Biblical inconsistency?

OSV.com ^ | 07-25-18 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Biblical inconsistency? Jesus does not negate himself but rather gives different teachings on following the commandments

Msgr. Charles Pope

7/25/2018

Question: In Matthew 5:19, Jesus rails against relaxing or changing even the least of the commandments, and yet verse 19 also says that if one does, “[he] will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” It seems the consequences should be “losing” the kingdom of heaven if Jesus is consistent with what follows in verse 20. Can you explain the seeming inconsistency? — Jim Flynn, via email

Answer: Two different teachings are being made here, hence it is not a matter of consistency.

In verse 19, the operative teaching is that while unrepented mortal sin excludes one from the kingdom of God, not all violations of the law are mortal. Even the Ten Commandments, while indicating grave sin in themselves admit of lighter matter.

For example, regarding the Seventh Commandment, stealing a large amount or something essential or irreplaceable is usually a mortal sin. However, taking something small or insignificant, while a sin, may not be a mortal sin that excludes one from the kingdom of God. Thus, if the Lord were to adopt your word, the condemnation might be too sweeping. It does not follow that if someone breaks the least of the commandments they necessarily lose the kingdom of God.

Further, you will note that there is a kind of parallelism or play of words at work here. The Lord is saying, in effect: “If you break even the least of my teachings, I am going to call you the least!” Preachers often use such sayings in order to be memorable.

For example, consider the following word stitch: “Say what you mean, and mean what you say. But don’t say it mean.” The word “mean” unites all three phrases, but in each case a slightly different sense of the word “mean” is used.

Here, the Lord is not only being careful not to imply that even small infractions would land us in hell, but he is also being artful, resourceful and memorable by his use of a parallelism.

As for verse 20, we encounter a different teaching: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

Here we are dealing with the problem of minimalism. Though the Pharisees fancied themselves meticulous observers of the law, they were very minimalist in their application of it. Jesus said they were hypocrites because they followed exacting laws about small things, such as tithing, but neglected weightier matters of the law, such as justice and mercy (cf. Mt 23:23). It is one thing to pay tithes; this is good and required. But neglecting the poor and failing to feed and teach them is far more important to God.

Jesus will develop this teaching against minimalism in the verses that follow in the Sermon on the Mount. For example, he will teach that it is not enough to avoid murder; the command requires we let God banish vengeful hatred from our hearts. It is not enough to avoid acts of adultery; we must allow God to give us chaste minds and hearts. It is not enough to avoid excessive retaliation; we ought to avoid retaliation altogether.

Therefore, the message of verse 20 is a call to exceed the minimalist notions of the law. Grace equips us for more, and we are expected to attain more by that grace. The old law could not save. Only the “new law” of grace can save or make us sufficiently holy to enter heaven.

Thus verse 19 speaks of little things, verse 20 of weightier things.

[Salvation]

Therefore, the message of verse 20 is a call to exceed the minimalist notions of the law. Grace equips us for more, and we are expected to attain more by that grace. The old law could not save. Only the “new law” of grace can save or make us sufficiently holy to enter heaven.

[Salvation]

Monsignor Pope Ping for OSV column!

[Olog-hai]

In Matthew 5:19, Jesus rails against relaxing or changing even the least of the commandments, and yet verse 19 also says that if one does, “[he] will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” …

Looks like error of omission. The verse says, first, not only does the offender not only break the “least” commandment himself but also teaches men to do so in God’s name; and second, it does not mean that the transgressor gets to enter the kingdom of heaven if unrepentant, but is called by the subjects and rulers of the kingdom of heaven as “the least”. Greek elachistos literally means “the smallest”.

[Biggirl]

That is why it is good to use a scripture commentary book.

[ealgeone]

For example, regarding the Seventh Commandment, stealing a large amount or something essential or irreplaceable is usually a mortal sin. However, taking something small or insignificant, while a sin, may not be a mortal sin that excludes one from the kingdom of God.

This is nonsense and false teaching and calls into light the false teaching of "mortal" sins in Roman Catholicism.

The commandment against stealing does not differentiate between between stealing big hings or little things.

It is a prohibition against ALL stealing.

15“You shall not steal. Exodus 20:15 NASB

8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Romans 13:8-9 NASB

[ealgeone]

That is why it is good to use a scripture commentary book.

Why? Unless Rome has officially rendered a position on the verse(s) in question it is just an opinion.

[ealgeone]

That is why it is good to use a scripture commentary book.

It is also another example of why context is your friend in trying to understand the Scriptures.

[imardmd1]

Pope usually has some good insights, but here where the justification 1s by imputation of righteousness to the truly regenerate, he is utterly confused. Such confusion is the collateral damage brought in by the anthropocentric works-based plan that wrongly interprets how The God deals with mankind.

First, like Augustine, he is unable to see that the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of The God are two entities of which the rules of participation are not the same. The KOH is described only in Matthew/ Levi's Gospel, but from which some 28 differences can be discerned when comparing those points to the same particular issues attributed to the KOTG as verified throughout the whole New Testament.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

For example, regarding the Seventh Commandment, stealing a large amount or something essential or irreplaceable is usually a mortal sin. However, taking something small or insignificant, while a sin, may not be a mortal sin that excludes one from the kingdom of God.

Ol' Arch-Pope is perpetuating the lie that some sins are mortal and some venial.

All sin, without the Savior can send you to hell.

Some sins have large consequences that lead to an early death.

The true believer who is saved knows that all sin grieves the heart of his Savior and needs to be confessed.

[metmom]

Only the “new law” of grace can save or make us sufficiently holy to enter heaven.

No such thing as *law of grace*.

It's either Law or grace.

Laws don't save. They reveal sin to point us to Christ.

Galatians 2:15-21 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Galatians 3:1-29 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

[Mark17]

It is also another example of why context is your friend in trying to understand the Scriptures.

You are correct sir. Context is EXTREMELY important. 👍

[metmom]

Grace equips us for more, and we are expected to attain more by that grace.

Grace exempts us from performance.

We are not expected to perform more or better because we are under grace.

Romans 4:3-8 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

[Biggirl]

Going to informing books on the scriptures do much better job than it from a context point of view. There excellent scripture scholarship out there. ☺

[ealgeone]

Going to informing books on the scriptures do much better job than it from a context point of view. There excellent scripture scholarship out there.

There are some very good commentaries available. The ones I use explain the Greek behind the passage.

They also explain the verse(s) in context of the passage, the book, and the NT.

[imardmd1]

We are not expected to perform more or better because we are under grace.

On, MM, but we are: not to effect salvation, justification, and initial sanctification as new-born in and by the gracious Spirit; but we are regarding subsequent progressive sanctification, measured in observed and real felt spiritual maturation, finally summed up by the Lord's valuation of one's works at the Bema Seat of The Christ (2 Cor. 5:6-11).

The problem with Pope's analysis here is that according to the (false) RC view, all professors will undergo that judgment; whereas, in fact, the only humans evaluated there will be those who have been reborn in the Spirit by grace through faith, having already the experiential confession of possessing God's gift of salvation. Anyone who cannot satisfy this requirement will still be left on the earth to suffer God's great wrath, or be still in their graves until the Great White Throne judgment.

[metmom]

You are correct and I should have qualified it as not needed for salvation.

And while holy living is sanctification in progress, lack thereof does NOT cause us to lose our salvation either.

[Salvation]

So are you saying that you can lead a purposely sinful life and still get to heaven?

I don’t think so.

[ealgeone]

So are you saying that you can lead a purposely sinful life and still get to heaven?

No one is advocating living a sinful life.

That is not supported in the NT.

However, what is also not supported in the NT is the Roman Catholic position on "mortal" v "venial" sins.....as demonstrated by the msgr's false teaching which is in contradiction of the very Ten Commandments Roman Catholics say you have to keep.

[Salvation]

**And while holy living is sanctification in progress, lack thereof does NOT cause us to lose our salvation either.**

See my question above about lead a sinful life and still expecting heaven.

[metmom]

Someone who lives a purposely sinful life has not likely been born again and so no, they are not going to heaven, not because they lived a purposely sinful life, but because they weren’t born again.

The sin we commit after we are saved does NOT affect our inheritance in heaven.

It does not cost us our salvation because we are saved by grace having been forgiven, not by works having performed.