19:16
We are not to slander anyone. Sadly this is a common political tactic, either to spread falsehoods about a person, or to bring up stuff from many years ago which can be used to embarrass them. Nor are we to do anything that endangers our neighbours life. How we live has an effect on the lives of others, so we need to be careful how we live. It is not just about me!
19:17
The attitude of our heart is not just a New Testament thing. The Sermon on the Mount did not actually contain much that was radically new, rather it gave a proper interpretation of the Law. The attitude of our heart was important in the Law. We should also note that “heart” is not just about feelings, but is the decision centre. It then tells us to rebuke our neighbour frankly. People will do things against us, or that cause us harm in one way or another. There is a tendency to hide these things, while harbouring vengeful thoughts in our minds. The pseudo-Christian response is to pretend these things don’t matter. The proper Biblical response is to deal with them openly.
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