Matthew 7:12

If there is one sin that appeared upon earth quickly and frequently, it was murder.

If there is one sin that appeared upon earth quickly and frequently, it was murder. Men like Cain and Lamech make us tremble. Despite the severe punishment of the flood, God thought it necessary to issue this command: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” ().

Men like Cain and Lamech make us tremble.

Despite the severe punishment of the flood, God thought it necessary to issue this command: "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.” ()

The sixth commandment was far from non-essential for Israel, the Old Testament church.

Recall Saul (against David) or Ahab (against Naboth).

The Lord Jesus pointed to the long trail of blood resulting from the killing of the prophets in Israel ().

He himself was killed by the professing people of God at the time (; ),

whereas at that time and in later periods the sad phenomenon appeared of the church committing murder against the church, something that shames us and removes any reason for us to look down on anyone else, no matter who they might be. Church people are by nature still sinful people, something evident from their mutual fighting, which happens repeatedly and continuously.

When our Savior was on earth, the opinion prevailed among the Jews that

everything was fine as long as one never

killed another person,

committed adultery,

stole from anybody,

or the like.

At any rate, that is how the Pharisees thought.

But the Lord Jesus said, "But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.” ()

Indeed, Scripture is full of warnings against an angry heart ( [Cain]; ): "“Do not harbor hatred against your brother. ...” ()

Nor is it sufficient simply if we do not hate our neighbor.

Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (; ; see ).

Only then is the sixth commandment being fulfilled.

Indeed, the law did contain the provision of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” but that regulation was given to the government ().

The Savior said, "But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” ()

He added, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, "so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” ()

Naturally we cannot love everyone in the same manner that children love their parents or spouses love each other.

Loving our neighbor means seeking what is good for him, treating him and his property just as well as we treat ourselves and our own property ().

Making our Lord Jesus entirely correct in saying, "Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” ()

The golden rule is found in some form or other in a variety of religions, mostly in the negative: “Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you.”

Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 172). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity

However, this form leaves sins of omission untouched.

Jesus, however, enunciates the rule in a positive form

Legg, J. (2004). The King and His Kingdom: The Gospel of Matthew Simply Explained (p. 132). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.

Jesus, however, enunciates the rule in a positive form

His followers are to be active in doing good to others.

"Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them...” ()

The following reference to ‘the Law and the Prophets’ takes our minds back to the same phrase in 5:17.

This suggests strongly that what we have here is a rounding off,

not just of the immediately preceding verses,

as a response to God’s good gifts, but of the whole sermon.

v12 acts as a summary of the will of God for our lives that is flexible enough to be applied to other situations

(with the wording.., “whatever” in v12)

We go back to what we’ve heard thus far, that in prayer, There’s a Kingdom that we’re to pray comes.

We’re praying for the will of the Father to be done.

In 6:24, serving God is explained as loving and being devoted to Him.

So when Jesus says in v12 to do to others how you want them to do for you it’s not a rule to obey as a means of winning salvation.

Nor is Jesus saying that we should do this as a matter of self-interest (or manipulation),

in order to have the same done to us.

The Christian must be motivated by gratitude for God’s good gifts (7:11)

and love to the One who has first loved us.

v12 is the natural response of one who understands the blessedness of being a child of God (5:1–12).

So for those who love God, saved by His grace, we’re given a standard which His followers are to obey!

In order that we, believers, may be ready for any emergency, that is,

in order that he may know at any definite moment how to conduct ourselves towards our neighbor,

the Lord here in verse 12 lays down a rule which, as it consists of

measuring one’s duty by one’s self-love,

is like a carpenter’s tape measure, always ready to be used,

even in a sudden situations when there is no time to ask for the advice of a friend or to consult a book.

Now watch this.

In this sermon Jesus directs our attention to God.

I mentioned earlier that Jesus teaches us to pray that God’s kingdom comes and that His will be done.

We’re taught to love and serve Him and we’re taught that our heavenly Father gives good gifts.

Jesus set our attention Godward in many differing angles.

And then in a quick sentence He teaches me that "...whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them...” ()

So quick and concise.

How come there aren’t many points to show me this verse?

Turn over to please.

"“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” "He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. "This is the greatest and most important command. "The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” ()

We need many instructions to teach us and guide us on how to express our love to God!

But when it comes to loving our neighbor only one explanation is needed.

You know how you love to love yourself? Yeah, love your neighbor like that!

No explanation is needed! There is built inside our fallen vessels a passion and inordinate knowledge on how to love ourselves!

Sadly, we can so fix our attention on our own needs and desires that we are hardly aware of the needs of others.

“Love your neighbor as yourself” ().

But we are quick to think first of ourselves, and thus we fail to keep the standard.

Doriani, D. M. (2008). Matthew & 2. (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 289). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

We might wish we could do for others what we ask for ourselves, but we know we cannot keep it up.

Once again, therefore, Jesus’ laws lead us to see our sin and our need for grace.

We simply cannot keep his law.

We cannot stop judging others for their failings.

We cannot keep even the simplest summary of his teaching: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Even though self-love is the measure, it’s not the ground or the principle of our actions.

Self-love is certainly the measure because we automatically know how we want to be treated

but to make it an act of obedience, that’s accepted of God is our ultimate aim!

All moral duties must be done as in and to the Lord, out of the love of God, fear of God, and obedience to His blessed majesty!

"submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.” ()

So it’s not just action that Jesus is after, it’s the right principle of motion that moving in your heart as you act out the command!

What then shall we do?

We return to the first word in our passage.

We must ask God for mercy to forgive and ask him to make us new.

Loving God is inseparably linked to loving others!

"And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister. "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him. "This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands.” ()

So as we think about doing to others as we desire others to do to us, let’s consider two areas.

These two areas are to be applied to those in your immediate sphere.

Spouses, think first of this towards one another and towards your children. Etc.

branching out to your actual brothers and sisters in the body and your actual next door neighbors...

If you love God, you’re to love others too!

First, in Giving.

What you want others to do for you, do also the same for them.

Your heart is never in the right frame unless you take as much delight in doing others good as you do in having others do good to you!

Actually, listen to our Lord’s words from Acts:"...to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”” ()

Why is it more blessed to give? Because it comes nearest the nature of God!

God gives all and takes none!

So as we’re to imitate God in other ways, so also in this area of giving!

All God’s works should leave an impression upon us; His choosing us in Christ

should make us choose Him and

His ways;

His love,

to love Him;

His giving should make us giving.

Usually, whatever measure you mete out to others, it’s returned into your soul by God’s providence.

So you find passages like this:

"Happy is one who is considerate of the poor; the Lord will save him in a day of adversity.” ()

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” ()

Those that only seek to enrich themselves, and

they have, must not expect the like promises. But those which have been merciful, bountiful, and ready to help others, God delights to show them mercy; and when they are most destitute, they shall find that God takes notice of this, that they were ready to relieve others.

sooth themselves with fun and pleasure in the good things they have,

must not expect these types of promises being mercied or saved in a day of adversity!

But those which have been merciful, bountiful, generous, and ready to help others,

God delights to show them mercy; and when they are most destitute,

they shall find that God takes notice of this, that they were ready to relieve others.

Second, in Forgiving.

Do you want others to forgive you?

This is our duty while we’re in this world is to forgive others!

There will be weaknesses and offences which creates the need for mutual forgiveness and pardon!

"bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.” ()

"And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” ()

Since offences do come let us not rigidly camp out upon the failings of others

least others deal that way with you when your turn comes around!

"Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, "for in your heart you know that many times you yourself have cursed others.” ()

The point being is that we shouldn’t be over affected by the ill that others speak of us because we know that we’ve spoken ill of others.

After all, no matter how bad one is, we’ve been just as bad!

"For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.” ()

Even as saved folks, "Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” "For we all stumble in many ways. ...” ()

We cannot keep even the simplest summary of his teaching: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

What then shall we do?

We return to the first word in our passage.

We must ask God for mercy to forgive and ask him to make us new.

Then, Jesus says, it will be given to us.

The Lord will give us his mercy, the forgiveness of our sins.

The same Jesus who laid down all these laws also gave his life for those who would break them.

He will give us his Spirit, so that we might see our neighbor with more of

the eyes of Jesus,

the eyes of love, and

might serve that neighbor and

serve our Lord.

Loving our neighbor means seeking what is good for him, treating him and his property just as well as we treat ourselves and our own property ().

Vonk, C. (2013). Living and Dying in Joy: A Devotional Guide to the Heidelberg Catechism. (J. J. Ballor, Ed., N. D. Kloosterman, Trans.) (pp. 218–219). Grand Rapids, MI: Christian’s Library Press; Paideia Pres