As we study Jesus‘ Sermon on Ownership, we find Him making claims upon our personal rights.
We all feel like we deserve a certain level of treatment. Jesus‘ teaching on personal rights runs counter to our human logic.
Owning our faith means relinquishing the prerogative for personal, and even legal justice. Jesus says that owning means deferring personal retribution.
“But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
(Matthew 5:39-41 NKJV)
https://www.bible.com/114/mat.5.39-41.nkjv
While Jesus’ teaching doesn’t preclude self-defense, it does at least delay it.
The point is, that we are to allow people to take advantage of us to a certain degree, to demonstrate graciousness and humility, for the purpose of demonstrating ownership, our ownership of our faith, and His ownership of us.
When we obey Jesus’ principle on personal retribution, we show that we are under the jurisdiction of God. We show that we don’t belong to the system that puts personal rights first. Those systems work well from a political and civil rights standpoint, but not from a Christian standpoint.
Deferring your personal rights is a way of showing you are not your own person, but that you belong to Him.
Try this in your marriage! Teach this to your kids!
Owning your faith means He owns you.
Christian, how will you turn the other cheek this week?
Comments