Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

The book of Matthew

Chapter 18

18:1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
18:2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the midst of them, 18:3 and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt.18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

There are many reason we fight and war with each other, but essentially its to prove oneself right. Most of would not think proving oneself right is really self-righteousness, but its is! We are plagued with this disease proving ourselves right so we don't loose face. However, when we tie God's word up with our own justification it can be everlastingly damaging to not only ourselves but others. Here the apostles of Christ in their fleshly thinking thoughts like the world, and its great men, but one cannot be too judgmental towards their lack of understanding because they lived in a kingdom where power and authority was given men by God, so how could they think like a little child?

Luke 22:25 He said to them, "The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

Christ humbles himself emptying himself into a slave form and washed the very feet of his apostles. But Christ humility was not a mocked humility that is being humble to ones he liked, or in front of men for fleshly glory. Christ humility came from his enduring love for his Fathers greatness. However, the apostles did not seek such humility they seen themselves as the world does in competition with each other to earn position of authority this type of recognition must looked good in the flesh to be rewarded by others in the flesh.

John 7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Today many Christian's think highly of their position within some religious organization, or in an imagine importance, because they used God's word in judging others. This imagine importance does not exist with God. God has given his written word to mankind, many have abused it, and abused others with it. But God has not taken it back he gives it freely trusting some will get the message of love written in it.

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"{TR adds "You shall not give false testimony,"}{Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21} and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."{Leviticus 19:18} 13:10 Love doesn't harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

Here the apostles of Christ would be authorized by God's gift of Holy Spirit being anointed with it, to uses God's word righteously towards others. A powerful position, one so powerful that soon Christ death and resurrection would strip the Jewish nation of their law and temple service placing it squarely upon Christ the King of New Jerusalem above. With that power came responsibility of not stumbling others, not abusing God's word with the power like the nations.
1 Timothy 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor about what they strongly affirm.

If the apostles failed in understanding Christ humility thinking more highly of their personal righteousness than Christ righteousness given them by undeserved kindness they would not be like a young child. Hence, they would Lord it over others making fleshly minded judgments to maintain an imagine importance. Each apostle had no importance from self or by self-goodness, i.e., self-righteousness they had been given a gift of righteousness by the life of Christ Jesus, nothing good dwelt in their flesh, they could not put away the filth of their own flesh by condemning and judging other unworthy of life and God's love. Such would make them an evil slave, such authority was not given to them too make such judgments they were slaves understanding with a child like mind the love of their Father kindness in forgiving their own sins.

James 3:1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.

Matt.18:9 He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 18:12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Matt.18:5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

Often Christ made powerful shocking statements to those listening, here Christ profoundly puts every person whom judges by sight, that is, the flesh in fear of themselves being eternally judge by God! How are we to takes such fearful powerful words of this righteous man Christ Jesus?

Matthew 7:1 "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

Luke 12:58 For when you are going with your adversary before the magistrate, try diligently on the way to be released from him, lest perhaps he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.

John 7:51 "Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?"

John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

First, if we fail to take the context of Christ words in the many gospels, and his apostles writing elsewhere we will fall into one whom builds a verses or two into works of law, self-salvation, and a whole host of contentious wicked reasoning and judgments, the very thing Christ words warn against. Here Christ speaks to those under law for thousand's of years, they had one mind set, judgment, fierce judgments, without mercy. Anyone not obeying the Law of Moses was an enemy to God and them as his people. They refused to mix with anyone called a sinner by their law, they refused to show love for anyone but a Jew.

Matthew 9:10 It happened as he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

This is the context and the condition of most of their hearts, this heart condition was also at times found in Christ own disciples, and is certainly found in all of us at times. Subsequently, a honest hearted person would have gasp at Christ words knowing they just might be one of those God puts a milestone around their neck and cast into the sea. What could a person do when the very laws was perfect and good, given them by God, how could they secretly not sin, with a heart found treacherous by God's law, being born into sin, not one person was found righteous by God's law, but all had judged by it and sometime perhaps too harshly. This quandary could not be fix by disciplining the flesh harshly like perhaps many of them had done to families and friends the law did not perfect the flesh, it did not remove sin from the flesh, and it did not rewards the flesh with eternal life, it rather condemned it as worthy of death, and nothing more. Christ than would fix that problem head on with his own life.

James 3:1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment. 3:2 For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn't stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

Such shocking speech left them with no way out, none could be perfect in speech and action upon earth, none could punish themselves and others with judgment to right their own wrong against God's righteous and good law. Here is the context Christ preparing hearts into a love of truth, but first each person either had to lie thinking they were superior and could meet Christ words or humbly themselves as a good for nothing slave and beg for God's undeserved kindness as child believing God really is love and not just judgment from the law.

1 John 4:8 He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.

So the context is the solution for all of us, Christ and his life fulfilling the law, casting our deserved sins into the sea, where we must receives such kindness as child not just towards ourselves, but all those Christ pays the price for, as his property, by proving faith to God as the one faithful slave of God. Where these disciples going to preach the death of their own flesh in Christ Jesus removing their judgment or put the law upon the necks of those they taught essentially making them a curse under the power of sin and death, were they going to live by Spirit and truth, or walk in sight beating others with judgments they could not keep themselves in putting away the filth of their own flesh?

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another.

Romans 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.{NU omits "who don't walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"}

Romans 8:3 For what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;

Romans 8:4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Matt.18:7 "Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!

Do you understand whom the world is Christ speaks to here? Well, if your thinking worldly conduct the lust of the flesh and the showy display of ones means of life you might be wrong! Christ specifically was sent to none other but the Jewish faith, he was talking to those with thousand's of years of religious education to where it permeated into every fiber of Jewish society and their thoughts. The world were those highly religiously educated in faith, not some pang person lusting for food, drink, and sexual gratification!

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

John 16:28 I came out from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

Matthew 15:24 But he answered, "I wasn't sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Now taking that contexts of Christ words it makes one wonder what was the stumbling if the law was good and righteous from God Himself, how could such righteousness stumble others? Just below in this same letter of Matthew of the same thought Christ goes on to speak of that stumbling where ones would have their great debt of sin forgiven by the rich Master YHWH the King, turn and chock the debt by the law in unforgiveness of their brothers and sisters, casting their names as wicked into everlasting prison jailed by sin and death under the condemnation of the old law.

Matthew 18:27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

Matthew 18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me.

Here is the world God hates and finds no pleasure in, the world of self-righteousness that permeated the thinking of most of the Jews, and their faith, a world of judgment instead of mercy the whole point of the law, where one could not meet it as a sinner needing God's own forgiveness provided by blood of innocent victim that never sinned against God's law a dumb beast, a goat, a sheep, but not even this insult humbled the hearts of the haughty set upon proving themselves righteous by works of law.

Matt.18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 18:5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, 18:6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him that a huge millstone should be hung around his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depths of the sea.

Rom.9:31 but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn't arrive at the law of righteousness.
9:32 Why? Because they didn't seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone;

Matt.18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 18:9 If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna{or, Hell} of fire.

Christ very powerful words here, which no Christian's practices? However, some oppressive religious groups have throughout the history of Christianity have happily taken another person hand or eye, but not so much their own, which is Christ application of his words here, not plucking your neighbors eye, but your own eye or hand!

Matt.7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

Now that changes the hate of judgment in our own heart for unrighteous acts does it not? We can be very kind to our own flesh, but another person breaking God's law, will, not so much! Here is the extractor we all have in removing sin from someone else flesh, but God's word factually tells us we can't remove sin from ourselves. Our fleshly house is God's temple, while another person not our family, or friends is an outhouse! This is man judgment under sin not a noble thing if we are honest, and we love truth?

1 Peter 3:21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you--not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So if God's words is correct, and we cannot put away the filth of our own flesh, and Christ was correct in saying that even a thought of lust towards the opposite sex is adultery, is Christ than teaching nipping sin in bud before it happens making oneself righteous without sin, that is, plucking out the eye, cutting off the hand? No! Don't be foolish he is teaching the simple truth that none of us cannot not be a sinners no matter how tough we are on ourselves or on others by God's law.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one.

None of us are going to cut off a hand, or pluck out an eye; so stop lying too yourselves and others that you have put away the filth of your own flesh by meeting rules and/or commandments of God, and accept the truth in Christ. By Faith we stand before God, by the redeeming blood of Christ Jesus. No Christian's condones sinning, if they have the love of God indwelling them, no Christian's promotes unrighteous acts if they are indwelt with Christ Jesus righteousness, nor do we declare ourselves righteous by some good works, we are instead declared righteous by Christ good works given us as God's gift making us sinless in Christ.

Romans 3:20 Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good.

Matt.18:10 See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 18:11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost. 18:12 "What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 18:13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 18:14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

What is the context of Christ words here, the context is stunning, which is thousand's of years of the law, those outcast by the law, and yet others group whom did not believe they were lost. Now Christ was changeling their core beliefs, did they have the truth, did they love the truth, and foremost did the love their Father YHWH? How were some lost?

John 8:40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn't do this.

Many were lost simply because there was no forgiveness of sin under the law for adultery. In fact, there were many sins that end up in death according to the law. However, the Jews could not just kill a person for religious belief being under the power of the Roman empire so they removed the person from their association as accounted dead. The living dead among them having no sacrifice for sins left under the law. Mind you now, this was a community steep in these judgments as part of life, truly there were lost sheep that could not come back even if they had wanted too.

Mark 1:41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I want to. Be made clean."

A little one was not a proud Pharisee or even a Scribe who upheld the law and consider themselves clean by its rules, but individual cut to the heart by there bad conduct whom were coming to Christ Jesus for healing by having their sins forgiven outside the law that rejected them as dead!

Today many proud and arrogant ones who love debating scriptures applies these verses too themselves, or a religious organizations, which itself act like the Pharisee casting names out as being wicked while publicly slandering those they have cast out as evil slaves. None of this implies Christ point here. Christ himself was one of these little ones, he was rejected as a sinner having a demon and his name cast out as wicked among the majority Jews. Soon the disciples would be cast outside the Jewish faith as sinner against the law, apostates, many of them murdered.

John. 7:43 So there arose a division in the multitude because of him.
7:44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 7:45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, "Why didn't you bring him?"
7:46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!"
7:47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, "You aren't also led astray, are you? 7:48 Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?

But sin here is the key, without blood sin could not be blotted out, and where a person is judged dead by righteous law there was no repentance for sins left, its finished, over, of no value in society, lost to any future hope of being associated with God's people on this earth. Those murdering Jesus did not do so with regret or unwillingly. Instead their hearts were fully convinced Christ was a sinner, and by his forgiving the sins of outcast little ones accursed by law, demanded the law to destroy him as accursed also.

1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God's Spirit says, "Jesus is accursed." No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," but by the Holy Spirit.

Matt.18:15 "If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 18:16 But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.{Deuteronomy 19:15} 18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.

Massive institutions of religion have been built and sustain on Christ words here. Many modern day Christian's feel full confident in using Christ words above to convicted a brother or sisters of certain wicked acts thinking they have done God's will by using Christ policy, but still there are some question we must answer. One, are Christian's under the law, and two, although, we want back up can we bring parts of the law into the new covenant when we deem it convenient?

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.

No! we can't, when a person reads in context the whole chapter eighteen of Matthews letter they would know Christ was teaching about the procedure under the old law where he later speak about forgiveness under a new covenant, which he implies endless times we must forgive our brother if he ask us. But still there is far more compelling reason to perhaps rethink our understanding of Christ thoughts here? Often Christ was approached on the three witness testimony by his opposers, shocking them he stated his testimony was truth because he had the Father and Holy Spirit as he witnesses to convict a person of unrighteousness, which also gave truthful testimony to his own works. He did not need three human witnesses in he flesh to convict someone of sin or wrong doing.

John 5:31 "If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.
5:32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. 5:33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 5:34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. 5:35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 5:36 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. 5:37 The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

Later his disciples would become his brothers by the same testimony of Holy Spirit each one would have the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit bearing witnesses in them as truth, would they need to revert to the law in order to establish a conviction of wrong doing? No! Which was proven by Ananias and Sapphira whom lied to Peter and upon speaking falsely both dropped over dead for lying to Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession,

Moreover, we don't see any of the apostles using Christ words here in their writings to establish legal matters with false brothers, or sisters, or in convicting a person of wrong doing, what we see is a dynamic group lead by Holy Spirit having the testimony of truth in them by Holy Spirit making it no small matter to bring accusation against God's Holy ones. On the others hand, where Holy Spirit testifies to an evil those with truth must speak, or themselves grieve God's Holy Spirit finding themselves denying the witnesses of truth in them.

Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 8:32 He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things? 8:33 Who could bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Matt.18:18 Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 18:19 Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.

Many throughout the centuries since Christ have sought bind things on earth and in heaven, with powerful prayers having no results, yet lacking humility because of their zeal for God's righteousness never would they admit their failed prayers to bind God into obligation towards their enemies. Not many should be teachers why? Because they cannot determine between the flesh and the spirit. The flesh has a spirit shocking as that may be too those with pure motives, the spirit from our sinful flesh is dead, it produce the works of the flesh one being anger, but its not alive to God.

James 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 1:20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

Romans 8:13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Man anger does not produce life, or put it another way, God's righteousness. Hence, more damage has been done behind so called righteous anger of man because he just can't imagine he not right when he hates someone that seemingly teaches against his beliefs. But what fruits does such anger produce? Ruin relationship, lack of faith and trust in God, fear of judgment and the list is endless. But some would rather have these fruits to make their point or destroy an enemy than to be corrected by God. Here is the context Christ was dealing with just such a fleshly minded people full of hate and judgment towards their fellowman. The Jew's community was thousand's of years under the law, first and foremost they looked to a person weakness exposed by God's law, than they condemn the person because it made them feel better about their own true heart condition.

Matt. 7:1 "Don't judge, so that you won't be judged.
7:2 For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. 7:3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in your own eye? 7:4 Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 7:5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye.

Not many would love truth, which is first seeing the sin in ourselves and forgetting about the other guy sin being thankful for our own forgiveness. Later in this same chapter of Matthew, Christ will address that attitude with his own apostles. So what is Christ point here about binding things in heaven and earth. We don't see, the apostles later on binding things or even mentioning such binding against their enemies did they perhaps not understand Christ words here? No, Christ talked about what the prophets often did, within the rebellious nation of Israel, closing up the heavens and opening them, but shortly God was going to deal with the greater fulfillment of physical Israel into the spiritual Israel, which is not concerned with the flesh, but the spirit.

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we don't wage war according to the flesh.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

The apostles Paul himself spoke of separating the two, spirit from flesh in binding ones for discipline in Christ. Certain many times those of the body of Christ would be forced to correct through the head of the body shutting up the spiritual heavens, where our spiritual food and life comes from until they learned not to rebel against God's authority found on earth in the body of Christ. But sadly, most Christian's today are of the flesh, not understanding the Spirit, thinking their unrighteous hated fueled by judgment of law is what Christ is speaking too here, but its not.

1Cor. 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Matt.18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them."

Christ words here in context should be considered, first, Christ had been speaking of the power given in this case his disciple in binding and opening things in heaven when it came to a person sins, now Christ speak about a small group of two or even three gathering together and Christ would be in their mist. However, its best we not take Christ words to the extreme. Christ can be with a person in the darkest prison, or a person in hospital, or lost , he can help a person in a crowd. In fact, we cannot limit present to a group, a person, or even a place.

Acts 17:27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

We can as a small group reprove a person, or we can individually, moreover, we can do the same when it comes to forgiveness. Christ Jesus has a body, and in that body are many members, when they come together certainly Christ would be in their mist. Furthermore, after Christ resurrection he is in each individual Christian's indwelt by God's Holy Spirit. Furthermore, we have numerous accounts after Christ resurrection where just one of Christ apostles made powerful decision that effected other without having two or three gather together, like Peter being told about the Gentiles in a vision. The apostles own vision of Revelation, and Paul as he stood against the disciples of Christ over showing favoritism to Jew's over the Gentile's.

Acts 10:28 He said to them, "You yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man who is a Jew to join himself or come to one of another nation, but God has shown me that I shouldn't call any man unholy or unclean.

Acts 11:8 But I said, 'Not so, Lord, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.'

Acts 11:9 But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, 'What God has cleansed, don't you call unclean.'

We must always remember we walk by faith, ones man faith or many together can move mountains, but when people legalize a verse or two out of the bible they will find yet, another that can be argued exactly the opposite. It is the sinful flesh natural fallen condition to codify things into rules and laws for safety, safety physically and emotionally to protect and have security. Many have concluded that Christ can only be in their group, and that group has to be organized into some religion and the greater the number of follower is proof God is with them. But this faulty reasoning is the same reasoning all the world uses for proof of their own good which justifies other bad actions of the same group. Christ here is not giving a legal definition to his disciples he is however reminding them if they are in a small group and all agree, which is in itself a proof of God's Holy Spirit at work in them than that power of unity is already decided in heaven, and they are witnesses to God decision through Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We are directed by Holy Spirit its not the other way around we do his will not our own, God is telling a person something by Holy Spirit and perhaps don't act upon it, which often happen, but where there are more than one, two or more persons all being motivated to think alike one can be assured if God is speaking, than its time to act upon Christ direction as our head.

Colossians 2:19 and not holding firmly to the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and ligaments, grows with God's growth.

Matt.18:21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?" 18:22 Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.

For the legalistic Christian's Christ words here are hard to get, but for those under the new covenant, that is, the law of love it is an easy thing for them too understand Christ words here. The legalistic person life is about degrees of law, degrees of sinning, and degrees of forgiving. This was the thinking of the Jewish faith Christ spoke to here. Now Christ went beyond the physically up to the mountain of YHWH to speak the truth of a spirit world, a place where no sinful flesh and its desire exist.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness} 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let's also walk by the Spirit. 5:26 Let's not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another.

In this world the law of love is the truth, the law of love is the life too the spirit world without flesh, for God is love! Subsequently, Christ was no longer dealing with our flesh, soon a transition was coming, Christ would die in his flesh putting away our judgment of flesh so we can walk in a newness of life, by Spirit and not the flesh and its degrees of judgment and forgiveness. The new heavens all Christ followers would entire into by faith, and a rebirth into Christ Jesus was not a legalistic society, it was instead a society existing in love which works no harm towards our neighbor. Love does not see and dwell upon death, it sees and dwells upon life, which means it must separate the flesh from the spirit, we must as human forgive the sins of the flesh against each others, while letting God judge the eternal life of a person spirit.

1Cor.5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:5 are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Jude 1:8 Yet in like manner these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings. 1:9 But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"

Such eternal judgments of flesh are already made by God our going beyond that judgment into the eternal life of spirit is wrong. Our own flesh is dead in Christ. Hence, further judgment of the flesh is still death. We are here talking about truth an unemotional judgment of God by law, where God himself put away our sinful flesh judgment by Christ Jesus merit. We are here talking about worshiping God as our King and lawgiver, and judge. None of us can or should put ourselves in that judgment seat. We must forgive if our brother ask us to forgive, not up to seven times as many thought was outstandingly generous, but seven times seven, unlimited forgiveness as God himself has done for us, by putting away our judgment of sinful flesh that nothing good dwells in.

Rom. 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were through the law, worked in our members to bring forth fruit to death. 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
Rom.7:18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don't find it doing that which is good. 7:19 For the good which I desire, I don't do; but the evil which I don't desire, that I practice. 7:20 But if what I don't desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me. 7:21 I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.

Let us remember it is the wicked slave whom thinking they are entitled to make such judgment of the spirit claiming their judgments of the flesh our God's own judgment of the person everlasting spirit. Mankind cannot correctly judge the flesh of a humans let alone the everlasting life pictured by the spirit of the person. God is not weak in sin, God handed down the death sentence for sin in the Garden of Eden something that most human could not imagine. God is not weak towards sin, but we must remember He is also our creator seeing into the eternal future of a person mind, heart, and spirit. Life is not experiment with God, life is not something God just discards over a religious disagreement. Life comes from God, and he places what value his choose upon it.

Luke 12:7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

Soon with the outpouring of Holy Spirit would come upon each disciple of Christ they being delivered from the sins of their flesh, Christ would abolishes their judgment by his own flesh. They would be freely forgiven their sin, not in degrees, or according to the type of sin of their flesh. This thoughts was so foreign to the legalistic society of the Jews they would kill Christ and his disciples for such blasphemed to their laws, which condemned all flesh as sinners.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, "There is no one righteous; no, not one.

Luke 9:24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it.

Luke.9:46 There arose an argument among them about which of them was the greatest. 9:47 Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side, 9:48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great."

Romans 8:6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace;

Romans 8:7 because the mind of the flesh is hostile towards God; for it is not subject to God's law, neither indeed can it be.

Matt.18:23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 18:24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.{Ten thousand talents represents an extremely large sum of money, equivalent to about 60,000,000 denarii, where one denarius was typical of one day's wages for agricultural labor.} 18:25 But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 18:26 The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!' 18:27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

What is the Kingdom of Heaven like? Well, many would argue judgment of the wicked the final destiny of mankind, the ultimate pay back where Christ comes in fire riding upon the angels to destroy the wicked, but here Christ says something a little different. He gives his apostles one of the most telling examples of how God Himself judges matters between those claiming truth. Yes, truth! Not the truth of doctrine, but how truth affects our hearts. This truth is the real truth, not arguing who is rights scripturally, but whom actually has a proper evaluation of themselves in light of God's Kingdom and than treating others they account as less, or their equal – peers.

Matt.25:44 "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' 25:45 "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.' 25:46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

The Kingdom of Heaven is our forgiveness of an amount none of us can pay, not one person was sinless, which means in God's eyes, not one human is righteous. Some had righteousness imputed too them by blood of animal's under the law, but none could say: “I have no sin, I am pure in my own eyes!” Why because it took blood of sacrifice by God providing it through a precious life, that is, for a person to be declared right before Him. But now, God would declare men sinless by one person precious blood that of Christ Jesus. Yes, one person whom God valued as so precious in his eyes would atoned once for all times our sins.

1 Peter 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

So here is the most important question in light of such a great debt being lifted off of us, where God forgiving us not once, but everlastingly from our sins that we could not have worked our way out of as much as we would have liked to. How indeed do we treat others? In other words, if God forgive us such by undeserved kindness, how should we teat each others when small debts of sin occur? Here is context that the self-righteous Jew thought he stood right by the law, but Christ ultimately shows in this parable that the debt of sin against the law could not be meant or paid back in God's by man's estimation of his own worth. How would these brothers and sisters view the lifting of the laws condemnation off them? Would they be thankful, than in turn demands its payment from others?

Titus 3:1 Remind them to be in subjection to rulers and to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
3:2 to speak evil of no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing all humility toward all men. 3:3 For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
3:4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, 3:5 not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.

Really, truth is about a heart condition of appreciation, how can we say this? Simply, because love does not owe anyone a single debt of sin, it only owes love. In other words, love does not hold debts, it rather gives freely, it does not take, it does not keep account of injury. This is how we enter into the Kingdom of God, and this is why one simple act of kindness allows the sheep to entire the Kingdom of God.

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"{TR adds "You shall not give false testimony,"}{Exodus 20:13-15,17; Deuteronomy 5:17-19,21} and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."{Leviticus 19:18} 13:10 Love doesn't harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

Matt.18:28 "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii,{100 denarii was about one sixtieth of a talent.} and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 18:29 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!' 18:30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 18:31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 18:32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 18:33 Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' 18:34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."

How powerful is undeserved kindness? Well by contrast Christ said one rejecting God's love through unmerited kindness is wicked! Stop! Think here Christ says not forgiving ones brother is wicked. How often did Christ use the word wicked in connection with doctrinal purity, but he did uses in connection with how we treat one another, more than once. Often we Christian's fail to understand unmerited kindness, we think like the person forgiven their great debt, and than chock a brother of sister out for some minor transgression.

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Why would a person become so angry over a debt of sin causing one to demand payment without mercy? Yes, payment that is what a debt of sin is against God's law? Moreover, why would demanding a payment for sins done against us causes Christ to call us wicked? Christ made a point for those trusting in their own merit, or righteousness through meeting parts of the law, why parts of the law? Because no sinner could keep the whole law, saying:” “I have proven myself sinless give me the reward of the law, eternal life!” They could keep parts of it very will, but Christ showed the truth of our hearts in saying:

Matt.5:27 "You have heard that it was said, {TR adds "to the ancients,"} 'You shall not commit adultery;'{Exodus 20:14} 5:28 but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

In others words, what man will simply excuse as being human is a sin too God, a sin not acted upon, nonetheless, a sin so serious Christ said it is adultery! Our considering in context these thoughts, and many other Christ spoke we can see why complete forgiveness is what God gives us in the blood of Christ by fulfilling the law so we might stand sinless before God in Christ merit. In other words, no person was prosecuted under the law for secret sin of lusting in their hearts, this was a matter of self-truth, why self-truth? Because it required on the part of the person too examining themselves against God's righteousness to account themselves a sinner realizing the great mercy by God was shown them by blood on his mercy seat.

Luke 18:9 He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others.
18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 18:12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

This humility brought them to Christ undeserved kindness in accepting it. But for those that simply excuses the truth of their own hearts, while chocking their brothers, thinking they stood righteous on their own account, missed the undeserved kindness of Christ. This is the wickedness Christ speak too here, it is the wickedness of the evil slave, and the wickedness of the Jews whom murder Christ. Moreover, it is the wickedness we must purge out of the new covenant.

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.

1Cor.11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord's body.
11:30 For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep. 11:31 For if we discerned ourselves, we wouldn't be judged. 11:32 But when we are judged, we are punished by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

Completed on: January 18, 2013

Written by: Daniel a Slave of Christ