Reference

Matthew 5:20-26; James 1:22-23, 19-20

 The world is looking for really good people, people who are genuine, authentic, just plain old reasonable, easy to get along with folks who don’t have a separate complicated agenda.  The world is looking for folks they can connect with and feel they can communicate with about real life issues without human judgement (a pronouncement of permanent guilt) being passed on them.  

James 1:22 Just because you go to church does NOT make you a good person; just hearing The Word but not applying it is deceiving yourself... Christians must not JUST HEAR but must also DO WHAT IT SAYS! -unapplied paint does no good -buying a treadmill but setting it in the garage does no good -joining a gym and not going does no good –getting married but never moving in together does not make a good marriage-going to church but not living the Word of God does no good.  There must be a practical real life application of the word in order to be successful in the transformation of our lives.

Matthew 5:20-48 Highlights the fact that there are characteristics that are consistent with our humanity and help us to determine what good really looks like.  These characteristics are seen in our relationships to other people.  In vs. 20 we are introduced to the word righteousness which translated from the Greek is dikiaosune which means being good versus just doing good.  There are six situations mentioned that must be addressed. 

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