"Take heed that you do not do your chari-
table deeds before men, to be seen of them.
Otherwise, you have no reward from your
Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a
table deeds before men, to be seen of them.
Otherwise, you have no reward from your
Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a
charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet
before you as the hypocrites do in the syna-
gogues and in the streets, that they may have
glory from men. Assuredly, I say unto you,
they have their reward." Matthew 6: 1-2
before you as the hypocrites do in the syna-
gogues and in the streets, that they may have
glory from men. Assuredly, I say unto you,
they have their reward." Matthew 6: 1-2
******************************************
I would recommend reading all 34 verses
of the 6th chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
of the 6th chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
This part of the Sermon on the Mount has to
do with the blessing of our Lord on his children
based on a principle much neglected in our cul-
ture today. This simple, but profound principle
of life has to do with our actions and motives.
Although we do the seeming right thing, if there
is an ulterior motive, we will not be blest of God
for the act. If we make a display of "righteous"
acts, our Lord has stated; He will not bless the
action.
If we think to gain materially by doing good,
we have no blessing. Our motive must be pure in
each case, if we expect to be blessed of our Lord
in this life or the next.
do with the blessing of our Lord on his children
based on a principle much neglected in our cul-
ture today. This simple, but profound principle
of life has to do with our actions and motives.
Although we do the seeming right thing, if there
is an ulterior motive, we will not be blest of God
for the act. If we make a display of "righteous"
acts, our Lord has stated; He will not bless the
action.
If we think to gain materially by doing good,
we have no blessing. Our motive must be pure in
each case, if we expect to be blessed of our Lord
in this life or the next.
So, there is a principle in these two verses. It
applies to more than charitable deeds. As we go
further in the chapter we find it applies to our
prayer, our self-denial, and fasting. It is critical,
as we give, pray or fast, that one does it in secret.
This prevents any performance of the actions or
deeds to impress others. Everything we do is in
view of our heavenly Father. He responds to our
good deeds and the result of our actions is always
in Him. It is better to be blessed of God than to be
rewarded of mankind. I love the KJV language in
this passage that says, "...and thy Father which
seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." In each
case the deed must be performed secretly for the
the Lord to recognize it as worthy. Whether the
blessing from our Lord is openly or not, is hardly
critical. There is also the consideration of whether
the blessing is temporal or eternal. Any blessing
from our Lord may be eternal in nature, but some
have temporal elements. Here we come to the
realization that all temporal blessings may be fine,
but the eternal is what we are all about in Christ.
There is one other critical element in this equation:
"But without faith it is impossible to please him,
for he that cometh to him must believe that He is
and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him."
Hebrews 11:6
donporter 7.03.14
http://biblicalclarity-don.blogspot.com/2012/09/
blessed-is-manpsalms-1.html
http://biblicalclarity-don.blogspot.com/2013/05/
and-thy-father-which-seeth-in-secret.html
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