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MATTHEW 5:1, 2

RULES FOR INTERPRETATION FOR SERMON ON MOUNT

I. DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTER NOT CODE OF ETHICS OR LAW.
        A. Letter and Spirit.
                1. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
                2. If you find yourself arguing with the message, you are
                   wrong or your interpretation is wrong.
                3. If our interpretation makes an injunction, looks
                   ridiculous, then interpretation wrong.
                4. If you regard any injunction as impossible to live by,
                   interpretation wrong.
                5. Beatitudes (the Christian man, his essential features
                   and characteristics).
                6. Blessed or happy.
                7. World seeking happiness in such a way that can only
                   bring misery.
                8. Anything that by evading the difficulties only makes
                   people happy for the time being, only adds to misery.
                9. Deceitfulness of sin seems to offer happiness, leads to
                   unhappiness.

II. DESCRIPTION OF EVERY CHRISTIAN MEANT TO BE.
        A. Not lust some special Christians.
        B. We are to manifest all of these characteristics.
                1. Not only for all, but all to manifest all.
                        a. Not right to say some meek or poor in spirit,
                           etc.
                2. When perfect in Him, we will all fulfill all.
                        a. In this world we see variations.
                                1. Not condoning, just recognizing.
                3. One follows other, poor in spirit, mourn, etc.
        C. None of these descriptions refer to ocitural tendencies.
                1. All dispositions of grace by Holy Spirit emphasize.
                2. Some appear to be naturally poor in spirit, these not
                   described here.
                        a. "I know a person who does not claim to be a
                           Christian."
        D. These descriptions define difference between Christian and
                non-Christian.
                1. Different in what we admire.
                        a. Poor in spirit.
                        b. Self determined master of fate.
                2. Difference in what we seek.
                        a. Hunger and thirst after wealth, power, etc.
                3. Different in what we do.
                        a. Non-Christian lives for this world.
        E. Christian and Non-Christian belong to two different realms.
                1. "Kingdom of heaven."