Something that causes many Christians a bit of confusion is the Old vs. New Testament. There are some Christians who seemingly dwell only in the Old, despite being taught that our future salvation lay in the New.
There are stories now in circulation of Ministers who, after reading and discussing The Sermon on the Mount, were approached by some parishioners who were angry about it and demanded to know “where did you get all those liberal talking points?” When told that it was indeed the Sermon on the Mount and that the Minister was quoting Jesus Himself, those parishioners heatedly replied “Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore — that’s weak.” It is horrifying that any Christian would dare to say that the teachings of the Son of God — our Savior — we’re “weak” and “didn’t work anymore.” Have we really come to this?
When I read of this, I knew instantly that these are the people who loudly boast that they’re Christian and proclaim how good they are and how they follow Jesus…yet they don’t do any such thing. These are the people who have put their own hatred, bigotry and politics ahead of their faith and that is just a clear fact.
The Old Testament vs. The New Testament
Obviously, both are vitally important to our faith and both should be learned by Christians. The Old Testament tells the history from creation of man up to the birth of Jesus; it is also more focused on mankind following the law and doing so without question. As such, many people followed the law, but really didn’t take the time to really understand it. The New Testaments is centered on joy and salvation — it gives mankind a way into Heaven — the only way — and it offers more hope and reasons to be joyful.
I suspect that the people who insult our Savior and Holy Father by disrespecting the Sermon on the Mount, live only in the Old Testament; they are still trying to live by the law, forgetting that Jesus made it perfectly clear that He came to fulfill the law. As such, man cannot enter Heaven simply by following the laws and Commandments (e.g. not through deed alone), but rather, but must accept Jesus as our Savior in order to enter Heaven.
“Do not suppose that I come to dismantle the Law or the Prophets. I do not come to dismantle but to fulfill. For truly I say to you until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or letter stroke will ever pass away from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever loosens the least of one of these commandments and teaches the same of men, he will be called least in the kingdom from heaven. So, whoever does and teaches them, this one will be called great in the kingdom from heaven. For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses more than the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the kingdom from heaven.” – Matthew 5:17-20
Here is Isaiah 1:11-31, in which God becomes angry by sacrifices and offerings:
“The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts?
Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations — I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them.
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her — but now murderers!
Your silver has become dross, your choice wine is diluted with water.
Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.
Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies. I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.
I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
Zion will be delivered with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness. But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the Lord will perish.
“You will be ashamed because of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be disgraced because of the gardens that you have chosen. You will be like an oak with fading leaves, like a garden without water. The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire.”
Biblical scholars believe that God was angry that His people became slaves to rituals and turned faith into something mindless and repetitive — people were just going through the motions. The people who have arrogantly and sinfully rejected the Sermon on the Mount, are the same ones who can quote the Old Testament with ease, but probably have never even read the New Testament — how then can they call themselves Christian or “followers of Jesus?” If they embrace anger and hatred while rejecting the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount, they are in fact, rejecting Jesus. To say that it “doesn’t work anymore” or is “weak,” is to me, a terrible blasphemy. These are the same folk who in essence, make meaningless offerings and forget that at the end, they mean nothing.
The Law
Yes, we are to follow the law, but it will not gain us entry into heaven and failing to follow every law won’t prevent us getting in as long as we accept Jesus as our Savior. To enter Heaven, we must accept Jesus and, follow His teachings — forgiveness, repentance love, peace, hope, faith. All Christians should be concerned with anyone who doesn’t know the incredible importance of the Sermon on the Mount and especially any who belittle or insult it. Jesus is the Will of God, as is the New Testament — this shouldn’t come as any surprise to Christians.
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” – Matthew 7:21-27
