, when we start attacking men for this masculine, toxic masculinity, men who want to lead their household but they have a female partner who, eh, she's dominant and they allow that, oftentimes you'll see things just aren't really going well in that relationship.
Speaker 4:Why.
Speaker 3:Well, one reason could be that that's not God's plan. Now again, I'm not saying, and we all know that- the wife has her place.
Speaker 3:She should respect her husband and he should love her like Jesus loved the church. But you can't love any more than Jesus loved the church. He died for it, so it's a partnership. Church he died for it, so it's a partnership. It's not a the man should be dominating and abusive. It's a partnership. But when you see men start taking the back seat and the women run everything, things start to go a little awry. Sons start to see that, oh, mom's in charge. Okay, well, that's not God's plan, that's not the way it's supposed to be. And so you see it in little ways all over society and there's consequences to that.
Speaker 3:Does it mean they're going to hell? I don't think so, not if they've accepted Jesus Christ. Yeah, but does it mean that it's not working according to God's plan, much like we just talked about with Abraham? That's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, on this Bible study I've been working out of now that I'm actually studying the Bible for this podcast. I found that it's impossible to translate this ancient greek word, meek, with just one english word. In the vocabulary of the ancient greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word meek was strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild. So it kind of sounds like you don't want to be the sheep, get pushed around and just go with whatever. You don't want to be the wolf, who's the problem? And um has no humility to it.
Speaker 3:It's kind of that middle ground of the sheep, dog and protecting so it's kind of I love that analogy of no sheep, no wolves, but a sheep dog.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, a protector? You don't have to. You don't have to be mean, you don't have to be domineering, but you do have to stand up for yourself. And you do, and you do have to. We are called to tell the truth, and the truth is right here. It's like murder, you know. See, people misuse the Bible. The Bible says shall not kill. It actually says shall not murder. What is murder? Well, that's killing innocents. People say well, you can't have death penalty because the Bible says you shouldn't kill.
Speaker 3:I don't agree with that. It says you shouldn't kill innocent people. That's murder. But there are penalties for someone else who murders or can't live among society. So it's on us. You talked about being the gatekeeper In a way. We kind of have to be. We can't as Levi was saying earlier, we can't let it get so watered down that we're not taking it serious anymore.
Speaker 3:We have to keep reminding each generation that it is serious and that God does love you. He is your creator, he is your Savior and he does have some rules. All we have to do is accept Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior right, but once we do that now the Holy Spirit's in us and we will crave this, and it's exactly where you guys are at. If you weren't craving this, this podcast wouldn't be happening.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's a good point. Yeah, I don't know. Do we want to try to get to this? But if we have to cut this in two parts, we can get through this, so that way we move on to six next time. Or do you want a chance to talk a little bit, carter?
Speaker 4:no, I don't care, I like learning. I was going to bring up the sheep dog thing, but I'm glad you said that okay, go ahead and tell us about break it down.
Speaker 1:You have an analogy for us. Carter, go ahead and tell us about it.
Speaker 4:Break it down. You have an analogy for us. Carter, Go ahead.
Speaker 2:More of a Matthew guy. I don't care, we're kind of rolling, do we just want to go ahead? And if we get two episodes out of it, yeah, You're not being here.
Speaker 1:Well, I'll bring up what I thought I could maybe connect to Mine. I was looking at the oaths part, and this is a little bit of calling myself out, a little bit, I guess, but I'll read the oaths real quick. So Matthew 5, 33 through 37. Again, you have heard it, that was said to the people long ago. So Matthew 5, 33 through 37. And I would say, for me this was a, especially the 36 and 37, or, sorry, 37. All you need to say is simply yes or no.
Speaker 1:This is a verse that I probably came across, I don't know, a month or two after the Bible study. We started at your guys' house and I was just reading and I was like, oh, this is Summer on the Mount Sweet, like there's a lot in here, and I came across this and it was like holy crap, because for me, and when I read it it kind of hit me in the chest. It felt like because in high school I kind of like took pride in how good I thought I was at lying. I was like, oh, I can like in not big stuff. It was like stupid stuff, silly like very like non-trivial things, even to like my own friends about very silly things.
Speaker 1:And uh, so when I read that I was like dude, like that's a, that's kind of a good one to think about, because I obviously I was like, okay, dude, you're lying, and this was probably. This was before I even started going to church with the um, with you guys that I realized that like what am I doing? Like I was like it was so stupid because I don't know, it was just stupid. And then, like now you hear kids all the time saying like oh, I swear to God or on God, like on everything you know, and I just think we think we're going too far with it.
Speaker 1:And I used to be like, oh, I'd be like no, no, I promise. Like it's swear, it's like don't, if you don't believe me, then that's not on me, that's on you. I'm going to tell you how it is and like what actually happened, or this or that, and maybe I'm not, maybe I'm just kind of rambling on, but it was one for me that when I came across, I was like that was something that, looking back at what I used to, yeah, I would.
Speaker 3:So we talked about those dads in the 70s earlier and you guys are all grown men now. But you're young men and one thing you're going to realize as you get older, or I hope you realize as you get older, is exactly that. That last part. Simply say yes or no. Your word needs to mean something, as a man, as anybody, but as a man as you get older and your kids start looking to you how you act. Because what are you really saying if you say, oh, I swear to God or on my mother's grave or you try to make some oath higher than your word.
Speaker 3:You're basically saying my word is worthless, I might be lying to you, unless I say this other magic thing, and then I'm not lying to you. Well, how can I trust somebody who's telling me that they may be lying to me? And so you really, you know, you just speak simple and speak truth and just say you know when someone says did you?
Speaker 3:eat all the cookies Did you? Who ate the Nutter Butters? You just say, yes, I did. You don't say I swear to God, I didn't eat all the Nutter Butters. I ate those peanut butter shaped cookies, but not the Nutter Butters. Right, carter? Yeah, yeah, uh, you know, and I think we all not all, but a lot of us start out as young as kids and we see that and we hear that and we think, well, that's the way to do it. I'm going to make this really serious because I'm going to invoke God's name. We don't have the right to invoke God's name. How are we swearing on God's name?
Speaker 4:That's God's, he's like leave me out of your lies.
Speaker 3:I don't have any part of this, and so as you get older, you realize that it's a great verse. I'm glad you found it. It gets easier. I get kind of what you're saying about taking some pride in lying. I probably wouldn't have said it that way, yeah, but I used to take, and I've told you this before. Growing up with divorced parents and being through several divorces not mine, but with my parents being married several times I learned to walk that line and stay out of trouble and convince people that either I was okay or this was okay, and not make one side mad or the other side mad.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 3:I took pride in that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's kind of along the lines of what I meant, kind of too Like I wasn't putting myself in trouble, but I was, like I could fool, manipulating the situation, you know playing, playing the puppet master and, and you know, being a politician almost yeah I, I can say the right things or act in a certain way to move the chess piece the way I want it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and you take some pride in that. You're like this is easy, I can play this game when really, what god wants from you is just just tell the truth, just be, be genuine, be yourself and tell the truth and and if they don't believe you, that's on them yeah but eventually, if people will figure out that well, that guy's word means something, right, he said yes, then that's right, it is.
Speaker 3:Uh, carter had me convinced when he was a young, young man that I was. I was ready to go to bat for him. Yep, uh, because he was. Just, he was not admitting that he was wrong and and I'm like, well, I've asked and I've asked and I've asked, so I'm gonna take him as word. I don't know took a lot of time because I'm not that trusting, but finally it came out that he was lying. And so when you lose that trust and I told him that I said you know, you just lost a little trust in my eyes and it takes a while to build that back, so you don't ever want to do that.
Speaker 1:We've all been there.
Speaker 3:Nobody sitting here or nobody listening to this has never told a lie. Yeah uh, but it does take time to rebuild trust once, once you start doing it george washington yeah, and he's not nice nice, um, I, and so maybe I'm lost on what an oath means.
Speaker 2:Like I said, I'm a dumb dumb, but I had something very recently that kind of may or may not fit into this, but it is a good thing to discuss, especially you're here and you too. So when we got this news about our unborn son, I was kind of lost and wasn't sure how to pray. What am I even praying for? What do I want? So went to bed late and was laying in bed praying and I told God in my prayer that I'll give up drinking and anything that I felt was a net negative. If you'll just make him healthy, I'll give up drinking and anything that I felt was a net negative, uh, if you'll just make him healthy. And then I immediately I can't remember if Zoe's up or I woke her up and I said I think I just messed up. I, I just threatened God. And then I went into this tailspin of like, oh my, I just ruined this whole relationship because I'm making these oaths, thinking that hey, if I don't do this, go ahead and go ahead and make him healthy. So then I I've been lost on this for a while. And then what's even worse is I talked to zoe about. I don't know if it's worse or not. I was talking to zoe about it and then I came to the conclusion that God knew I was an idiot. And I got to the point where I was like, I don't think he cares if I have a beer, he's got this plan. I'm going to pray that he's healthy. And then I drank and I'm like, well then, I just so.
Speaker 2:Now, on top of all this, I just went back on my word and I didn't know. I actually feel sick to my stomach now because I still don't know where I'm at. So I don't know which time I messed up. It's like, okay, did I mess up by this? Almost it felt like a threat. I'm sure he'd be like I got what you were saying. It wasn't a hey, you better do this. And then it was I'm giving up everything that I do bad or that I feel like is a net negative on my life if you'll just make him healthy. And then, on top of that, I was like, well, he didn't take me seriously. I'm going to have this beer and watch this game. I don't know if I've explained it well, but I'd be curious what you guys think on this.
Speaker 3:The first thing, I think, is God knows our heart. You're right in your initial feeling. I feel you're right in your initial feeling. I don't think we should be trying to make deals with God, because really the deal we really want initial feeling.
Speaker 3:I don't think we should be trying to make deals with God because really, the deal we really want, when it comes down to it, is that His will be done. We may not like it, jesus was the same way. Remember. Jesus said if there's any way, you can take this cup from my lips, but your will be done. Jesus died on the cross. He didn't like that experience, but he did it. So I don't think it's right, but I think it's common. I think there's this in us that Tim McGraw don't take the girl.
Speaker 3:It's like I will do anything that you want me to do, if you'll just take this burden from me. Because that's really what it is. It's I'm scared, there's fear. And a lady at our church recently, at our Bible study, she said what's the opposite of faith? Fear. And I had never thought about it that way, she said, and I think she's right. She said, if we're scared, which is a human thing, we need to turn to faith and understand that God has a plan and he has this and we can let our fear go.
Speaker 3:It ain't easy, but we can, but we want to. I have done the same thing that you've talked about. When I was younger, it's like, if you'll just do this, if you'll just do this, and God's like, no, you'll do that because you love me, right? Yeah, yeah, not because I'm going to do this for you or I'm not. Maybe I will, maybe I won't, but I have a plan, and so what I want you to do is ask for what you want, god you know, he wants us to ask him.
Speaker 3:It's here, let's see. Well, I thought it was under there, but maybe it's further back. Oh, here it is Matthew 6. And 7. Oh, ask, seek, knock, ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find Knock and the door will be opened to you.
Speaker 3:So God wants us to ask for what we want, so that's not a problem saying hey, please heal, mason that's what I'm praying for is miraculous healing, but your will be done, and so then, like you said, so, then you feel guilty for putting this price on it. If you'll do that, I'll do this. Well that's not how this relationship works, and so you feel guilty and then, like I said, then you go eh he knew I was kidding or he didn't take that serious.
Speaker 3:I really want God's will to be done. I think having the beer is fine, yeah, because, again, god knows your heart, so he knows that that came out of love. You love your unborn son. You definitely pray that Mason will be miraculously healed, but he may not be. So you also pray for the knowledge, for the doctors and the skill and that the means are there, but ultimately that God's will be done and that maybe then you pray for understanding and for comfort and those kinds of things. But yeah, we've all. I don't know about all, but a lot of us have been there. Whatever it is and it's usually when it's something deep and dark. It's like I'm at the end of my rope, god, and this is all I've got to give. I can give up these things, but can I really? And so it goes back to like mosaic law. We're no better at keeping our own nose than we were keeping God's law. Yeah, because we just don't have the strength to do it. We're not Jesus who was God.
Speaker 2:Well, it does make me feel better because two things. One, I've been sober since that drink. Like we said, it's okay to have the beer, but just for my own peace of mind and general health I've gone sober. And two, I have switched and learned from that to where it's just a hey, we know, you've got a plan.
Speaker 2:We trust you. We love you, um, I know that you can heal them. If that's your plan, uh and I know that your plan may not match up with my plan it's it would be. Uh, my life would be way too easy if, if he did that, I'd have everything, um, but just this, and then thanking him for everything he has given you know. So I'm glad to hear that you've said that, and it sounds like I've made the corrective steps, so I'm happy with that. But when you were reading and when I read it, I was was like, oh no, I've just torched all this.
Speaker 3:If our relationship with God was that fragile, we'd be in real trouble. If God couldn't see our heart and he took us at our word, we'd be in real trouble. But he can see our heart and he knows our folly. He knows that we will say things that at the time we believe. With your basketball injuries, there was a time where I'm like why? Why this kid's put in so much time and why and it's like you know what it's not God's will.
Speaker 2:He's moving.
Speaker 3:He's the real puppet master. He's moving things. Sometimes God moves us by making us uncomfortable. If we're comfortable, we just sit there. If we're uncomfortable, we'll move. And so sometimes we get moved by being uncomfortable. Sometimes we get moved by being given an opportunity that we're like oh man, that's great, and sometimes it's like this stinks so I'm getting out of great, and sometimes it's like this stinks so I'm getting out of here.
Speaker 3:Carter recently had a situation like this stinks, and so you know you got to have faith. I love what you said, that now you've gotten to the point where the key to me hearing what you said was that you said I know you can heal him if you want to, if that's your will. That's the faith. The lady touched the hem of Jesus' cloak and was healed. It takes less than a word, less than a thought from God to heal whoever he wants to heal, and it's not that he doesn't.
Speaker 3:I'm saying that a little wrong want to heal but he has a plan, and sometimes that plan is uncomfortable for us If you choose to.
Speaker 2:yeah.
Speaker 3:If it's in the grand scheme, then it'll be done. Can we move God to do something else? I think sometimes God can change. He doesn't change the grand scheme, but I think he can change individual things. I think sometimes God can change. He doesn't change the grand scheme, but I think he can change individual things I think he does.
Speaker 3:We read in the Old Testament where Moses asked him don't kill them all. And there was this bargaining, remember? So he says well, if I can find 100 righteous men, what if I can find 10 righteous men? So that same situation is like what about this? What about this? So you're not the only one that's ever done that, that tried to make a deal with.
Speaker 2:God.
Speaker 3:And I think it shows your love for your unborn child and shows your faith in God. Two things there your love for your unborn child is shown by the fact that you're having a conversation in which I will give up whatever you ask me to give up, I'll give it up. And your faith in God, because you're having a conversation with him. If you didn't have that faith, why are you talking to him?
Speaker 1:It's like in Job when even Job's mad and saying things to God or whatever, that he is mad and it was well. He's still communicating with God. That relationship is still there. It's not like he's turned and said, all right, I'm done with you, god, I'll go be mad at you and curse you for the rest of my life. It's God, I'm frustrated, but I'm still going to talk to you. I'm still going to have that relationship with you.
Speaker 3:I've been I've told this story before I've been mad at God.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And finally came to the realization you don't want to spend your life mad at God. You want to move past that and have enough faith that you start to kind of see. But I always say God's got broad shoulders, he can take it because he understands that we're mad, it's misplaced anger. He understands that our human heart doesn't communicate, doesn't function.
Speaker 3:And when I mean heart, I mean the heart of the mind, at a level that we can process things correctly all the time. And so thank God that we have a God like that. You know the gods, the Roman gods, the Greek gods they were vengeful they were apathetic. They didn't care. Our God cares and loves. So it's almost. I'm not saying it's right to try to make a deal with God. I'm just saying that I think it shows, one, your love for your child and two, your faith in God, you know that he can do it.
Speaker 2:Poorly executed Right idea.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do we want to switch to Carter?
Speaker 1:Carter looks like he's got something to say.
Speaker 4:Says it.
Speaker 1:If you didn't prep.
Speaker 2:it's fine, we can move to mine.
Speaker 4:I just want to give you a chance. I was kind of looking over and I noticed eye for eye is the one that I picked out. Um, so that reminds me of I was in fourth or fifth grade. I was in the kickball line it's on the news today, apparently and I don't know why I turned around or if I got tapped on the shoulder or something and got smacked hard, real hard, and I didn't do anything. I don't know if I was in that moment a sheep, because I didn't know any better. I was just in shock. I didn't know what to do, or if that is more of the dog, I guess I don't know. I had a question, I guess for Dad. Question, I guess for dad, because I know we've had conversations where the standing up for yourself is I don't know if it's to fight back or what. So I, I didn't know. If I got in the same situation today, what do I do? Do I just take that and just love God?
Speaker 1:And I don't know what the answer is for that, I guess, or another cheek and get hit again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, where's the line of self-defense? And this you know.
Speaker 3:So this one gets used a lot and there's a lot of opinions on this. So it says you have heard that it was said eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and that was Mosaic law. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also, and if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile.
Speaker 3:Go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. So the turn the other cheek, so it gets used in a. Well, you're a Christian, so I can just treat you any way I want, you just got to keep taking it. Well, one way. I've heard how many cheeks do you have? You only got two. It's like all right, you smacked me once. All right, quit being a fool.
Speaker 3:You smacked me again At some point and each person has to decide where that point is. But you have to stand up for yourself. Self-defense is not. Jesus did not say do not defend yourself. And I think I can find it fairly quickly. One or two spots. Where let me see, here We'll stay in. Matthew and see if it's there. Transfiguration parable of the ten Virgins, sheeps and Goats, jesus. Jesus predicts Peter's denial.
Speaker 2:While you're looking for it here, that Bible study I'm using again. It is wrong to think Jesus means evil should never be resisted. Jesus demonstrated with his life that evil should and must be resisted, such as when he turned tables in the temple.
Speaker 3:Yeah so Jesus had a righteous anger when he turned the tables, turned over the tables, but the part I'm talking about is is Jesus.
Speaker 3:As they're getting ready for preparing for Jesus to be arrested, jesus tells them hey, you need to get some swords. And they say we've got arrested. Jesus tells them hey, you need to get some swords. And they say we've got two. And he said that's enough. Well, why would he tell them to get swords unless defending yourself is allowed? He wouldn't. And Peter reaches out and cuts one of the arresting folks' ear off with his sword. Jesus rebuked him and stopped him, but not because of the self-defense issue, but because Jesus needed to be arrested to fulfill what had been prophesied.
Speaker 3:But the point being the eye for an eye really is about turning the other cheek, and so it comes down to the individual. Uh, really forgiving? Uh, we're, we're asked to forgive. If we want to be forgiven, we're asked to forgive. And so if, if someone wrongs you, they talk about slapping you, um, wrongs you, they talk about slapping you. But if someone wrongs you, it's better to heal that relationship and forgive than it is to hold that grudge. But if someone is physically attacking you, defending yourself is not wrong. You don't have to say well, I'm a Christian, I guess.
Speaker 3:I'll lay here until he kills me. It's not the way it works. I think what Jesus was pointing out was, again, he's talking to people who are used to the Mosaic Law. Who was like? Oh this guy. Whatever the case is, he ran his ox cart out in front of me and ran over my kid, so I get to go run his kid down with my ox cart, which was allowed in Mosaic.
Speaker 1:Law Jesusesus is pointing out, or you could forgive him right, like going back to the beatitudes with the uh, blessed are the, blessed are the peacemakers.
Speaker 3:Not so quick to I wish he just said blessed are the pea makers, because when I hit my knee I was a pea maker.
Speaker 2:You were blessed Just a minute, so would you say you agree with this real quick. It is wrong to think that Jesus means a physical attack cannot be resisted or defended against. When Jesus speaks of a slap on your right cheek, it was culturally understood as a deep insult, not a physical attack. Jesus does not mean that if someone hits across the right side of our head with a baseball bat we should allow them to then hit the left side, and then it goes on to say that once again it was more of a being slapped by the backside of somebody's hand was more like an insult. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So you see in the old movies when someone challenges you to a duel they smack you with their glove.
Speaker 2:I do that to Carter all the time.
Speaker 3:And it's a way to challenge your honor, to insult you. I completely agree. Again, this is an analogy that Jesus is using. He's not saying you know, it's a slap, it's not a beating, it's not. He didn't say if someone takes a sword and smacks you upside the head, but it gets used, people use that usually people who aren't Christians to say oh Christians, you're not supposed to offend yourself. Well, that's not true.
Speaker 2:Which I guess is why why once again it sounded like you said paul earlier was talking about this is it has everything and gives you a chance to rebuke. A lot of times, non-christians will try to learn a little bit so that they can then try to twist it, and be like well, it says this why are you doing that? Yeah?
Speaker 3:take it out of context, yeah, and try to use it. Or take one little piece and forget what was said before and after. Yeah, right.
Speaker 2:I do that with my papers. I just need that one line to say give me that B Yep Like that movie, the Shift. I thought you were talking about B movie.
Speaker 1:Oh when? Yeah, the devil obviously knows words.
Speaker 4:The word too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's always a good point to remind especially young Christians of is that just memorizing the Bible doesn't make you a Christian. It won't save you.
Speaker 2:Even the devil knows the word of.
Speaker 3:God the devil was one of the first ones to say who Jesus was. To admit it Doesn't mean he accepted him as a savior. And that's the key.
Speaker 2:Wrap up with mine. Yep, mine's pretty quick and self-explanatory, but I think it's good to keep in mind. Mine actually is Matthew, chapter 6. It's talking about giving to the needy. So I'll read it real quick be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly, I tell you they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Speaker 2:That one just stood out because I think it's becoming more and more people like to be seen giving, and it's more of this. Why are you giving? Are you giving so that you get that plaque at this gymnasium, or so people throw a ball for you and celebrate you? Or are you doing what Jesus wants you to do and you're doing it to please him? One of those is the right thing and the other one just gets you a nice dinner and a cool little plaque at a gym.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So that first point I would make, or the first thought I have, is I'm not going against what Jesus says. I'm just pointing out, if you give, you give $40 million to some hospital and you have the newspaper there and the TV's there and they're going to put your name on the building, that's all right. Just know that in verse 19 of chapter 6, do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasure in heaven. And what you've read says look, don't make a big deal out of it, because you've already received your reward here on earth.
Speaker 3:And those are kind of interlocked ideas, so giving to a hospital and having your name put on a building okay.
Speaker 3:Just know that. You received your reward. You're not going to be rewarded for that in heaven. You received your reward, you're not. You're not going to be rewarded for that in heaven. You get your reward here, whether it was a clap on the back, a plaque, uh, whatever, um I've. I've actually had cases in my life where it's like I'm trying to do something without people knowing I did it and somebody will quote, unquote rat you out yeah not meaning to, they just want to recognize you for doing something good but there wasn't some complex plan.
Speaker 2:I'm kind of going to do it. No, I didn't invite the news there, yeah right.
Speaker 3:And so you spend some time and some thought trying to do things for the right reasons to glorify God, and you hope nobody finds out. Well, if somebody finds out, so be it. You did it for the right reasons. It's kind of like when you guys said to me down in Daytona why do you?
Speaker 3:give that woman money. You know she's just going to go buy booze or whatever. Maybe I don't know that. I see what you're saying, but I gave her money because I love Jesus and he asked me to do that, and what she does with it it's on her. I'm just trying to do what Jesus asked me to do so I think that's a really good one.
Speaker 3:Giving to the needy obviously is important for lots of reasons, but how do we get something out of it? It seems like a weird question to ask, but don't you feel great when you? Give. I mean anytime I've given to something where I felt like I was part of the solution or I helped in something.
Speaker 2:I've always felt way better than probably the person I even gave to.
Speaker 3:Because I've been given to as well and that feels good too when you really need it. We had a box of food left on our I've told this story before a box of food left on our porch of our trailer, that little brown trailer that Brady was born in, and it was great because we didn't have much money and we it. I just found out last year who and it was 25 years later, yeah who left that box of food. Um, but I'm sure that they felt better.
Speaker 3:I felt great about doing that and not letting me know they just did it because they love Jesus, and that is a that's a great feeling yeah, I had a couple things once again from that bible study.
Speaker 2:I'm enjoying. It's a good. Enduringwordcom is really good. Uh, it mentions this does not contradict his previous command to let your light so shine before men. Although Christians are to be seen doing good works, they must not do. Although Christians are to be seen doing good works, they must not do good works simply to be seen.
Speaker 3:So that's kind of the yeah, I think the key is you don't do good works to heap praise upon yourself. You do good works and when somebody says why'd you do that, you say because Jesus is my Lord and Savior and he wants me to do those things.
Speaker 2:You give the glory to.
Speaker 3:God, that's what I always say about athletes. I always hope that's genuine when they point to the sky after scoring a touchdown. I don't know how that really helps anybody, but they'll do it and I hope it's genuine. A lot of times I think it is. And I hope so. But yeah, it comes down to what are you doing it for? You're doing it for yourself, so people go boy, he's a great guy. Or are you doing it so people go? So that's how Christians act.
Speaker 2:Yeah, then you kind of hit on this one they're commenting on. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven. The idea is, when we do righteous deeds for the attention and applause of men, their attention and applause is our reward. It is much better to receive a reward from your Father in heaven, so that kind of. I think you hit on that a little bit.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's, I would say, like the gentleman who offered to help you and Zoe with a fundraiser. Yeah, that's a great thing. He didn't do that to get a trophy, no. Or to get accolades of boy. These are really good people. Look what they're doing for these other people. He did that, I guarantee jesus in his heart, because that's just how you act when the holy spirit's in you. Uh, and that's the reason you should do it, but it manifests as helping each other, loving our brothers and sisters and helping each other.
Speaker 2:Yeah right.
Speaker 3:And that's a great thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Well, that might be our best podcast to date.
Speaker 1:Well, to our recording session. I can almost promise that this will be somehow broken up into two pieces. Um, for anyone listening. Um, we'll just try to figure out how we're gonna break that up, or maybe not, who knows, I guess. Yeah, well, it's two hour episode all right let's get out of here that whole episode no sound effects.
Speaker 4:Oh, here, let's get some in real quick.
