Chapter V (vi) — Christ’s Teaching and Example
1. Christ's teaching is so incomparable and unique that to say that He drew His inspiration from some other teacher or religion is like saying that the sun has not its own light, but, like the moon, shines with the borrowed light of some other sun or planet. It is inconceivable that this could be possible. The authority with which He taught refutes any such claim (Matt. vii. 29). Again, if He had received His teaching from other sources He would certainly have made reference to them, as He did in the Sermon on the Mount, where, while giving His references to the Old Testament, He claimed authority to give His own interpretation, saying, "It was said by them of old time . . . but I say unto you . . ." (Matt. v. 21-22).
It would be just as contrary to the truth to say that Jesus made great claims in order to benefit Himself, for His whole life was spent in seeking the good and betterment of others, and, above all, His Cross refutes any such statement. If He had been ambitious for worldly honour, then He would have attempted to save Himself from the death on the Cross, and would not have refused when people wished to make Him king. But as He Himself said, His kingdom was not of this world (John vi. 15, xviii. 36). He came into the world that He might make manifest the Reality, and by giving His own life might be able to give to believers the right to be heirs of Eternal Life, and of His kingdom.
2. Both John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and Jesus Himself began to preach in these words, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". All pain, suffering and death in the world is caused by sin. In the next world separation from God, and hell itself, are the results of sin. Therefore without true repentance for sin it is impossible to be saved from this separation and destruction. Because God is Love He does not force any one to come to Him, nor does He interfere with the free-will that He has given man. But when a sinner comes in repentance, and bows his head and opens his heart before God, then the Holy Spirit gives a new life, through His life-giving activity, and then and there the kingdom of God begins in his heart. Hence it is essential to repent of sins in order to become a son of God, and to enter into His eternal kingdom.
Later on in His preaching Christ told of those who are to be counted as blessed, and of their reward (Matt. v. 2-12). They are these:
"The poor in Spirit." They humbly acknowledge their own spiritual poverty, and become God's faithful and obedient servants. Who Christ is, the King of Glory, became poor, that through His poverty He might make the poor in spirit heirs of His kingdom for ever (2 Cor. viii. 9).
"Those that mourn." They will for ever receive that peace that the world can neither give nor take away. In fact, only those will enjoy this comfort who have suffered and been refined in the furnace of suffering (John xvi. 22).
"The Meek." They will inherit that new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness — that kingdom of which Christ has made them heirs.
"They that hunger and thirst after righteousness." They will obtain the bread and water of life in the kingdom of righteousness, and will be satisfied for ever.
"The Merciful." They will obtain mercy, but oppressors, and those with hearts hard as a nether millstone, will find their oppression has returned in awful form on their own heads; and where they now laugh they will then moan at their past neglect and present evil state (Luke vi. 25).
"The Peacemakers." Like mercy, peace is one of the attributes of God. And those who reconcile separations and quarrels among their neighbours, and those who cast down the dividing wall between God and man, will be called the children of God, because "the ministry of reconciliation" has been given unto them (2 Cor. v. 18).
"They that are persecuted for righteousness' sake." It is a great honour to be persecuted for righteousness' sake, because such people are engaged in a holy war, the reward of which they will get in glory. The spirit and character of the world are hostile to truth and Reality, so those who follow the truth will surely be persecuted (2 Tim. iii. 12).
But whether they are called to ease or to suffering, these "blessed" ones who have a personal experience of God will be like salt and light in the world, and, through their works, will always be for the praise and honour of God.
3. "Resist not evil" (Matt. v. 39). If we resist evil men, who would do us harm, then neither party is likely to be profited; probably both will be injured, as in the collision of two trains both are shattered. But if, by not resisting, we suffer, then, on the one hand, the cross-bearer is benefited spiritually, and, on the other hand, the oppressor will be impressed by the forgiving spirit, and will be inclined towards the truth. It has been shown that by treatment of this kind the lives of many wicked men have been changed. Here is an example. Last year, in the hills in India, while a godly Indian Christian was praying in his house alone, three thieves stealthily entered his room, and took away all they could get. When the man had finished his prayers he noticed that all his goods had gone, except the box over which he had been bowing in prayer. This box contained money and valuables. This "man of prayer" took some cash and valuables in his hands, and ran after the thieves, calling, "Wait! wait! you have left some valuables behind. I have brought them to you. Perhaps you need these things more than I." When the thieves heard this, at first they thought it was a trap, but when they saw that he had no weapon and that he was alone, they came back to him. The man said to them, "Why did you not tell me at first that you needed these things? I would have gladly given you whatever I have; now you had better come home with me, and whatever you want you may take away." The thieves, seeing the strange life of this man of prayer, were so affected that their lives were changed for ever, and they began to say, "We never imagined that there were such people in the world. If you are so wonderful, then how much more wonderful must be your Saviour, Who has made you into such a wonderful and godlike character."
There we have the result of not resisting the evil, and of loving others as we love ourselves. If the man had resisted the thieves, and tried to have them arrested, then in the struggle he himself might have been killed, and no benefit would have come to the thieves.
But I have said enough. Whoever can act on this golden and unparalleled word of Christ, let him do so. Let us keep His perfect example before our eyes, "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not" (1 Peter ii. 23). Whatever He taught He Himself first acted on, and He gave no teaching of which He did not give the proof and example in His life. In other words He preached what He practised, and practised what He preached.
4. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. xviii. 3-4).
In order to enter into the kingdom of God it is necessary for us to become like little children, for in them the following characteristics are found, which should be found in every child of God.
(i.) True love for parents.
(ii.) Believing without doubt everything their parents say.
(iii.) If we except original sin, they are free from all other sins, and also from pride, on account of which Satan was cast down from heaven.
(iv.) Though children cannot express their wants, yet they try in lisping words, and when this is not enough, their very tears explain their need. If they cannot walk on their feet, then, crawling on their hands and knees, they reach their mother's lap, and get their food, and love that is beyond their understanding. And when to punish them she threatens or slaps them, instead of running from her, they run to her again for comfort. So when we become like little children in the kingdom of our Father, we reach a position that is great and high and glorious.
5. When in following Christ we deny ourselves, and bear the cross of suffering in witnessing for Him, and when we seek not our own profit, but the good of others, we find ourselves and a life enriched an hundredfold (Luke ix. 23-25; Matt. xix. 29).
He who, in his quest for the Reality, crushes out the demands of his selfish nature, will find God and himself for ever. On the other hand he who, governed by his self-will, lives separate from God will fall from even his present low state of life and be destroyed, as tares that are really wheat that has degenerated, and has become no use but to be cast away.
6. If we apply mercury to the back of a piece of glass, we make a mirror which reflects our faces, but if no mercury is applied, we look right through the glass. So if we back our lives with selfishness, we see in them only the reflection of self, but if the screen of that selfishness is removed, then wherever we look God will appear, and we shall know that we are shielded in His loving arms.
7. Renunciation of the world does not mean that we should forsake all worldly things that bring us pleasure, either through holding that "things" possess in them the inherent quality of evil, or because we expect by renouncing them to receive supreme spiritual bliss. It is one thing to leave pleasures in order to gain greater joys. It is another thing to leave them because they are evil. There is no wrong in enjoying pleasures, either spiritual or physical, in a proper way, nor is there any need to renounce them. But there are pleasures which are obstacles to our finding the source of happiness. These we must renounce, for some of these transitory pleasures keep us indifferent to real and everlasting joy. In some cases, indeed, these alluring pleasures tear away our hearts from the Creator, and, as a man following the light of a will-o'-the-wisp wanders on and is lost in the darkness, so these pleasures allure us and lead us on to destruction. It is essential that we should tear away our hearts from all created things and fix them on the Creator, and that we should use His God-given gifts with thankfulness and in moderation.
Moderation in renunciation — as well as in pleasure — "the middle path" is often the best means of obtaining the object that we desire. Failure to get it often comes from our having gone too far on one side or the other of its appointed limits. To continue living in absolute darkness is as harmful to the eyes as is excessive brilliance of light, which may also blind us. Excess of cold, or of heat, may cause hurt, but within ordinary limits of temperature are useful and pleasant. A low sound, difficult to hear, is irritating, and a very harsh sound may even injure our ears, but within moderate limits we hear with pleasure sounds musical and sweet.
8. It is the essence of the teaching of Christ that "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind", and, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. xxii. 37-39).
If we love the Lord whole-heartedly, we shall obey Him always, and spend our lives in His service and for His glory. And if we love our neighbours — which means the whole world — as ourselves, then we shall do nothing harmful to others, but shall always try to help them along. If we obey this teaching we fulfil the aim of the whole law. Long before anyone was aware of their presence, gold and silver and diamonds were hidden away in the earth. So before Jesus, the incarnation of Love, revealed to the world the "exceeding riches" of the Reality, this bottomless mine of love existed from all eternity. But when He came He not only taught about love, but by giving His life He completed and perfected that teaching, and was in every way a perfect example for us.