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How Should I Respond?
By Grant Phillips
Jesus said “In
everything,
therefore, treat
people the same way
you want them to
treat you, for this
is the Law and the
Prophets.”
(Matthew 7:12 -
NASB) Don’t you
sometimes wish He
didn’t say “In
everything”?
I’m kidding, but the
fact is, He left us
no loop holes to
crawl through. He
said that to treat
others the way we
would like for them
to treat us is
actually the essence
of the Law and the
Prophets.
There are several
factors that can
cause us to violate
this command; pride,
arrogance, rudeness,
selfishness,
impatience,
stubbornness,
immaturity, egotism,
and the list goes
on. It isn’t always
easy, but yet, it is
a command of our
Lord. If you think
about it though, it
just makes good
sense, even if Jesus
had not commanded
it. Just think of
all the other
problems that could
be avoided. Why the
list could go from
avoiding a minor
argument to murder,
and a very lengthy
string of sins in
between.
Let’s admit it. We
have all failed at
this from time to
time, but I believe
the closer we get to
actually living this
command, the greater
our maturity. Why?
Because this is how
Jesus would react in
every single
instance when
dealing with people.
But you say, “Jesus
exploded on the
scribes and
Pharisees. Just read
Matthew 23. And what
about running the
money changers out
of the temple?”
There are four
issues to consider
here; (1) we are not
Jesus, (2) at this
point in His
ministry, this is
exactly what He
needed to do, (3)
the incidents were
handled in a very
Godly manner, and
(4) He usually
addressed the group,
not the individual
(I’ll come back to
this). There are
times that we too
may need to
retaliate, but let
us make sure that it
is the right thing
to do and it is done
in a Godly manner.
By and large though,
we should always let
the above command of
Jesus guide our
actions.
Previously stated in
the third paragraph
of this article was
a fourth item
concerning Jesus
when He spoke to the
scribes and
Pharisees and then
cleansed the temple,
and that was “He
usually addressed
the group, not the
individual”. When
addressing a group
of people, whether
via printed page, or
the pulpit you can
say things that you
would not say to an
individual. When
addressing a group,
an admonition should
not be taken
personally, because
it is addressed to
no one person. The
seed is cast out
over the field, to
grow where it falls.
However, that should
not normally be done
face to face (one on
one) because it is
addressed to that
one person you are
communicating with.
It then gets very
personal.
I made a decision
years ago not to
argue over anything
related to God or
His Word. On the
contrary, I enjoy
sharing “opinions”
with another brother
and/or sister in
Christ who will
treat me the same
way they would like
for me to treat
them, and I of
course reciprocate,
and listen intently
to what they have to
say. In a very few
instances though,
some obviously
suffer from
the previous
maladies already
mentioned. When
people make “smart
remarks” to you …
one on one or
otherwise, they do
not have the Spirit
of Christ working in
their lives. If they
are a child of God,
they need to grow
up. They are so full
of themselves, they
have no room for
Christ. Oh they
mention His name,
but with what
attitude?
Then there are those
who obviously do not
know Jesus as their
own personal Savior.
All I, or any other
Christian can do, is
pray for them. Satan
has blinded their
eyes, and they
desperately need
prayer, that the
scales be removed.
I find it
interesting that
Jesus gave us the
command to treat
others as we would
have them treat us
when He was talking
about prayer. Even
more interesting is
that He was speaking
about judging others
in the verses prior
to talking about
prayer. And again,
isn’t it interesting
that after the
command on how to
treat others, He was
speaking about “two
ways” and
“contrasting fruit”?
It appears to me
that if we want our
prayers answered, we
had better watch how
we treat other
people, and if we
are not treating
other people as
Jesus would have us,
we may not be on the
right road,
producing righteous
fruit.
Jesus’ ministry is
all about people.
“People” is why He
came and died, was
buried, and rose
again. “People” is
why He has provided
a way to the Father
through Him.
“People” is why He
left each of His own
the Comforter until
He returns. “People”
is why He is
preparing a home in
Heaven for His own.
If we do not treat
“people” with
respect, then (1) we
as a Christian need
to ask forgiveness
and change our
attitude toward
others, or (2) we
need to come to the
cross for
forgiveness and
salvation in Jesus
Christ.
I find it a great
pleasure to be
meeting people from
all over the world
through the
internet. It is hard
for me to find time
to reply, but I try
to do so. I have met
some wonderful
people.
Any Christian’s
ministry should be
about two things;
first to glorify
Jesus, and secondly
to love people and
tell them about
Jesus. It is
surprising how
getting our eyes off
ourselves causes us
to see people in a
different light.
Could that be
because we are then
seeing people from
Jesus’ viewpoint? We
are no longer that
obnoxious
know-it-all, who
cares more about our
being right, than
the feelings of the
person we are
addressing, one on
one. None of us, as
Christians, are
perfect. We have all
failed in this area,
and we will probably
fail again, but
could we not, at
least, stop and
think before we open
our mouth (or type
those words) to the
individual we are
speaking to, one on
one? Even to the
crowd, should we not
choose our words
carefully? It is one
thing to tell the
truth that may even
hurt, but totally
another to purposely
try to inflict harm
on others with
words.
There was a saying
when I was growing
up as a child,
“Sticks and stones
may break my bones,
but words can never
harm me.” I’m sure
that many of you
have heard that. Is
it true? No, it is
not true. Words can
hurt and cause deep
repercussions. Just
ask a spouse who has
been verbally
abused. Just ask a
person who was told
as a child how
worthless they were.
Words do hurt. Even
a look can cause a
smile, or a tear.
How do you treat
others? How do you
treat your own
“loved” ones?
When you go out to
eat, how do you
treat the server?
Several severs have
told my wife and I
that they hate to
see the church crowd
roll in after church
on Sunday, because
they are so rude and
demanding. Now keep
in mind, they just
came from their
church gathering,
supposedly
worshipping the same
Jesus who said to
treat others as we
would want them to
treat us. Is that
treating others the
way we would want
them to treat us?
How do you treat
your customers at
work? Do you make
them feel welcome?
Do you smile? I have
seen employees who
won’t even look at
you, let alone
smile, or even
speak. Is this how
Christ told a
Christian to act
toward others?
We Christians need
to remember that we
are supposed to be a
light to the world
around us. (Matthew
5:16) Are we? By the
way, I continuously
keep in mind that if
my index finger is
pointing at you,
there are three
other fingers and a
thumb pointing back
at me.
The Lord says by the
Apostle John, “Beloved,
let us love one
another: for love is
of God; and every
one that loveth is
born of God, and
knoweth God. He that
loveth not knoweth
not God; for God is
love. Beloved, if
God so loved us, we
ought also to love
one another.” (1
John 4:7-8, 11)
Yet some who say
they are Christians
step all over
others, while trying
to exalt themselves
and claim they are
God’s spokesman.
Some get quite
hostile in their
hatred for Israel,
the apple of God’s
eye.
Some are so
antagonistic and
selfish, it highly
offends them that
someone might get a
“second chance”
(that’s what they
call it anyway)
during the
Tribulation to
accept Jesus as
their Savior.
Others seem to be
angry and hostile
toward anyone who
does not read only
the Bible
translation they
demand that you
read.
I would like to
parenthetically
state a few words
about this
translation. I have
used the Kings James
Version (KJV) of the
Bible all my life,
and believe me, that
goes way back. I
have always loved
it, and still do. I
still use it, but I
also use other
versions. Some are
better, in
particular the New
American Standard
Bible (NASB). Some
are not. David
Reagan currently has
an excellent series
of articles in his
Lamplighter magazine
for the May/June
2011 issue. His
website is
www.lamblion.com
if you would like to
read the articles in
his magazine. He
states at the very
end of the articles
the following, “The
King James
Version was a
great Bible for its
day and time. It has
served the English
speaking peoples
well for several
centuries. The time
has come to lay it
to rest with honor
and dignity and with
heart-felt thanks.
It has stamped our
language indelibly.
It has inspired many
generations. Most
important, it has
opened the door to
God for millions of
people by delivering
them from spiritual
darkness into the
light of the glory
of Jesus Christ.”
I wholeheartedly
concur. Too many
people have been
driven away from
reading God’s
precious Word,
because some insist
they read a version
that they simply
cannot understand,
so they just don’t
read it at all.
Some are quite
hostile if you do
not believe the way
they do concerning
end time events.
The most important
thing, is have you
come to Jesus for
the forgiveness of
your sins and
trusted in Him for
the salvation of
your soul? Do you
walk with Him?
Why so much anger,
when it is in total
conflict with our
leading verse,
Matthew 7:12 and
also 1 John 4:7-8,
11? Something here
is not computing. I
am really concerned
for the spiritual
welfare of any who
would fit this
scenario.
I have been a
Christian for many
years, and it
saddens me to say
that more often than
not, non-Christian
folks have treated
me better than those
who claim to be
Christians.
Christians can be
like little children
on a playground
fighting over a toy
or making fun of
another child. Allow
me to make it even
clearer. They can be
very mean. How can
this be of God? It
cannot! As the moon
reflects the sun’s
light on a dark
night, we should
reflect the Son’s
light in a dark
world, and
especially to
each other.
Enough said. Now let
us challenge
ourselves with this
verse,
“In
everything,
therefore, treat
people the same way
you want them to
treat you, for this
is the Law and the
Prophets.”
Grant Phillips
grantphillips@windstream.net
Pre-Rapture
Commentary
http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
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