REWARDS OF THE GREATEST AND THE LEAST

 Jesus spoke blessings; they were beatitudes. As I have written before, the Ten Commandments are new attitudes: meekness, a new spirit, and so forth. However, neither I nor anyone else is the final authority on what is a command and what is an attitude. However, the authority of God is without question.

God wrote the Ten Commandments, and now comes Jesus as the Image of God. He repeated the Ten Commandments but not as acts to avoid punishment but attitudes to be rewarded with blessings. Hence, the Law was finally revealed and people could do as they wished, and not be punished, but have new attitudes to be rewarded.

However, Jesus identified the beatitudes as what? Commandments, to wit: 

KEY VERSE: Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the “least” in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called “great” in the kingdom of heaven. (Mat 5:19)

 Jesus is speaking. He is speaking about “commandments” — the Law. He says that there are different outcomes for breaking and keeping commandments. He was speaking of the “Law.” Lawbreakers would still be treated justly, but like anyone stopped by traffic police might understand, you can break the Law and still obtain mercy. The good policeman considers your attitude.

I broke the law forty-seven times. I was ticketed and punished forty-seven times. Why? Because I broke the law? No, because I showed a bad attitude each time!

Since then, I have been stopped about twenty times because traffic laws are so easily broken. The cop understands that, and so does Jesus!

However, the last twenty or so times, I have not been punished because my attitude had changed. I was cordial and contrite with all the policeman, and albeit I was guilty as charged; they all had mercy.

The “Beatitudes” is the “Law” rewritten; wherein we are not judged on our behaviors but on our attitudes about right and wrong behaviors. It is as plain as day.

Take for instance, “the meek shall inherit the earth.” They shall inherit earthly things. In other words, they shall be fellow heirs with Jesus.

What was their reward? It was in their day, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). They were comforted by the Holy Ghost here on Earth that their hope was true. Compare that, now, to the command, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Meekness is understanding the reality of who you are. You are neither God nor a god. You must accept that truth and credit Jesus with that status. He is God!

Inheriting the earth, then, is preparation for the real inheritance — Paradise in the realm of heaven.

Now back to the key verse: lawbreakers are to be called “least” and command-keepers will be called “greatest” and both in the Kingdom of Heaven (Ouranos). The Kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36). James wrote about that Kingdom, “Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love Him?” (Jas 2:5).

The promise is not about whether they break the Commandments or not, but about those who love Him. Think not of emotional attachment to God, but agape love is goodwill toward God — “a willing effort or a cheerful consent” (Merriam-Webster Dict. 1828-2022). You see, it is the attitude about the Will of God and the effort made, whether failing or not! Your own will must be of a good attitude to receive the ultimate Beatitude — the nature of God by rebirth (John 3:7).

Before rebirth, the nature of the person is like their father, the Devil (John 8:44). But those with good attitudes have been transformed with the attitude of Jesus — Christlike; “We are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:24).

Think not of water baptism but baptism of the Holy Ghost of Jesus. Baptism with “Living Water” changes the nature of the person. It is not so much what you do but what you are willing to do. It is a change, not in behaviors or actions, but a willingness to comply with the tenets of God out of respect for God, even though you might still fail. The Beatitudes is a list of the Graces of God, and realize it or not, so are the Ten Commandments!

Note that all the keepers and breakers of the commands go to Heaven — to another realm. It is a place of souls wherein souls never die. Remember that both Lazarus, the poor man, and the rich man went to another realm: 

²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:22-23)

 They both physically died. Lazarus went to lie with Abraham in his non-earthly realm and Abraham went to Hell. They both went to “heaven” but two discreet and different places — one to rest and the other torments (Luke 16:25).

Hell is referred to as “a place in torments” not of this realm but another (Luke 16:28). Lazarus went to a place of rest alongside Abraham. The two places in Heaven were separated for it is written, “Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us” (Luke 16:26).

The point therein that those called least and greatest in the key verse all went to heaven in another realm wherein the soul goes for eternity, as the rich man found out, but there are two places in that realm for the souls of mankind.

In other words, those called the “least” go to Hell and those called the “greatest” go to Paradise — the spiritual realm wherein Abraham’s kingdom existed, according to the Book of Jasher.

Note that the “least” consists of two groups: (1) command breakers, and (2) teachers that promote command breaking. Not to be mean, but truthful, some strict interpreters of Calvinism teach antinomianism:

In some Christian belief systems, an antinomian is one who takes the principle of salvation by faith and divine grace to the point of asserting that the saved are not bound to follow the moral law contained in the Ten Commandments. Antinomians believe that faith alone guarantees eternal security in heaven, regardless of one's actions. (Wikipedia 2001)

 Many Christians believe that antinomianism is a “ticket to sin” (ibid.) I have heard fundamental Baptist preachers say, “Even if you have murdered, you are still going to Heaven.” (That would be true if they have repented, but that was not made in his point.) By saying that, they have unwitting reinforced the Words of Jesus. Indeed, they will go to Heaven, but which place in Heaven? They teach wrong doctrine and are among the “least.”

Calvinism is having a poor attitude concerning grace. It is not that you can live in sin and still be rewarded but that God delivers you from sin because the crucifixion redeemed the genetic aspect of sin “for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God (over time)” (Rom 3:25) but thereafter, there must be repentance for each sin.

The meek repent of all sins. David even repented that he was born in sin (Psalm 51:5). The arrogant believe that a one-time repentance is enough; that any subsequent sin is already covered by the blood. If that is true, then why would anyone fellowship in prayers, as Luke wrote? What is it you would pray for? Things? Pray for the forgiveness of subsequent sins, as Jesus modeled with the Lord’s Prayer, “¹⁰ Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mat 6:10). Just what is the Will of God that should be done? The Commandments that demonstrate goodwill toward Him, so simply stated by Jesus, “If ye love me (have goodwill), keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

So, it condenses down, it is not commandment keeping that is goodwill, but your willingness (attitude) to do the Will of God (the commandments) whether you succeed or not! Continual failure, however, reveals on whom the will lies.

The Ten Commandments are on stone for perpetuity. They are as valid today as they were in the time of Moses. They are the “Conditions” to be heirs to God’s Estate in Paradise. He knows that His heirs will fail, but because He loves them so much (John 3:16) even true adopted children of His will be rewarded for mere willingness to please the Father.

Just as the prodigal son failed but still received his inheritance, so shall all of us who come to the Father shall receive his portion. The prodigal son could have easily come to the faithful son for his share, and if the father had been away, he would have done that. The same goes for those who come to Jesus while the Father is away!

(picture credit; pxfuel)