But Wait, There’s More! by Bryant Wright

DESCRIPTIONJesus explains why God’s standards are higher than man’s standards.

You have heard that the ancients were told, "You shall not commit murder," and "Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court." But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, "You good-for-nothing!" shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, "You fool!" shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell (Matthew 5:21–22).

When reading the Ten Commandments, God seems to be quite clear. For example, He tells us that we shouldn’t murder. Most of us breathe a sigh of relief on this one, knowing we’ve never actually killed anyone. However, Jesus has raised the bar. He explains how God’s standards are even higher than man’s. In fact, not only is murder a sin, but thinking about it is also!

Jesus tells us that God weighs whether or not our hearts and our thoughts are in line. If we lose our cool with our families, friends, or coworkers and start calling them names, we’re in danger of hell because we have broken this commandment on murder! That may seem unfair, but Jesus is clear. God doesn’t just judge us by our actions, but by our thoughts and hearts’ desires.

Now who among us can pass that test? None of us. Fortunately, Jesus has paid your penalty. Once you turn your life over to Him, He gives you His priceless gift of forgiveness. Jesus’ teaching on the Ten Commandments reminds us that we all are in need of a Savior.