Grosey's Messages

The golden relationship rule
Its a simple statement,
Matt 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Many religions of the world state a version of the Golden Rule.
Brahmanism: "Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you".
Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful."
Hinduism: "One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself"
Here again, we find that our Lord employed a form of statement quite similar to some sayings then already in existence* Confucius said (Legge's "Chinese Classics," vol. 1), Do not unto others that which you would not they should do unto you."
Socrates said, 'What you are angry at when inflicted on you by others, this do not do to others."
A Greek biographer of Aristotle relates that, being asked how we should behave towards our friends, he answered, " As we should wish them to behave toward us."
The apocryphal book of Tobit 15 has ""What thou hatest, do to no one."
Of the great Rabbi Hillel, who was probably still living at the birth of Christ, the Talmud relates, as showing that he was kind, and not irritable and headlong like Shammai. There is a story of a certain Gentile, who came to Shammai and said, “Make a proselyte of me on this condition, that you teach me the whole law while I stand on one foot! He drove him away with a long staff which he held in his hand. The man came to Hillel, and he made a proselyte of him, saying, "What is hateful to thee, do not do to another. This is the whole law; the rest is explanation of it.' "
Seneca who died A. D. 66, says that the best way to confer a benefit is "to give as we should wish to receive." It will be observed that the sayings of Confucius, lacerates, and the three Jewish teachers are merely negative; that of Seneca is confined to giving, and that of Aristotle to the treatment of friends. Our Lord makes it a rule for positive action, and towards all men; and declares, as Hillel had done, that it is a summary of the entire Scriptures. It is a part of his wisdom that he frequently adopts modes of thought and expressions already well known among men, or which had occurred to some thoughtful mind; while in many cases, as here, he gives them a new or a wider application.
Jesus takes the positive . . . "do" It is easier to not harm someone than to take the positive and do something good toward them. Jesus in few words shows us how our lives are to patterned after God.
And its primarily about relationships. Hey, so is the whole of the sermon on the mount. The whole sermon is about your relationship with the Lord, with you, and with others.
"Cash, check or charge?" the clerk asked. As the woman fumbled for her wallet, the clerk noticed a television remote control in her purse. "Do you always carry your TV remote?" "No, my husband refused to come to the store with me, so I figured this was the most evil legal thing I could do to him." Speaking for all men everywhere, I can tell her that she's right
It's a summary statement.
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Therefore Our verse starts with the word "therefore" and when you see a "therefore" in Scripture you should ask what is it there for!
5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. It’s a summary of the law and the prophets You can take Genesis to Malachi and summarize it in one sentence. "Do unto others that which you would have them do unto you.
It’s a summary of the sermon on the mount. Jesus is summarizing His sermon.
It’s Similar to the Great Commandment
Mark 12:28-31 HCSB One of the scribes approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?" (29) "This is the most important," Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, The Lord is One. (30) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. (31) "The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Gal.5:14).
"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well" (Jas.2:8).
"Let love be without dissimulation [hypocrisy]. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Ro.12:9).
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Ro.13:10).
"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification" (Ro.15:1-2).
Victor Hugo in Les Miserables, said “Life’s greatest happiness is to be convinced that we are loved!”
We want to be loved. We want to be loved. I don't know of anybody that wants to be hated. We want to be loved. We want people to love us. Now you may think you don't, and you may say you don't, but deep down inside when you get alone with nobody but yourself, I think you have to admit, "I wish people loved me." We want to be loved. Secondly, we want to be accepted. We don't want to be outcasts. We don't want to be rejects. We want people to accept us. Now the tragedy is, a lot of times people will do a lot of strange things in order to be accepted. We want to be respected. William James said, "The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."
It's a Strong Statement
Matt 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
"Do ye," is a present imperative verb. It is a continuous action and it is a command of God. Do it, He says. The first Nike commercial in the history of the world, "Just do it." Do it.
1. You Must Show Respect
When God created mankind, He established the law of "reciprocity," which gave man the ability to reap in accordance to what he would sow. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7). This principle of sowing and reaping is both a natural and spiritual law. Its application is universal, whether we’re talking about agriculture, work ethics, our health, our relationship with God, our marriage, or our relationships with each other. The kind of seed sown will determine the kind of harvest yielded. In effect, man’s end-product is determined by what he chooses to sow.
When we consider relationships with people, we discover that they are especially affected by what we sow. Human beings tend to be reactionary creatures; generally we reflect the treatment we receive from others. Our behaviour toward people tends to be the catalyst -- the motivation for how they relate to us. Consequently, treating others with courtesy usually causes them to be courteous to us. Patience and kindness promotes patience and kindness, etc. Ask yourself how you wish to be treated? Would you like to be shown encouragement? Do you want your shortcomings to be treated with tolerance and forgiveness? Do you desire to be shown love and acceptance? Then treat others with the same attitude and consideration that you wish to be shown.
Sociologists say that "friendliness and confidence" are the greatest factors in initiating friendships. The Bible teaches, if you want friends, you must first sow your friendliness into others, and they will respond with friendship. "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly..." (Proverbs 18:24). Be friendly, but don’t over impose yourself upon people. Remember, what we sow is what we reap. If we sow rudeness and inconsiderate behavior, we will likewise reap the results. "Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee" (Proverbs 25:17).

2. You Must Seek To Reconcile (5:21-26)
The rabbis said, "Do not murder, for anyone who murders will be subject to judgment" (v. 21).
Jesus goes much further: "anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (v. 22a). "Anger" here is not thumos, the inevitable human reaction to hurt or harm. Rather, his word is orge--the deliberate choice to continue holding onto your anger, the absolute unwillingness to pardon and move on. "Raca" was an Aramaic term of contempt, a public insult.
"Fool" was the worst insult of the day, meaning a person of no value or character whatsoever.
Now, you are at the altar in the Temple, sacrifice in hand. In our context, you're just about to put money in the offering plate. In my setting, I'm walking up to the pulpit to begin the sermon. And then I remember that someone has something like this against me. Right or wrong, he thinks I have held onto anger, or insulted or harmed him. If anybody has anything against you today, you qualify.
What do we do? Seek reconciliation. Take the initiative. Do it now, before matters get to the judge and the officer and the jail. It will never be any easier than it is today. Take the high road. Take the first step. Make the phone call. Ask for lunch. Write the note. Do it now.
A wise old saint says, "I will never allow another person to ruin my life by making me hate him." With whom do you need to take the initiative this week? Where do you need to seek reconciliation?
When a person is at peace with God, his demeanor is content, joyful and peaceful, not contentious or angry. His nature lends toward peace rather than turmoil. Thus, the sower of a gentle, peaceful attitude tends to defuse hostility and anger. The Bible says, "When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7).
Words are some of the most potent seeds that we can sow. If we sow gentle, peaceful words it will tend to disarm conflict, rather than to provoke trouble. "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger" (Proverbs 15:1)
"By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone" (Proverbs 25:15). "The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself" (Ecclesiastes 10:12).
3. You Must Refuse Retribution. (5:38-42)
Jesus continues: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth'" (v. 38). This is the oldest law in the world, known as the Lex Talionis. It appears in the Code of Hammurabi, dated to 2285 B.C. It is in the Old Testament as well: "If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Exodus 21:23-25).
Before this law, if I wrecked your car you could destroy my house. If I injured your child, you could kill all my children. The original purpose of the law was thus to limit vengeance. Only the one who caused the injury could be punished, not his entire family or tribe. And only to the degree that he has injured another, protecting him from a more powerful enemy. This law did not promote retribution--it limited it.
Now Jesus takes the principle further: "Do not resist an evil person" (v. 39b). Even though you have the right, don't insist upon them. He gives us four examples of his principle at work.
Your honor: "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (v. 39c). "Strikes" in the original means to "slap." The right hand was the only one used in public. To slap your right cheek with my right hand was an insult, not a threat to life and limb. Jesus says, Don't slap back. Someone insults you--don't insult them.
Your possessions: "If someone wants to use you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well" (v. 40). Your "tunic" was your undershirt with sleeves; it could be taken in a lawsuit. Your "cloak" could not, for it protected you from the elements. But give it anyway. Don't insist on your rights.
Your time: "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles" (v. 41). Jesus refers to the power of a Roman soldier to make a Jew carry his military pack for one mile. Carry it two miles. Sacrifice the time, though you don't have to. Do it anyway.
Your money: "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you" (v. 42). As Augustine reminds us, we are not told to give everything we are asked for, but to give to every person who asks. Even though it is your right not to.
Refuse retribution. Stop the cycle of vengeance. Don't repeat the gossip or slander. Refuse to return insult for insult, pain for pain. It has been noted that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is a rapid way to a sightless, toothless world. Two brothers were fighting; when their mother stopped them, the oldest complained, "But he hit me back!" Don't hit back. Stop the cycle of vengeance.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was martyred while practicing these words, said about them, "The Christian must treat his enemy as a brother, and requite his hostility with love. His behavior must be determined not by the way others treat him, but by the treatment he himself receives from Jesus" (The Cost of Discipleship 164).
The whole Bible is summed up in the Golden Rule. Love is the fulfillment of the Law. If you love people as you love yourself you will not murder them, or steal from them, or disrespect them, or lie about them in court or sleep with their wives or covet their goods. You do not need Ten Commandments or 613 regulations from Moses. Instead you need just one - the Golden Rule. If you believe in Jesus and live by this commandment you will be doing all that God ever wants and God will bless you and will answer your prayers.
How are you going at showing practical love to your friends and family and coworkers and church members!
John Wesley took as his motto: “do all the good you can, everyway you can, to all the people you can. Lord make me a blessing to others.
The Golden Rule asks us to be a blessing, an active practical real blessing to the people in our lives, doing to them the exact same things we would like done for ourselves. The Golden Rule invites us to become part of a community of mutual blessing where we do good to others and they in turn do good to us. God is watching us, and listening to us, and observing our attitudes and actions. When He sees us living by the Golden Rule then He blesses us, answers our prayers and opens the windows of Heaven for us. Remember God treats us the exact same way that we treat others, so if we are good to other people, then God will be good to us and - even more so because He has more power to bless than we can ever imagine!
God is preparing us to be part of an eternal community of love and blessing in Heaven. He is making us into people who can give and receive love in large quantities. Love is the true measure of the Christian. How wide and deep and high and long is your love for God and your love for people? Do you treat other people as you would like to be treated or are you impatient, judgmental and critical? The time has come to think about your Christian life and to answer one question:
Is the love of Jesus Christ evident in my lifestyle as I love my neighbor as myself and live by the Golden Rule?
The Golden Rule is not a plan of salvation. If you were to ask some folks, "Are you a Christian?" "Are you saved?" "Do you know you're going to heaven when you die?" And their response will be, "Well, you know, I try to live by the Golden Rule." First of all, they can't do it. And secondly, even if they could, that's not enough. Jesus Christ died on the cross for man's sin, and He is the only Savior of the world, and you cannot be good enough or kind enough of loving enough or accepting enough or respected enough to wash away the sin of your own life. You need Jesus as your Saviour, and then you need to live your life in relationship with other people. Life is about relationships! Its about a relationship with the Lord first, and then with others.
You need to get your relationship with the Lord right first, then you can work on your relationships with other people.
Will you do that right now?