Commands of Christ

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• Let your light shine-do good deeds

Matthew 5:14-16  (Proverbs 4:18)

14  You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.​

 

• Do not swear

Matthew 5:33-37  (Leviticus 19:12,  Numbers 30:2,  Deuteronomy 23:23)

33  Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34  But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35  or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36  Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. 37  Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.​

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• Be perfect

Matthew 5:48  (Genesis 17:1,  Leviticus 19:2,  Deuteronomy 18:13)

48  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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• ​Do not show off your righteousness

Matthew 6:1-4  (Proverbs 20:6,  Jeremiah 17:10)

1  “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2  So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 3  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4  so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

• Pray in private

Matthew 6:5-6  (Job 27:8-10,  Proverbs 16:5)

5  And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6  But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

• Do not make your fasting obvious to men

Matthew 6:16-18  (Isaiah 58:3,  Zechariah 7:5)

16  When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 17  But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18  so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

 

• Do not store up your treasure on earth but in Heaven

Matthew 6:19-21  (Proverbs 23:4,  Psalm 39:6)

19  Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

• Do not worry about tomorrow

Matthew 6:31-34,  Matthew 6:25  (Psalm 111:5,  Proverbs 10:3)

31  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32  For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. 34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

 

• Do not judge

Matthew 7:1-2,  Luke 6:37,  Mark 4:24  (Isaiah 33:1)

1  “Do not judge, or you will be judged. 2  For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

 

• Do not be a hypocrite

Matthew 7:3-5,  Luke 6:41  (Proverbs 11:9)

3  Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? 5  You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.​​

 

• Do not follow the crowd

Matthew 7:13-14,  Luke 13:22–30  (Exodus 23:2,  Isaiah 35:8)

13  Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14  But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

 

• Beware of and discern false prophets

Matthew 7:15-20,  Luke 6:43–45  (Proverbs 20:11,  Jeremiah 23:16)

15  Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16  By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20  So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.

 

• Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s

Matthew 22:21

21…“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

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• Guard yourself against every form of greed

Luke 12:15  (Psalm 62:10,  Psalm 119:36)

15 … “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

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• Work for food that endures to eternal life

John 6:27  (Proverbs 9:5,  Isaiah 55:2)

27  Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”​​