Perfected through Christ

Matthew 5:33-48 

Wednesday, 23 April 2025

Matthew 5:33-48 Be perfect therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. –Matthew 5:48

Matthew chapter 5 is popularly known as the ‘Sermon on the Mount.’ In chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel of Matthew we find a collection of teachings of Jesus that present a radically different way of living. The concept of the kingdom of God is introduced here and the kind of people who belong to this kingdom is explained.

This teaching was totally and radically different from the religion, culture and practices prevailing at that time. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who were religious teachers, made the keeping of the law of God a very heavy burden. The religion being practised was very ritualistic—a set of rules that had to be strictly followed. 

As mentioned in Matt 23, Jesus himself calls out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who made a big show of following all the rituals and made loud prayers but did not have a clear conscience towards God. They were careful to keep the letter of the law like giving a tithe of their garden produce, mint, dill and cumin, but neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matt 23: 23).

Jesus, on the other hand, called on people to recognize their spiritual poverty, mourn for their sins, be meek and submissive instead of self-asserting and arrogant, be merciful, pure in heart, be peace makers and endure persecution (Matt.5: 3-10).

Notice the difference between the teachings of Christ and the teachings of the religious leaders. When the Pharisees emphasized and made a great deal of following the rituals and practises of the law, they completely neglected the condition of the heart. A righteousness that surpassed mere actions did not seem to be important. They even felt, and claimed, that they were holy and acceptable to God because in their own eyes they were “keeping” the law.

Even today we find that a majority of people find it more convenient to follow a set of rules and rituals that leave them feeling “religious.” They don’t want the inconvenience of making a real change in our hearts. To uphold godly principles of justice, mercy and faithfulness we need to be honest to ourselves and first recognize that we are sinners, incapable of making a real change in our nature by our own efforts. It’s only by accepting Christ and His lordship in our lives can the Spirit of God bring lasting change in our lives.

Jesus sets before us, a standard, far higher than the requirements of the law of Moses. The principles of the kingdom of God calls for a radical change in the character of the person who wishes to be a member of the kingdom of God. The emphasis is on the heart and attitude of a person.

Swearing a common practice in the times of Jesus, is still prevalent now, which Jesus says we must avoid. We are to make our statements simple “yes” or “no” by meaning what we say and following up on it with our actions. An eye for an eye was a principle of the Old Testament. We are all people who want justice for ourselves. We fight and argue, even over trivial matters, if we feel that we are wronged. However, Jesus asks us to forgive those who have wronged us and even pray for those who persecute us!

How can we do this? To forgive a person who has done evil to us can be tough. The answer is found in Jesus, our Lord, who not only lived what He preached, but also gave His life as a ransom for us so that you and I might be set free from the slavery to sin and sinful attitudes of the heart. Hence the need for Jesus in our hearts!

To Act on: Let us turn to Christ Jesus with sincere hearts, asking him to fill us with his sweet nature, his love and submission to God.