(Podcast 2.10.21) The Sermon on the Mount: Part Two-The Origin of Sinful Behavior (Matt. 5:13-32)

By: Brian G. Chilton and Curtis Evelo | February 10, 2021

The Sermon on the Mount has challenged people for thousands of years, from every generation, nationality, and worldview. Jesus of Nazareth’s Sermon on the Mount continues to challenge people today. In a world where evangelical Christians are divided over politics, theological conflicts, conspiracy theories, and self-inflicted drama due to nasty Twitter and Facebook posts; it would prove beneficial to step back and evaluate the lifestyle that Jesus calls his disciples to live. In the second episode, Brian and Curtis discuss Jesus’s teaching on the origin of sin. Jesus shows that sin begins with the heart and personal mindset which leads to a person’s behavior.

1. (5:13-16)

A. What does Jesus mean by being salt and light?

B. What happens if we do hold to a proper balance between the two?

2. (5:17-20)

A. How does Jesus fulfill the law?

B. What does Jesus mean by the least and greatest in the kingdom? Isn’t everyone of the same status? How does this help answer Jesus’s rebuke of the Pharisees in verse 20?

3. (5:21-26)

A. How does Jesus clarify and reinterpret lex talionis for the believer?

B. In Jesus’s theology, can a person hold a right relationship with God and hold bitterness and grudges in their heart?

4. (5:27-30)

A. Where does Jesus say that adultery begins?

B. What does Jesus mean by plucking out the eyes and hand?

5. (5:31-32)

A. What is Jesus addressing when he speaks on divorce?

B. Do any exceptions exist that permit divorce and remarriage?

C. Why have people equated divorce with the unpardonable sin?

Brian Chilton: Founder of Bellator Christi Ministries

Brian G. Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com, the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast, and the author of the Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics. Brian is a Ph.D. Candidate of the Ph.D. in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has nearly 20 years of pastoral experience and currently serves as a clinical chaplain.

https://www.amazon.com/Laymans-Manual-Christian-Apologetics-Essentials/dp/1532697104

Curtis Evelo: Co-host and Producer of the Bellator Christi Podcast

Curtis Evelo is a cattle rancher at the E6 Hereford Ranch in St. Ignatius, Montana. Curtis is the co-host and producer of the Bellator Christi Podcast. He often teaches and speaks at his church Cornerstone Faith Center in St. Ignatius. Curtis provides a common-sense approach to Christianity as he contemplates the wonders of God’s creation in Big Sky Country.