A Christian's Character, Part 1
A Christian's Character, Part 1
Bible Passage: Matthew 5:1-12
With the preaching of John the Baptist, a new age had dawned, and the rule of God had broken into history. ‘Repent,’ he cried, ‘for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Indeed, ‘He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom’ (23).
The Sermon on the Mount is to be seen in this context. It portrays the repentance and the righteousness which belong to the kingdom. That is, it describes what human life and human community look like when they come under the gracious rule of God. And what do they look like? Different!
The Sermon contains much contrast. Jesus has looked at the world and the way it operates and says, “No! God’s Kingdom is completely different. This is the way it is supposed to be.”