THE CHRISTIAN DIFFERENCE
Christians are just a little bit different than everyone else. We aren’t different by nature, of course. Every person in this world comes into this life filled with sin, top to bottom, according to God’s own word. And we aren’t different in our ability to get on God’s good side either: every person on this earth is unable to shed that condemnable infusion of sin on his own. Nor are Christians different because we were somehow more “likeable” or more acceptable to God than others were and that is the reason why we are God’s children today. No, there is nothing about us personally that makes us different from non-Christians. But there is something different about what we have. Christians have been given the gift of faith by our gracious Lord. And because of that gift of faith in Jesus as our Savior we are special to God. Through that gift of faith we are saved. And on account of that gift of faith we have a different Christian perspective about life and especially about God’s Word.
This morning we have in front of us a section of Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount” that is recorded for us in Matthew 5-7. And the “Christian Difference” between believers and unbelievers is brought out in this portion of Scripture in a few unmistakable ways because apart from the opening verses, this “sermon” is almost entirely based around God’s laws, commands, and directives. And only a person with faith in Christ can truly understand their full implications. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you: Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Here’s the first Christian Difference when it comes to these words of our Lord: unlike the majority of the people in this world, we know that we are not to “moralize” his law. “To moralize” means to view these words of Jesus simply as a way to better your life: if you just follow this pattern of living, if you try your best to put this advice into practice, then your life will be that much more pleasant and you’ll have peace and joy and happiness on this earth because you are doing the right things. But that’s not what Jesus is saying here, of course. In fact, he doesn’t speak a word about any material benefits that are promised you from following these instructions as if his laws were merely sound moral guidance from Miss Manners or “Dear Abby.”
And this Christian Difference also prevents us from watering down God’s law as well. “Watering down” God’s law would include trying to soften his demands and trying to find loopholes in his commands. But as Christians we should know better than that, shouldn’t we? When Jesus says that you are to “turn the other cheek” and not hold a grudge against your enemies that also includes avoiding every disparaging thought you would ever have about them as well. When Jesus says that you are to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that doesn’t just mean putting up with them or simply being cordial to them when they’re around; love really means “love” in every sense of the word: Jesus is asking us to sacrifice ourselves for those people and care for them and go out of our way to help them and concern ourselves with them to the same extent we concern ourselves with what we want and need and like. And when Jesus uses the word “perfect” to describe what we are supposed to be like, it can’t mean anything else than what it’s supposed to mean: Perfect means without one single sin, without one single fault, error, or mistake - and nothing less. Jesus doesn’t say, “Try your best to be perfect,” or “Aim for perfection,” or “Be as close to perfect as you can be.” No, he says, “You shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” It’s not a suggestion. And it’s not just wishful thinking. It’s a strong and immovable command: “You shall be perfect. Period.”
Which brings us to the next Christian Difference: we are forced to admit failure. Whereas others might attempt to convince themselves that they have been good enough or that they have done what is required or that God will be happy with them if they just do their best, we understand that when it comes to our salvation we haven’t been good enough and we haven’t done what is required and no matter how hard we try to do our “best,” our “best” isn’t what the Lord has demanded. Because that last sentence still stands: “You shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” And no matter what we do we can’t live up to that, can we? We have made plenty of mistakes in this life. We have been the cause of multiple problems. We are responsible for countless errors and oversights and incredibly shameful sins. We aren’t even close to that requirement of “perfection.” And even if we were: “close to perfect” isn’t going cut it!
We have to admit that, right? We look at this list that Jesus lays out for us and we see that 1) we are always supposed to be gentle to those who are cruel to us and that 2) we are always supposed to be generous to those who take from us and 3) we are always supposed to be loving to those who outright hate us and 4) we are always supposed to be completely pure and faultless from the very moment we are conceived all the way up to the moment when that last breath leaves our bodies… and we shake our heads in frustration because we haven’t and we can’t and we never will. That’s the Christian Difference: not that we think we are any better, but that we’re just as bad; and that sometimes we are even worse because we know and care about what God says and we still don’t do it. And no matter how painful it is to admit that to ourselves, it’s true.
The Christian Difference is that we take God’s law seriously; but the Christian Difference is also that we know God’s law is not the end of the story. When it comes right down to it: the Christian Difference is not only a clear understanding of God’s law; more importantly, it’s an unwavering trust in God’s gospel.
There’s no gospel here, of course! The “gospel” is the Good News about what Jesus has done to save us from the consequences of our sins. And in verses 38-48 of Matthew chapter 5 there is not a lick of gospel. In fact, in the verses that compose the rest of this spiritual speech of our Savior on that hillside in Galilee only a handful of pure gospel words are found. But that’s precisely what the Christian Difference is: these words of the law and our failures to keep it drive us to the gospel; they force us to the gospel; they push us and prod us and pin us down into a position that can be alleviated by nothing but the gospel. And so that means that we as Christians don’t despair over our sins; instead we depend on our Savior. We don’t turn away in helplessness; we turn to the One who gives us hope. We don’t wallow in our misery; we are revived by his mercy. We don’t die in depression; we live in and under and because of the grace of our glorious God. The Christian Difference is Christ.
The Christ who, when struck on the cheek by the chief priests in that kangaroo courtroom, turned the other to the Roman soldiers who beat him over the head with a wooden staff the very next morning. The Christ who not only allowed his tunic to be taken from him before he hung on the cross, but also his cloak and the rest of his clothing as well. The Christ who did not complain when they forced him onto the road that led to the site of his own crucifixion - and who even carried his own cross on his back. The Christ who not only loved his mother and his disciples and his friends, but the Christ who loved even the worst of his enemies, including Judas and Pilate and the soldiers who pounded the nails into his flesh. The Christ who prayed for those who persecuted him and even went so far as to ask his Father to forgive their heartless actions. The Christ who hung there not only for those who liked him, but for those who despised him. The Christ who welcomed the criminal on his right hand side into Paradise that same afternoon. The Christ who didn’t just try to be perfect or do his best to be perfect or got close to being perfect, but the Christ who was perfect in every way.
The Christian Difference is that we know of and believe in this Christ. That this Christ did everything that we couldn’t and everything that we wouldn’t. And he did it for us. So that now, although these words of Jesus in Matthew 5 convict us, they don’t condemn us. They may very well point out our sins, but they also point us to the One who saved us from our sins. These words of Jesus make it very clear to what extent he had to go to be like us and how much effort he had to put in not to be like us. These words of Jesus show how invaluable his substitution was in our place because it’s obvious that we can’t do it on our own.
The Christian Difference makes a big difference, doesn’t it? Faith in Christ puts things into an entirely different perspective. It doesn’t change the words of Jesus, of course. It doesn’t give them a different meaning or bring out some sort of secret connotation that wasn’t there before. Faith in Christ as our Savior simply clarifies the bigger picture. It enables us see exactly what God wants us to see in every verse of the Bible because it holds up Christ in front of our eyes so we don’t forget the reason why these words were written down for us in the first place. And so in these very commands and directives in Matthew 5, we not only see our failures, we also see opportunities to thank the One who gave us the victory anyway.
Isn’t that interesting? The very same commands that we cannot keep perfectly are the very same commands that we can strive to keep to give thanks to Christ - no matter how imperfect our attempts may be! When my one of my children draws me a picture, it is far from perfect. In fact, at such young ages some of their pictures don’t look anything like what they are attempting to draw. A few scribbles here and a few doodles over there somehow become an entire scene filled with animals and people and storylines. Those pictures will never become famous works of art. They will never be able to be sold at an auction. And, if I’m being honest, I could draw a lot better picture myself. But I like my children’s drawings anyway. I am pleased and happy with their attempts - no matter how imperfect they may be. Why? Because my children drew them for me out of love for me.
When God’s children attempt to keep the commands that Jesus lays out for us here in Matthew 5 and elsewhere in Scripture, he is pleased. Not because they are done well, they never are. And not because they live up to his standards, that’s not possible. God is pleased with our efforts because we are doing those things for him out of love for him. They are expressions of our appreciation and our thanks. They are genuine faith-fueled actions that are meant to show our gratitude to the One who did so much for us. Those attempts to keep his laws don’t make him love us any more than he did before. And he doesn’t personally benefit from them either. But he is happy with them. He is happy with us. And he enjoys seeing his children follow his commands that he has laid out for us in his Word.
It’s just another Christian Difference. Our God is thrilled when we do these things him, but he is disgusted when a non-Christian does the exact same things. Because that unbeliever never does anything for him. That unbeliever does not know him or believe him or care about him. That unbeliever lives without him. But not us. We live with Christ and because of Christ and for Christ. We live with Christ on our minds and Christ in our hearts and Christ in our very names. We are CHRISTians. Not because we wanted to be, but because Christ wanted us to be. And so he lived and died and rose to make that happen. By his grace we believe that. And through his power we live because of that. That is the Christian Difference.
Amen.
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father - to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.” - Rev. 1:5-6
Posts
