The Sermon on the Mount is loaded with “heavenly things” – concepts beyond the imaginations of selfish, earthy men. Pearls of wisdom. Secrets to a good life. Don’t move on too quickly. The Scriptures never mention a judgment day based on beliefs; Jesus cares what we do. Actions matter. Our relationship to our fellowman is VERY important to God; He says, “how you treat them, is how you treat me.”
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Chapter 19: The Sermon on the Mount
…Judge not and you will not be judged: condemn not, and you will not be condemned: forgive, and you will be forgiven. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged: and with what measure you mete, it will be measured to you again.
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? And why do you behold the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? Or how wilt you say to your brother, Brother, let me pull the speck out of your eye; and perceive not the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then will you see clearly to pull the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened unto you: For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it will be opened. Give, and it will be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it will be measured to you again.
What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them Likewise: for this is the law and the prophets.
Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord: but every one that is perfect will be as his master.
For every tree is known by his own fruit. You will know them by their fruits. Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you will know them.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name have cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
Therefore whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will shew you who he is like, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came and the winds blew and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, but it fell not and could not shake it for it was founded upon a rock.
But he that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, will be likened unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, without a foundation, upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently and the rain descended, and the floods came and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and immediately it fell and the fall and the ruin of that house were great.
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
© Jesus Christ 30 AD Used by Permission