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Matthew 7

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1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

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.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

   

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Doctrine of Life # 91

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91. It is a common opinion today that to be saved consists in believing this or that which the church teaches, and does not consist in obeying the Ten Commandments, which forbid murder, adultery, stealing and bearing false witness, in a strict sense and in a broader one. For we are told that God regards not works but faith, despite the fact that insofar as someone is caught up in evils, so far he does not have faith (see nos. 42-52 above).

Consider the matter rationally and see whether a murderer, adulterer, thief or false witness can have faith as long as he is caught up a lust for those evils. Consider, too, whether a lust for those evils can be dispersed by any other means than by ceasing to will them because they are sins, that is, because they are hellish and diabolical.

Someone who thinks, therefore, that to be saved consists in believing this or that which the church teaches, and yet remains such as he is, cannot but be a foolish man, according to the Lord’s words in Matthew 7:26.

A church of that character is described as follows in Jeremiah:

Stand in the gate of Jehovah’s house, and proclaim there this word..., “Thus says Jehovah Zebaoth, the God of Israel: ‘Amend your ways and your doings.... Do not trust in lying words, saying, “The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these.”

“ ‘Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely..., and then come and stand before Me in this house which bears My name, and say, “We are delivered, ” when you do...these abominations? Has this house...become a den of thieves...? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, ’ said Jehovah.” (Jeremiah 7:2-4, 9-11)

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.