March 8, 2023

Matthew 5: 21, 22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (NIV)

Jesus revealed the true intent of the Old Testament law, rather than its legalistic interpretations.*

In a court of law, a person cannot be convicted of a crime he thought about. He can’t even be held responsible for one that he planned and dreamed about. Until he commits the crime, he is not guilty under the law. The same was true under the law of the Old Testament. Through the Law, God provided a code of conduct for the Israelite nation and included appropriate punishment and penalties for violations. The Law made no provision for inappropriate thoughts, but it clearly revealed God’s feelings about how people should treat each other. Anyone who was paying attention should have realized that merely being a law-abiding citizen was not all it took to please God.

When I worked in elections, I often found myself in the position of weighing what the law said against the law’s intent. The purpose of every election law on the books boiled down to: ensuring the voters’ rights; protecting the privacy of each person’s ballot; and making sure each vote was counted as the voter intended. I recall several occasions when strict adherence to the letter of the law conflicted with our ability to comply with the intent of the law. When deciding how to proceed, I would ask myself: If I had to explain myself to a judge, which position would I rather defend?

There is no doubt that society is protected and improved by unambiguous and enforceable laws, but Jesus presents a radical new perspective on the Law: God’s intent. He reduces the Law from its civil function to a personal one. God doesn’t want us to murder each other because he wants us to love each other. If you had to explain yourself in God’s courtroom, would, “I didn’t kill him,” be an acceptable defense if you also didn’t love the person?

The Christian should regard obedience, not as an onerous chore, but as an evidence of Christ’s nature within him.*