the references to money which appear in the sermon on the mount as reported by matthew offer inside information on the subject.
jesus came to fulfil the law, not to destroy it, not to lower religion. our religion must have expression in our life for only life at its best can satisfy us. prof. stalker tells us that “the task of religious teachers is to get people to see things as they are,” and we may add, as they ought to be.
jesus requires more than external compliance with the law or formal righteousness and hence his followers must be better than pharisees. they must act from right motives when they pray and give alms and 7 be confidential with the father who seeth in secret. the pharisee’s reward, to be seen of men, seems utterly insignificant as compared with that of the christian, “thy father who seeth in secret shall reward thee.” “thy father” and not “our father,” as elsewhere: for here the transaction is confidential and personal; “reward thee” as an individual who merits his consideration.
the approval of our father in heaven is worth while as well as good standing in our community. both are possible and dr. deems emphasizes the value of both when he says: “one good man given to a town is better than the gift of a park or a library and is worth more to a town than a hundred of the most learned men who are not good.”
“lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,” says jesus to his disciples and his precept is illustrated by his example. your life must not be limited by money. earthly treasures may be stolen or destroyed. money-making may hinder laying up treasures in heaven, “for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.”
christians are essentially heavenly in character and life and so paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven.” they are industrious, economical, thrifty and enterprising but their life 8 centers in the spiritual and the wealth they possess is owned and used, not for themselves alone, but for their families and neighbors, their friends and even their enemies, the church and nation.
jesus declares that men must have the light of god and singleness of eye in order to see. men must learn to see as god sees. no man can serve two masters, god and mammon, only two being mentioned for there are no more. god sees men as they are and is never in doubt while men get things mixed up and try to do opposites. they think of food and raiment when they ought to think of god’s kingdom and his righteousness. they ought to put first things first in order to get other things in their proper place.
of course there are people who dislike those who see as god sees and do as christ directs but good people are not on this account to give away holy things and cast aside the pearls they possess. good people have a right to be good even if “the dogs” and “the swine” have no appreciation of the higher things of life. the continued possession of “pearls” and “that which is holy” has the approval of jesus.
he even commands his followers to ask of god who knows what is best for them and who is described as 9 “your father” when it comes to giving to them. he wishes to be asked for what they want and gives “good things” in answer to their requests. this is information every child of god should have because it comes from the lips of jesus and is inside information as regards god’s will as set forth in his word and also with reference to our own personal experience.
