Luke 16:14-18 The Law, the Prophets, and the Kingdom

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Luke 16:14 “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.”

Pharisees were ________________________________________________ distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to have pretensions to superior sanctity.

Did these Pharisees know they were guilty of worshiping Mammon over God?

Instead of repenting, they “derided” Jesus. What’s a synonym for “derided?”

Luke 16:15 “And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

The Pharisees’ belief was that their own “goodness” was what justified them, the very definition of “self-righteousness.”

But, as Jesus suggested, their righteousness was flawed, being an external facade which might be enough to justify them before men, but not before God.

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.”

John the Baptist’s ministry marked the turning point of redemptive history.

Prior to John, the great truths of Christ and His kingdom were veiled in the types and shadows of the law, and promised in the writing of the prophets.

Luke 16:17 “17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”

Jesus then reveals He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.

God and His law are both perfect.

Luke 16:18 “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

When He brought up the law, Jesus was led to address the sanctity of marriage and address adultery.

At the time, and much like today, the rabbis’ doctrine permitted men to divorce their wives for almost any cause, but the Lord took offense to their doctrine about divorce, calling it adultery, a transgression against God.

What does this mean for individuals who have gone through divorce?

Are those who choose to remarry permanently living in sin?

The good news is, the Bible is clear about this topic in that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)

How can I repent of Sin?

The repentance called for throughout the Bible is a summons to a personal, absolute and ultimate unconditional surrender to God as Sovereign.

Though it includes sorrow and regret, it is more than that…

In repenting, one makes a complete change of direction (180° turn) toward God.

4 Steps To Repentance

  1. The first step of repentance is to recognize that you have committed a sin against God.
  2. Next, confess your sin to God and forsake sin.
  3. Take actual steps to eliminate the temptation associated with sin.
  4. Ask for forgiveness.

 

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Daniel St.Pierre

Daniel St.Pierre is a born again child of God. A Canadian immigrant to the United States, Daniel considers himself "blessed to be a blessing" as the ministry he leads continues to reach thousands of souls each month, on a global scale since 2003.