Think Evil in Your Hearts - Matthew 9:3-4
Matthew 9:3-4 (KJV): “And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” In the context of Matthew 9:3-4, Jesus told a paralytic man: “thy sins be forgiven thee” (Matthew 9:2 KJV) and the scribes had some thoughts about Jesus making this statement to the paralytic man. The Bible says these scribes said within themselves: “this man blasphemeth” (Matthew 9:3 KJV)! The Blue Letter Bible defines blasphemeth: “rail at or revile” against God. These men were questioning Jesus Christ and His deity and Jesus said to the men: “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” Jesus Christ says if you question His deity it is an “evil thought.”
This is an interesting statement because all worldwide religions have a view of Jesus Christ and His deity. Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet, Bahai believes Jesus was a teacher, Hindus believe Jesus is a teacher, Buddhists believe Jesus was a teacher, Mormons believe Jesus is a created being and the brother of Satan, Jehovah Witnesses believe Jesus is a created being and transformed from the Archangel Michael. If a person thinks Jesus Christ is a prophet, teacher, brother of Satan, angel transformed or any other created being, Jesus says this person has committed “evil” within their heart (thoughts). It is not blaspheming to do or claim Godly action if you are God and Jesus Christ is GOD; yet, religions and people deny the deity of Jesus Christ and call Him “blasphemer” today just like they did 2000 years ago.
There is an attack on Jesus Christ and His deity. Jesus Christ is God from eternity past: “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (John 17:5 KJV); “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24 KJV); and, “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (I Peter 1:20 KJV). Jesus Christ is God and the Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is God. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 KJV). “Immanuel” literally means God with us: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:21-23 KJV). Jesus is called “The Mighty God” and “Everlasting Father:” “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6 KJV). “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:58-59 KJV). “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God” (John 10:28-33 KJV). Just like we just read where individuals questioned Jesus Christ and His deity, we have the same problem today; there is an attack on Jesus Christ and His deity.
The Bible claims Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ Himself claims to be God. Yet, all these religions claim Jesus to be a prophet, teacher, a created being and deny His deity. This is a contradiction and someone is lying -someone has “evil” in their heart. A person cannot look at the Bible and say: “that is a good book” or “Jesus is a good teacher or great prophet” and deny He is God. To say the Bible is a “good book” and “Jesus is a good teacher” and denies Jesus is God is an oxymoron -it contradicts itself. How can people say the Bible is a “good book” when they don’t believe what the Bible says about Jesus Christ? It can’t be a “good book” if a person does not believe what it says. How can people say “Jesus is a good teacher or prophet” and deny Jesus is God because they are calling Jesus a “liar?” How can a “liar” be a “good teacher or prophet?” The fact is: Jesus Christ is not a prophet, teacher, brother of Satan, angel transformed or any other created being -Jesus Christ is GOD!
We have read verses that the Bible claims Jesus is the Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed One, God from eternity past to eternity future. Jesus Christ also makes the claim that He is God: “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand” (John 10:30-39 KJV).
The Bible was written over 1500 years by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:20-21 KJV). God used man to put “pen to paper;” however, it was the Holy Spirit writing through these men and this is why the scriptures are divine. All scripture is God-breathed and infallible: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16 KJV). Truth is the same yesterday, the truth is the same today and the truth is the same tomorrow. Truth is not relative -it does not change. Truth is absolute, it is extreme and cannot be redefined. There can only be ONE TRUTH!
Man calls God a liar (blasphemer) every day because we have religions that testify: “Jesus is a created being,” “Jesus is a transformed being,” “man must partner with God for salvation,” “man is saved by traditions, sacraments, and rituals.” Some religions say: “you can know the Father without knowing the Son” which is a lie! “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” (I John 2:22-24 KJV) The truth is “if you deny the Son, you deny the Father” because the two are one. I John 5:9-14 (KJV) says: “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
Don’t call Jesus Christ a “blasphemer” and deny Jesus Christ died on the Cross for all your sins (past present future), burial and resurrection because only God (Jesus) can make a perfect sacrifice for sin and resurrect from the dead. Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh and became sin for us so we (believers) can live with God for all eternity. I hope you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior.
The Gospel / Plan of Salvation:
The Gospel is Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins (past present future), He was buried and He resurrected the third day to show us the payment for sin is paid in full.
I Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
There is only one way to Heaven and it is the belief in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Lord Savior Jesus Christ was born for one reason and that is to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ does not come to condemn individuals. Jesus Christ comes to save us because we are all Hell doomed sinners without the Blood of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The Bible is very clear Jesus Christ does not come to condemn for we are already condemned.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The Bible is very clear the payment for sin is death; somebody has to die for your sin and this is why Jesus Christ come to this earth.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let me ask you a very simple question. If you could be saved by being water baptized, doing good works, being a good person or following the Ten Commandments, why did the God from Eternity Past, the God from Eternity Future, the Ever Presence Jesus Christ reveal Himself in the flesh and die on the Cross and Resurrect the Third Day?
Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you could earn salvation by doing those things, then Jesus Christ died in vain; but, we know Jesus Christ didn’t die in vain; Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin because He is the Lamb of God and only the Lamb of God makes a perfect sacrifice for sin.
The resurrection is proof God the Father accepted Jesus Christ death payment for sin; death payment of past, present and future sin.
The bible is very clear Jesus Christ comes to saves us from a Hell we deserve to a Heaven we don’t.
People DO NOT go to Hell because they are “bad”, they go to Hell because they believe NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they trust NOT in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they believe NOT that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial and resurrection.
Know that God is gracious to you and He has already died for all your sins (past present future) and He was buried showing all the world He died for your sins and He resurrected showing all the world that Jesus Christ fulfilled what the Father asked Him to do, IT IS FINISHED.
I pray you receive or you believe in Jesus Christ right now for salvation; believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sin, burial, and resurrection.
If you have not believed, what is stopping you right now from believing? God loves you and has already died and resurrected to meet you. Believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, burial, and resurrection and receive the greatest gift ever which is eternal life. Eternal life does not start when you die, eternal life starts the very second you believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Why not trust in Jesus Christ today for salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)
If you know someone who is not saved, forward this message to them and share the greatest gift that one could ever receive.
Lance Edminster
The Good News Voice
Email: thegoodnewsvoice@gmail.com
Once Saved, Always Saved -"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:28-30 KJV)