In the Gospel of Christ, the heart is the center of life. Living the Paschal Mystery is
mankind following the historical Jesus in fulfilling the Spirit, rather than
the letter of God's Law (John 12:26). Kingdom living here on earth as it is in
heaven, is what the historical Jesus admonished his disciples and every believer to pray for and seek first (Matthew 5:33, 6:9-10). Living the
Paschal Mystery is mankind passing over from slavery to sin, into the freedom
of God's love, in the Godhead, through the universal, indwelling and incarnate Christ of
Faith.
In today's Gospel reading, Matthew 15:10-20, Jesus responds to skeptical Pharisees and scribes, who questioned why his disciples broke many of the rituals and traditions of their Jewish religion. In
Matthew15:7-9, Jesus made this declaration about these carnal minded religious
leaders and teachers. "You hypocrites, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about
you when he said. 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts
are far from Me. In vain they worship Me, teaching human precepts as
doctrine". In response to similar spiritually blind religious leaders and teachers, who questioned Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of God and how the kingdom of Christ would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things
which can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!’ or 'There it is'!
For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you"(Luke 17:20-21).
The Bible declares that as Messiah, Jesus was the full
incarnation of the Godhead and full manifestation of Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based kingdom living, in human flesh (Colossians
2:8-15). Through his passion, death, resurrection and ascension, the historical
Jesus revealed and lived the Paschal Mystery. As Messiah and the Son of Man, the historical Jesus passed over from life on earth in
the mind of the flesh, into a new and glorified life with the Godhead, in the
mind of the spirit (Luke 4:16-22).
In
the Gospel of Christ, the kingdom of God and the kingdom living, which the historical Jesus invites and admonishes all people
to enter and dwell, are now potentially within every human heart and in our midst. The kingdom of
God and the kingdom of Christ are found in and through the spiritual dimension of every present human life. They can be discerned, entered into, and dwelt in by all persons, when we with God's help, choose to cast out the mind of the flesh and embrace the mind of the spirit, while
living in our present physical bodies.
Now embracing and rejecting the mind of the flesh are
both personal and collective decisions, attitudes conditions and action of the human
heart. Similarly, embracing and rejecting the mind of the spirit are both
personal and collective decisions, attitudes, conditions and actions of the human heart. In Matthew 15:10-20, Jesus reiterated and confirms several truths which are universally embraced by all
traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups.
These truths are: 1. Men look at outward appearances, but
the Godhead looks at human hearts (1 Samuel 17:6). 2. Every person should keep one's heart with
all diligence, for out of the heart proceed the issues of life (Psalm 4:23).
3. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see the indwelling and omnipresent Godhead (Matthew 5:8).
The Godhead is Spirit, and they that worship God, must worship in spirit and in
truth (John 4:24).
Matthew 15:19 declares that the mind of the flesh produces evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness and slander in human hearts and lives. These decisions, attitudes, conditions and action of and from the human heart, defile a person. They delay, prevent and block kingdom living, here on earth, as it is in heaven. Eating with unwashed hands do not defile a person (Matthew 15:20, Galatians 5:19-21).
Matthew 15:19 declares that the mind of the flesh produces evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness and slander in human hearts and lives. These decisions, attitudes, conditions and action of and from the human heart, defile a person. They delay, prevent and block kingdom living, here on earth, as it is in heaven. Eating with unwashed hands do not defile a person (Matthew 15:20, Galatians 5:19-21).
Faith in
the historical Jesus as Messiah, and faithfully following Jesus in living the
Paschal Mystery, involve decisions, attitudes, conditions and actions of the human
heart. It means living according to the mind of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-26). With the help of
the indwelling and incarnate Godhead, living in the mind of the spirit, can and will create God's desired clean and pure human hearts and kingdom living, here on earth (Psalm 51:10-12, Luke 7:20-21).
Following the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery
is based on the believer's rejecting and casting out the mind of the flesh (Matthew
16:21-26). In today's Gospel reading, Jesus make it clear that the mind of the
flesh pollutes human hearts (Matthew 5:10-20). The mind of the flesh
distorts and destroys human souls, minds, relationships and lives. The mind of the flesh is
anarchy against the reign of the indwelling Godhead. It creates divisions, hatred and incivility within and among fellow human beings, and strife within witnessing faith communities. It engenders lack
of compassion, disrespect and destroys appropriate love and concern for Godhead's whole creation.
In which state of mind do you now choose to dwell? Are you seeking God's will for your life? Do you choose to live in the mind of the flesh, or the mind of
the spirit (Romans 8:1-11)? Do you now discern the deception, pollution and destruction of the mind of the flesh? Will you now choose to embrace the mind of the spirit? With all your heart, and the help of the indwelling Godhead, will you steadfastly
follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery?
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