THE GOLDEN RULE

          BIBLE CHALLENGE (Day Five)

       THE GOLDEN RULE (Matthew 7:12)

The part A of this Mathew 7:12 says:

 "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them"

The negative way of stating this command was known long before Jesus came to the world.

 It had long been said, “You should not do to your neighbour what you would not want him to do to you.” 

But it is a significant advance for Jesus to put it in the positive, to say that we should do unto others what we want them to do unto us.

Jesus makes the command much broader.

 It is the difference between not breaking traffic laws and in doing something positive like helping a stranded motorist. 

Under the negative form of the rule, the goats of Matthew 25:31-46 are found “not guilty.” Yet under the positive form of the Golden Rule – Jesus’ form – they are indeed found guilty.

This especially applies to Christian fellowship. 

If we would experience love and have people reach out to us, we must love and reach out to others.

“None but he whose heart is filled with love to God and all mankind can keep this precept, either in its spirit or letter… It seems as if God had written it upon the hearts of all men, for sayings of this kind may be found among all nations, Jewish, Christian, and Heathen.” (Clarke)

The part B of that Mathew 7:12 says: 

"For this is the Law and the Prophets"

Jesus shows that this simple principle – the Golden Rule – summarizes all the Law and the Prophets say about how we should treat others.

 If we would simply treat others the way we would want to be treated, we would naturally obey all the law says about our relationships with others.

“Oh, that all men acted on it, and there would be no slavery, no war, no swearing, no striking, no lying, no robbing; but all would be justice and love! What a kingdom is this which has such a law!” (Spurgeon)

This makes the law easier to understand, but it doesn’t make it any easier to obey.

 No one has ever consistently done unto others as they would like others to do unto themselves.

                 © King David's Pen 🖋️