Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light calls believers to embrace true blessing, including persecution, as part of kingdom life. Jesus defines blessing by humility, righteousness, and obedience, rather than by comfort. The church is called to resist decay, shine truth, and confront sin. Kingdom people must act, not stay silent. Christ fulfilled the Messianic promises, and His body now carries that mission forward through faithful works and courageous obedience.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Audio
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Matthew 5:10–12, Matthew 5:13, Psalm 36:9, Ephesians 5:8–9, Psalm 97:11, Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:15, Matthew 5:17–18, Matthew 5:17, Acts 2:16, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Acts 2:1–4, Psalms 102:18-19, Psalm 102:18–19, Isaiah 28:18, Matthew 5:16, James 2:18-19, John 4:34, Matthew 5:18, Jeremiah 4:20-21, Jeremiah 4:22-23, Isaiah 66:21–23, Jeremiah 4:28, Matthew 23:39, Matthew 24:1, Acts 2:19–20, Matthew 24:29, Acts 2:16-18, Revelation 21:1, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1, Revelation 21:2, Matthew 5:5, Revelation 21:3-4,
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
We’re in Matthew 5. I want to briefly go back to last week’s notes, around page 47. I just want to hit one main thought, wrap up where we stopped, and then move forward into what you have in front of you.
Allow me to ask a simple question. How many of us say we are blessed? But what does Jesus actually mean when He says someone is blessed? According to Him, being blessed means being poor in spirit, mourning, being meek, hungering, showing mercy, being pure, making peace, and—most importantly—being persecuted. That is what He said, whether it fits our thinking or not.
So when someone says, “I’m blessed,” what they are really saying, by Jesus’ definition, is that they are poor in spirit, a mourner, meek, hungry, merciful, pure, a peacemaker, and persecuted. That does not mean what the world takes it to mean. Jesus is not referring to being poor in one’s wallet. He is talking about being poor in spirit. The blessing is not earthly gain. The blessing is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus explains that mourners will be comforted, the meek will inherit the earth—not heaven—and the hungry will be filled. The merciful receive mercy. The pure in heart see God. Peacemakers are called the children of God. Then He adds something unique. When you are reviled, persecuted, and spoken against falsely for His name’s sake, you have a reward in heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Double Blessing of Persecution
That final beatitude carries something none of the others do. It carries a double blessing. When Jesus says, “Blessed are they which are persecuted,” and then turns and says, “Blessed are you,” He emphasizes it twice. That persecution is not a curse. It is part of what it means to be truly blessed in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 5:10–12
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Blessed are you, see there’s a double blessing. So being persecuted isn’t that bad, because we’re getting a double blessing. I guess what the Lord’s showing me is that He’s taken some of the hurt off of being persecuted, because I’m seeing something else in these verses. It is one way that I’m laying up treasures in heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
There’s something here that faith teachers usually don’t discuss. Jesus says we should rejoice and be exceeding glad when we are persecuted, because great is our reward in heaven. When persecution comes for righteousness’ sake, it is one of the ways we are laying up treasure in our heavenly account. I must be honest, though. Sometimes what I call persecution is really just the result of my own foolishness, not righteousness. Still, when persecution is truly for doing right, it counts toward eternal reward.
That is where we ended last week. We ended on that beatitude. Being blessed does not mean what the world thinks it means. We have already gone through most of those beatitudes. Jesus is not talking about persecution that comes from social, racial, economic, or political reasons. The persecution He describes is rooted in righteousness, in our right standing with God. The truth is simple. The world hates the children of God.
I want to pause here, because I believe the Lord is showing me something personally. If I am never persecuted, then I am probably not walking in the same steps as Jesus. That is why I pointed you to the Scriptures. Jesus Himself said that those who follow Him would be hated for His name’s sake. That hatred is not accidental. It is part of the path of righteousness (Matthew 10:22).
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Expectation of Opposition
And then in Matthew 24:9, he says, You shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. In John 15:19, he says, therefore the world hates you. In 1 John 3:12-13, he says, Marvel, not my brethren, if the world hates you.
Should we really expect to be cherished by the local community? What should the attitude of worldly people, and of the Pharisees and Sadducees of our area, truly be toward us? Those are questions we need to face honestly.
Persecution does not come by accident. It is something that is meant to come. The prophets were persecuted, and Jesus made it clear this is not an “if” situation. If we walk this path, we will be persecuted.
If we walk the way the Word tells us to walk, and if we do what we are called to do as a fellowship, persecution will come. That is simply part of obedience. The only way to avoid it is to become a small, inward-focused group that focuses solely on its own walls, says nothing, does nothing, and never challenges anything. If we live that way, persecution will not bother us.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
But living that way also means we are not laying up rewards in heaven. It means we are not walking the path the prophets walked. It means we are not truly walking in the kingdom. Persecution is not optional in the kingdom. It is one of its standard features, just like every other part of the walk.
Silence Versus Righteous Action
Avoiding persecution requires silence. It means refusing to speak about pornography, abortion, humanism, or any of the real issues. I experienced this firsthand when I talked to a pastor in this area about pornography. When I asked what the ministerial association would do, he told me he did not see what harm it caused. That kind of thinking avoids conflict, but it also avoids righteousness.
We can choose that attitude and stay comfortable, or we can choose to do righteous and good works and face persecution. Hearing statements like that angers me, not toward the man himself, but toward the way he has been taught to think, and the way his people are being trained to believe. I want every church in this area to stand together and say we will not accept it. When that happens, change will come.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Until then, standing for righteousness will bring persecution. Still, the kingdom of heaven belongs to us, and persecution is part of that kingdom walk.
I’ve broken these words down so we understand exactly what Jesus is saying. The word revile means to defame, to rail against, or to chide. Vine explains it as reproaching or braiding someone with accusations. Persecute means to pursue or drive someone away. Vine describes it as putting someone to flight and continuing to pursue them. The phrase “all manner of evil” refers to harmful and vicious acts, including those that cause sorrow, pain, and malignant harm.
With that understanding, Jesus is making an obvious point. We are blessed when we are defamed, railed against, and chided. We are blessed when our persecutors drive us away. Yes, we are also blessed when people say things about us that are hurtful, vicious, and damaging. When those things happen for righteousness’ sake, great is our reward in heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
This truth has never hit me as it has now. Maybe it’s because I’ve never been hit the way I’ve been hit, but something has settled deep inside me. I’m finally understanding that it’s okay if people don’t like me. For a long time, I wanted acceptance, but that no longer controls me.
I recall someone telling Judy, when we entered the ministry, that one of us would struggle with people disliking us or accepting our words. That makes sense to me now. What’s changed is this. It doesn’t matter anymore. I am blessed, and I know it.
Salt of the Earth
Now, let me move into something new. Jesus says in verse 13 that we are the salt of the earth.
Matthew 5:13
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Salt has two primary purposes. It adds flavor, and it prevents decay. Before refrigeration, meat was preserved with salt to avoid spoilage. That is the picture Jesus is using. He is speaking to kingdom people and imparting a kingdom mindset. He is establishing a contrast between worldly and kingdom ways of thinking. His point is clear. We are called to be the salt of the earth, and our role is to retard decay.
When people say pornography is not hurting anything, I have to ask, How much salt is that? If salt has lost its purpose, what good is it? We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. A kingdom person with a kingdom mindset is meant to slow decay, not deny its existence.
When Salt Loses Its Savour
Jesus talks about salt losing its savour, and the Greek word used there is morano. That is where we get the word moron. When salt loses its savour, it becomes foolish and useless. Vine explains that it means to become insipid, to act like a simpleton.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I want you to see something clearly. The church—if we can even call it that in some cases—has largely lost its savour. In many ways, it has become foolish to play games with God and to play at church. We are not meant to be a social club. We are meant to be an army, and armies go to battle. Instead, we have become trapped inside our four walls.
Let me step back for a moment and remind us of something important.
Israel’s Failure and the Transfer of Light
Who was the book of Matthew written to? It was written to the Jews.
When Jesus speaks these words in the Sermon on the Mount, He is addressing the Jews, the nation of Israel. They were called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Their purpose was to carry the glory of God to all nations.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
But they did not fulfill that calling. When salt loses its savor, it is good for nothing except to be cast out and trampled. That is precisely what happened to Jerusalem and to the entire system of Israel in AD 70. It was cast out and trodden underfoot.
Jesus was addressing the Jewish nation at that moment. They were the salt of the earth, but they had become useless. The Pharisees and Sadducees made the salt worthless. They refused to repent. They rejected the Messiah and crucified Him. Before the generation Jesus spoke to passed away, that nation was destroyed.
The Church as the Light of the World
Now the question turns to us. What about our nation? Should the United States of America be the salt of the earth? It should be.
Israel was meant to be the light of the world, but it failed in that calling. The same question now applies to us. Should the United States of America be the light of the world? It should be, but it is not. Instead, we are growing dimmer, losing our savor, and becoming more corrupt year after year. Without God intervening, we are continuing to rot.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
This nation is more corrupt than ever. The responsibility to halt that decay rests with the church; no one else bears it. Until the message of the kingdom is proclaimed, until we declare that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and until we speak clearly that pornography is harmful, abortion is wrong, and humanism promotes both, decay will continue. If we fail to act, we will end up being trampled under the feet of men.
Kingdom People, Not Mere Churchgoers
I have used Rome as an example before. Italy was once a Christian nation, even with Christians in government, but it became worldly and collapsed. The same principle applies today. The salt of the earth is not merely churchgoers. It is kingdom people. What I am sharing is not intended for those who attend church only. This is for those who live in the kingdom.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
If all we do is go to church, this message will not matter to us. We will never be the salt or the light. Only the kingdom fulfills that role. The citizens of the kingdom are the salt of the earth, called to preserve it, not destroy it. When I move into the subject of light, I begin with what Scripture says light truly means. Psalm 36:9 speaks of the true knowledge of God.
Psalm 36:9
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Ephesians 5:8-9 talks about goodness, righteousness, and truthfulness.
Ephesians 5:8–9
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Psalms 97:11 and Isaiah 9:1-7 talk about joy, gladness, and true happiness.
Psalm 97:11
11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Isaiah 9:2
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
The Church as the Light of the World
It states that we are the light of the world; in other words, we are the true knowledge of God, goodness, righteousness, truthfulness, joy, gladness, and true happiness. That’s what we are.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Matthew 5:14
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
The word “world” there is “cosmos,” which means an orderly arrangement or decoration. That was what natural Israel was meant to be, but it failed in that role. Jesus was speaking of natural Jerusalem as a city set on a hill. Its calling was to shine as the light of the world.
Now that calling belongs to the church. The church is meant to be that city set on a hill, the heavenly Jerusalem. Natural Jerusalem had a lamp, but it was hidden under a basket. Those who concealed it were the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They were the reason Israel’s light was covered.
Hirelings and the Hidden Light
The same thing is happening today. The light of the church is being covered, not by the world, but by preachers and hirelings. They say certain things do not hurt anything, and the light is pushed down. This is not a theory to me. I have heard it with my own ears.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I was sitting at a table with some ministers, and they were discussing when a preacher should leave a church. Their conclusion was simple. When your salary is cut in half, it is time to leave. I do not read that in John chapter 10. What I read is that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were the reason Israel’s light was hidden under a bushel. In the same way, the church today is hidden because of hirelings, pastors who function only as hirelings.
Israel’s purpose was to bring light first to the house of Israel and then to the world. That same calling remains. The light is meant to shine before men so they can see good works and glorify the Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Jews failed. God changed lights. Look at Philippians 2:15.
Philippians 2:15
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
God changed the light. Israel is no longer the light; the church is. Scripture describes believers as bright lights, like stars shining clearly in a dark world. That change took place in AD 70. As we move through this study, it will become clearer that everything culminated at that point. Israel’s light was put out, and the church Jesus Christ is building became the light and the salt. That raises a serious question. What good is salt if it has lost its savor?
That brings us from last week into this week’s lesson. Today, we begin at Matthew 5:17-48. This section deals with the righteousness of the kingdom. It contrasts the world’s thinking and the religious systems of the scribes and Pharisees with the teaching of Christ, who is the King of the kingdom.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
What Matthew 5 is doing, especially in these remaining verses, is establishing contrasts. On one side is the righteousness of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which mirrors the world’s thinking. On the other side is the righteousness of the kingdom. That pattern of two opposing ways runs all through Scripture. Sadly, much of the church has not gone into the world but has brought the world into the church, adopting the same mindset.
The Coming Contrast in Matthew 5
As we go forward, we will clearly see this contrast. We will study the fulfillment of the law, the passing of heaven and earth, and the demands of kingdom righteousness. This includes issues such as anger, purity, faithfulness, truthfulness, action and reaction, and, finally, Jesus’ definition of love. This will take several weeks, and I intend to take my time because these principles are essential.
Jesus speaks very directly in this section, leaving us with only two choices. We can do what He says and walk in kingdom righteousness, or we can continue walking the way we always have. We begin in verse 17, where Jesus makes it clear that He did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Matthew 5:17–18
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Jesus did not come to destroy the law. That needs to be clear. I want to move through this carefully because there is a deep point here that I have never taught or even fully articulated before. I need to say it so it gets inside me, and so it starts you thinking as well. This line of thought is crucial for us.
By the time Jesus preached this sermon, He had already been proclaiming the kingdom and performing miracles and healings. A lot had already happened. It is hard to imagine that it took a long time before He was labeled a heretic. That explains why He begins by addressing the accusation directly. They said He came to destroy the law. He makes it clear that He did not. He came to fulfill it.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Applying This to the Fellowship
I can relate to that personally, but I want to apply it to us as a body. I know I am labeled a heretic in some circles, and this fellowship is viewed the same way by many. We are already seen as different from other churches in the area. Still, our purpose is the same as His. We did not come to destroy what is good. We came to fulfill what the Word of God says. If we are wrong, we will change. But when we see truth in Scripture, we are responsible to walk in it.
Jesus had already spoken strongly against the Pharisees and Sadducees, and He would speak even more forcefully later. He exposed them as false, self-righteous, hypocritical, and tradition-driven. He showed how they nullified God’s commandments, appeared religious, deceived others, shut up the kingdom, and acted as blind guides. As He revealed who they truly were, their hatred toward Him grew. Eventually, they counseled together and sought ways to kill Him (Matthew 12:14).
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
When they did not like what Jesus was saying or what He was doing, they began to counsel together. Their goal was to remove Him, to get Him out of their system. That is how it works.
Personal Experience With the System
I know this because I have lived it. I am talking from experience. When you do not say what the system wants you to say, and when you do not operate the way the system expects you to operate, the system will turn on you and counsel against you. I do not believe that process is finished yet. I am now part of the ministerial association, and I already know that some do not like me.
Still, my purpose has never been to undermine anyone. I came to fulfill, not to tear down. I am not trying to hurt people. Truly, I want to help them. At the same time, I want you to understand something clearly. When you hear things spoken against your pastor or against this fellowship, rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Great is your reward in heaven (Matthew 5:12).
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
As long as we are walking in righteousness and doing what the Bible says, we do not have to be afraid. God is our shield and our buckler. He Himself is our exceeding great reward (Genesis 15:1). I want us to stay with Him.
If we really want to avoid trouble, the only way is to be just like every other church. We keep our heads down. We say nothing that offends anyone. That approach may prevent persecution, but it also silences truth.
This reality has become very clear to my wife as well. We were talking one day about insurance and the possibility of something happening to me. She said, very seriously, that she sensed I would say things that would make people angry. She believed not everyone would like it. That conversation made the cost of obedience very real.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Law and the Prophets: Fulfill or Undermine
This brings me back to the law and the prophets. We must ask ourselves a difficult question. Are we here to undermine what God has said, or are we here to fulfill it? The truth is, those who fulfill it will often be labeled heretics. Just like in Jesus’ day, the religious leaders will grow in opposition. They will even counsel together against us if we do what we are called to do.
If we choose to be quiet and blend in as a small, worldly church, we can avoid all of that. But that is not what we are called to be. We are meant to be a voice crying in the wilderness. We are not here to be another place where Pharisees and Sadducees gather comfortably on Sunday.
I know I expose myself more on Wednesdays than I do on Sundays, but this is who we are. This is what I am about. It is also what the leadership of this fellowship stands for. We hate wickedness and evil. We have made a firm decision in our hearts to confront it.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
That brings us to the law and the prophets. Notice the wording.
The Law and the Prophets
Jesus did not come to destroy the law or the prophets. That phrase is simply another way of referring to the Old Testament.
Matthew 5:17
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Throughout the New Testament, you will see different phrases used for the same thing. All of them refer to the Old Testament. Sometimes it is called the law of Moses and the prophets. At other times, it is called Moses and the prophets, simply the law, or even your law. Every one of those terms points to the Old Covenant.
I am laying that foundation to make this clear. Jesus did not come to destroy it. That matters because what I am about to say goes very deep. I am serious about this, not sarcastic. I have never heard this taught, nor have I taught it. The truth is, He did not come to destroy. That word is important. He came to fulfill.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
What Did Jesus Fulfill?
The question must now be asked. Is all of the Old Testament fulfilled? Before answering, we have to think carefully. Jesus did come to fulfill it. Yet later, fifty days after the crucifixion and ten days after the ascension, Peter stood and said,
Acts 2:16
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
That statement was made after Jesus had already died and ascended.
What Jesus Fulfilled in His First Coming
Jesus fulfilled the aspects of the Lamb of God.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
1 Corinthians 5:7
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
He fulfilled all that.
What about the first fruits?
1 Corinthians 15:20
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
But Pentecost, now don’t misunderstand me, and on the audio, know that I know that the believers are fulfilling these things. These are activated in your life just as they were fulfilled through Him.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
But in Pentecost, did he fulfill Pentecost? Or did Pentecost come after his ascension?
Acts 2:1–4
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
So Jesus didn’t fulfill all those scriptures in the Old Testament.
What about tabernacles? Has tabernacles yet happened? You see, there’s a trumpet sounding right now. What you’re hearing tonight is a trumpet. I’m tooting my own horn. You’re hearing a trumpet. It’s sounding now. That’s what we’re at now. We’re in the day of tabernacles – the feast of Tabernacles.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Day of Atonement is still ahead. That is the time when people truly get serious with God. It is not a feast. It is a fast. Everything is laid down so people can dwell with Him.
Those events, particularly Tabernacles, have not yet been fulfilled.
How Long Does the Law Last?
This leads to an important question. What exactly did He come to fulfill?
Psalms 102:18-19 speak to this as well. This passage appears in the Old Testament and anticipates what is to come.
Psalm 102:18–19
18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.
19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Scriptures also speak of a generation that will not attend the appointment to death. That has not happened yet. Isaiah says there will be a people who break the covenant with death. That has not taken place either.
Isaiah 28:18
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
Jesus did not fulfill every Old Testament scripture. What He did fulfill were the promises connected to His Messianic role. He completed everything related to His first coming.
I am saying this because it leads to a meaningful outcome. Before I get there, I need to address “works.” We hear people say they are saved and therefore do not need to work. Yet Jesus says something very different. He says our light is to shine so people can see our good works. Those works bring glory to the Father in heaven.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
If you want to know whether life is present, look at the works. Jesus repeats it clearly. Let your light shine before men so they may see your good works.
Matthew 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
I want to make this clear. We are not talking about working our way into salvation. We are not Jehovah’s Witnesses trying to earn a place among the 144,000. That is not what I mean at all. What Jesus teaches is this. If you have a kingdom mindset and you are truly walking in the kingdom, something will happen. You will do something. Good works will come out of your life. They are not forced. They flow naturally.
For a kingdom person, works rise out of salvation itself. They come because you are grateful. You act because you are thankful. You do not work to gain entry to heaven. We work because God has already saved us. That is the difference.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
James makes this point very clear. He states that belief alone is not enough. Even demons believe in God, and they tremble. True faith shows itself through works.
James 2:18-19
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Faith Expressed Through Works
James said, You show me your faith, and I’ll show you my faith by my works. Works are what flow out of us. They are not limited to repairing a building or performing practical tasks, though those matters are included. That is not the whole picture.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I am talking about waging war in the kingdom of God. I mean doing something that confronts sin and stops decay. We are talking about actions that challenge pornography and address the real issues shaping this nation. I am discussing speaking and acting in ways that bring righteous influence and prevent a nation from rotting.
We are not called to wait until circumstances become so severe that we want to escape. We are called for a purpose, and that purpose is to work. When we do, God is glorified, and people recognize who we are by our works.
We have to answer the question plainly. Should we work? Yes, we should. That matters, and it leads directly into what I have been pointing toward.
Jesus makes His purpose clear in that same verse. He says, “I have come.” He repeats it for emphasis. He did not come to destroy the world. His purpose was to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus did not have to wait years to discover who He was. He knew He was the Christ. From the beginning, He understood His mission and declared clearly that He had come to fulfill it.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
John 4:34
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
The Identity and Calling of the Body of Christ
Do we understand that we are the body of Christ today? Jesus knew He was the Messiah and that He came to fulfill the Messianic promises. The question now is whether we understand that reality for ourselves.
Can we understand, then, that we are the Christ in the world today? Can we handle that truth? I know that’s pretty deep, but when you think about it, you have to say, Well, yeah. Who is Christ in Lafayette? We are. We are a part of it.
Because of that, each of us must challenge ourselves. We have to ask why we have come, why we were born, and why we are here. Every one of us must ask what we are meant to fulfill for our heavenly Father.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I can tell you the answer. It is to work. We have been called into the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). We are the ones upon whom the end of the ages has come (1 Corinthians 10:11), and now it is time to work. You and I have a Messianic mission.
Matthew 5:18
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
The question we must ask is how long the Old Testament law endures. We have already established that Jesus did not fulfill every part of it. He fulfilled the Messianic promises.
So, how long does the law remain in effect? The answer is until heaven and earth pass. That is the central issue I wish to present to us. I have never taught this, nor have I ever heard it taught, so I am learning as I teach. This is as much for me as it is for you.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I worked through this carefully, and now I want to share it with you. I want you to take it home, study the Scriptures, and see if you recognize what I am seeing. To begin, I want us to turn to Jeremiah 4:20 as we examine these passages together.
Jeremiah 4:20-21
20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Destruction upon destruction is cried for, the whole land is spoiled. Jeremiah said, In a moment, my tents are spoiled, and my curtains are spoiled. Jeremiah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem. Which did happen?
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Jeremiah 4:22-23
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
The Scripture says that God’s people are foolish because they do not know Him. They are described as sottish (silly), lacking understanding. Some translations even use the word “stupid,” which drives the point home.
They are called children with no understanding. They know how to do evil, but they do not know how to do good. That contrast shows how far they have drifted from God’s ways.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Jeremiah 4:28
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
I want to point out that this fall of Jerusalem was not the AD 70 destruction. It was an earlier one in the Old Testament period. At that time, God described the earth as without form and void, and the heavens as having no light. Scripture even says the heavens were black. That language points to a new heaven and a new earth.
I am taking this somewhere, so stay with me. This leads us to Isaiah 66, the final chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah prophesies the gathering of the nations and the beginning of a new age.
He is speaking about the church age. It is the transition from the old to the new. It is the move from the old covenant to the new covenant, from an old heaven to a new heaven, from an old spiritual order to a new spiritual order, and from an old earthly way to a new earthly way. That is the context of the prophecy, and that is why I begin reading at verse 21.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Isaiah 66:21–23
21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.
23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.
He says a time is coming when all flesh will come to worship the Lord, not just the Jews. This points to the church age, when the nations are included. He is speaking about the new covenant, a new age, and a new day. In that promise, He declares a new heaven and a new earth.
That raises the question of how long the law remains in effect. The answer given is until heaven and earth pass. I want you to start hearing what is being said here, because it matters for what follows.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
This leads us into Matthew 24. I have spoken about this before, and it has continued to grow in me, just as it has in others. In this passage, Jesus directly confronts the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matthew 23:33). He addresses that wicked generation and exposes their condition (Matthew 23:36).
Matthew 23:39
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Matthew 24:1
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
The disciples asked Jesus when these things would happen. They wanted to know when He was coming and when the city would be destroyed. They asked how it would all take place. Jesus answered those questions throughout the chapter. He was explaining the destruction of Jerusalem. That event did occur in AD 70.
Later in the chapter, He spoke of what would happen after that tribulation. He described the sun being darkened, the moon losing its light, the stars falling, and the powers of heaven being shaken.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Matthew 24:29
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
What is happening here is a transition. One system is ending, and another system is beginning. Jesus explains how that change will take place.
He says He will send His angels in every direction. They will gather those who are righteous. Those who are not will be judged and removed (Matthew 24:31).
I began thinking about heaven and earth in a new way when I taught from Acts chapter 2 one Sunday. I had never heard it taught that way, nor had I taught it before. So, I was listening to God and trying to move with Him. Afterward, I struggled with it for weeks and questioned whether I had really heard the Lord.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Then one day, someone came in and told me he had been reading in Acts. Something he read reminded him of what I had said earlier, and it excited him intensely. He pointed to Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost, where Peter stood and declared, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.” That statement, found in Acts 2:16, confirmed what had been stirring in me.
Acts 2:16-18
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Peter said that Pentecost was when this happened: “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.”
Acts 2:19–20
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
I know the stars did not literally fall. If a single star struck the Earth, everything would be over. I understand that Jesus was not referring to literal stars, a literal darkened sun, or a moon turned into literal blood. That language points to something else.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
What He is describing is a time of change and catastrophe. It is a moment when one light goes out, and another light comes on. It marks a transition from one realm into another. I want to be clear here, and I am not saying this is precisely what the text says. I am telling you what I believe Jesus is saying.
The Transition From Old Covenant to New Covenant
What I hear Him saying in Matthew 5 is this. Until that light goes out, until Jerusalem is destroyed, and until Pentecost comes, not one jot or one tittle of the law can be changed. During that time, you walk in it exactly as written. Nothing is altered. Nothing is removed.
After that transition, when the old light goes out, and the new light comes on, we move from the old covenant, the old heaven, and the old earth into the new covenant, the new heaven, and the new earth. That is where grace operates. Until that change happens, nothing has changed. That understanding clarifies everything we have been examining. At least it does for me.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
I want to take you to one more place. I was going to go to Peter, but we are running out of time. So I want to go to Revelation 21. Peter speaks of new heavens and a new earth. John, in the Revelation, says the same thing. He states that he saw a new heaven and a new earth because the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.
Revelation 21:1
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
I understand that this is not talking about God destroying the physical creation and starting over. I previously taught it that way, and I even listed scriptures for it. That is not where I am now. I do not believe God will destroy this earth and these heavens.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Instead, I believe He creates something new. The key lies in the word new. One Greek word used is ke’anus. It means new in quality or freshness, not new in time. Vine says it describes something unused or unfamiliar, different in nature from what is old. That means it is not new in existence but new in contrast.
There is another Greek word for new, nios. That word means youthful, fresh, or regenerated. It is used in Matthew 9:17 when Jesus speaks of new wine placed into old bottles. That is not the word used for the new heaven and new earth. The emphasis is on renewal, not replacement. That is not the word that Peter uses in 2 Peter 3:13,, where he talks about a new heaven and a new earth.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
2 Peter 3:13
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
And that is not the word that John uses in Revelation 21, where he talks about I saw a new earth and a new heaven.
The word they use denotes something new and fresh. It’s new compared to that which was old: a new heaven and a new earth.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
The Freshness of the Kingdom
What could possibly be more new or more fresh than moving away from that old system that required goats, bulls, sheep, and blood poured out everywhere? That old legal system has been replaced by something far greater. The system of grace and the system of love are genuinely new. It is fresh in a way that nothing before it ever was.
That is what I want you to see in Revelation 21. When John says he saw a new heaven and a new earth, he is referring to something new in contrast to what was old. It is not new in existence but new in nature. And blessed are the meek, because they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
I am saying this is a new earth. It is a fresh earth, unlike anything that has existed before. It is an earth joined to a new heaven, a new heaven and a new earth together. I believe this speaks of the fullness of the kingdom. I know this in my heart and in my spirit. Therefore, I propose that we read Revelation 21 with this understanding. I am convinced this is what it means.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
If we walk as Jesus walked and become what Matthew 5 calls us to be, we will reflect the Father’s perfection. When we grow into the fullness, nature, and stature of Christ, this truth begins to make sense.
John says he saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and earth had passed away, and there was no more sea. That is the picture, I believe, that Scripture is giving us.
Revelation 21:1
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
No More Sea — No More Turmoil
I could go into many typologies here, but the sea represents turmoil. Revelation explains that the sea speaks of nations, peoples, tongues, and unrest. That is what the sea symbolizes.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
When the sea is gone, the turmoil is gone. Everything becomes settled and at rest. Then John says he saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God.
Revelation 21:2
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I remind you that we have not come to Sinai. We have come to Zion. We have come to the holy city, to Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).
The Dwelling Place of God With His People
I saw the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. That is us. We are the bride of Christ. If we are walking the way we are called to walk, we are moving into the fullness, the nature, and the stature of Christ. In that place, God dwells with His people. He lives among us. We are His people, and He Himself is our God.
Matthew 5 Part 2 How to Live Boldly as Salt and Light
Revelation 21:3-4
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Matthew 5 Part 2
Matthew 5 Part 2
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