LEAVING OPEN THE DOOR TO HELL

BY STEVE DUNN

I am in the process of reading through and reflecting upon the Sermon on the Mount.  Today I found myself in the following text.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder,and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.: - Matthew 5.  

We live in an angry, combative and passionately intolerant world today.  Unfounded accusations delivered with virulence, unbridled angry tweeting, the demonization of anyone who does not agree with us--all of become a part of the communication of our culture.

This passage was delivered by Jesus to a 1st century audience that would have contained people who considered themselves religiously superior, others who were tired and/or cowered by such self-righteousness, and others who were relegated to the fringes of their society as sinners and probably chafing under perceived injustice and prejudice they had experienced.

In pronouncing these words, Jesus was not trying to further fuel that contempt and division that marked that 1st century community.  But he WAS attempting to reframe the discussion and open their minds to a difficult truth that their narrow minds had been closed to.

I would say it in this way.  The language of unbridled contempt is the front door to hell for such contempt violates the Law of Love—both of God because it is despising someone for Whom Christ has died and of your neighbor because we are saying that we are worthy of God’s love and respect than another.

Many would, and did, reject this teaching because they were trying to organize their lives and society around the values of a sinful humankind.  Both those then and today, who accept this truth could begin to bring about healing and reconciliation to this troubled American landscape.


© 2019 by Stephen L. Dunn.  You have permission to reprint this provided it is unchanged, proper authorship is cited, it is in a publication not for sale, and a link is provided to this site or to www.drstevedunn.com. For all other uses, contact Steve at sdunnpastor@gmail.com