February 2026: The Paradox of Christian Living

Published on 02/01/2026 by Dr-Shirley-Cheng.

What do the sun, a lighthouse, a police officer, and a Christian have in common?

They all shine as beacons of light, providing warmth, guidance, warning, and exposing darkness. The sun brings warmth and delight, a lighthouse aids and guides, and a police officer maintains order by warning and disciplining offenders. Like these lights, a Christian should shine forth as the light of the world, and we will now study exactly how.

Matthew was a Gospel writer who zoomed in on several of Jesus' discourses and teaching sessions. The most well-known lesson that Jesus taught is what we dub "the sermon on the mount," for he delivered it on a mount of Galilee. No other Gospel records this discourse. Luke recorded a sermon that sounds similar but is apparently given on a different occasion, as Jesus gave some of the same or similar lessons to various groups at different places. He preached wherever he journeyed with his band of disciples. He's what we'd call an "itinerant preacher" as opposed to a pastor who operates or teaches from the same location weekly.

The similar sermon of Jesus which Luke recorded is found in Luke 6:20-49. Though it's a different sermon from the sermon on the mount, we'll study it also since it has many of the same teachings. It's been dubbed "the sermon on the plain" since Jesus delivered it on a plain in Galilee.

The "Be Attitudes"

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8, WEB)

Multitudes--from Jews in Jerusalem to gentiles from as far as Syria--flocked to Jesus in Galilee. Among them were people tormented by their illnesses and by demons, and they sought to touch him, for power went out of him to heal them all.

Seeing the great crowds, Jesus went up on a mount and sat down to teach, as Rabbis usually taught sitting. His disciples then gathered about him to listen to the Word of God. Not all of his disciples were believers. "Disciples" simply refers to "students." Disciples had the freedom to choose which teachers they wished to learn from or follow. During Jesus' ministry, disciples came and went. Those who heeded his teachings remained with him to the end and became genuine believers, while those who failed to grasp his teachings left him and rejected him as the Messiah.

Jesus began his teaching by describing those who will be blessed by God:

a) The poor in spirit: They recognize their spiritual poverty and thirst after spiritual fulfillment. They look for joy not in materialism but in the spiritual, namely in a relationship with Yahweh. The Kingdom of heaven will be theirs to finally quench their spiritual thirst.

b) Those who mourn: They are the ones who mourn over their sins and the sinful condition of the world. They are repentant and contrite, hating the offenses they commit against God and fellow humanity. They shall be comforted, for God will forgive them of their sins and welcome them into an everlasting fellowship with Him in His eternal Kingdom.

c) The gentle: The gentle are the meek who esteem or honor others more than themselves. They understand that they are finite and sinful beings who need the same mercy as anyone else, so they are not puffed up with pride. They will inherit the Earth in the Kingdom of God.

d) Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness: They love what is right and pursue after righteousness. They yearn for a world where Yahweh's righteousness reigns. They shall be filled and drink up God's righteousness when He sets His Kingdom over Earth.

e) The merciful: They show mercy to those who have wronged them. They understand that when they have received mercy from God for their own sins, it's only right that they extend mercy to others. They shall obtain divine mercy when Yahweh judges the world and forgives them of all their sins.

f) The pure in heart: They are sincere seekers after God. They do not have any hidden motive or agenda when they worship Him. They do good with pure intentions, and show love to others truly without hypocrisy. They shall see the pure God whom they worship. They will enjoy a sacred fellowship with Him in His Kingdom.

g) The peacemakers: They strive to make peace and avoid conflict whenever possible. However, they do so without compromising biblical principles or precepts. For instance, if they are insulted or slighted, they keep quiet rather than insult back. They shall aptly be called the children of the God of peace. It will be like Father, like son or daughter.

h) Those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: They are despised by the dark world because they are righteous, and despite being hated and persecuted, they remain righteous. The Kingdom of God shall be theirs. They will obtain the prize for which they have fought the good fight of faith.

We call this section of blessings the "beatitudes," which derives from the Latin word, "beatus," meaning "blessed." Personally, I think of them as "be-attitudes"--the attitude and attributes that we are to "be" or bear as Jesus' disciples.

In the sermon on the plain, Jesus blessed:

a) The poor: These may refer to those believers who are living in natural poverty, having less than others do. Though they are poor materially, they have the most enduring inheritance: the Kingdom of God. Or they may be the same as "the poor in spirit."

b) The hungry: They may be the same as those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. This may also include those believers who have a lack of food. Jesus promised in Matthew 6:33 that our needs will be met when we seek after God's Kingdom and His righteousness first. So the hungry, those who hunger after righteousness, whether or not they lack food, shall be filled.

c) Those who weep now: They are the same as those who mourn over their sins. They will laugh in the Kingdom of God, for their sins will have been completely forgiven, and they'll enjoy everlasting bliss with their God.

The Paradox of Divine Joy

To his disciples, Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

Similarly, Jesus said in the sermon on the plain, "Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets." (Luke 6:22-23)

At this early stage of Jesus' ministry, most, if not all, of his disciples would not have experienced much persecution, if any at all. But Jesus knew that the time of persecution would surely come, and he was preparing his disciples for that time. He exhorted them to remain strong by reminding them of the blessings that lie ahead, beyond their pending persecution.

Every true disciple of Jesus needs to expect persecution. Persecution is to be expected when we do righteousness in this evil world for Jesus' sake. Since the dark world hates the light, then the world will persecute any "light bearer" of God's light.

When we are being insulted, mocked, falsely accused of wrongdoing, or even physically harmed simply for being the disciples of Jesus by those who hate righteousness, then we are to rejoice because our reward will be great. While we should not pursue after righteousness for the sake of rewards, we are nevertheless encouraged to stay strong in our faith and righteousness in the midst of persecution by looking ahead to our future blessing. When we are being persecuted, we should remind ourselves that such persecution won't last forever. What will last forever is God's Kingdom, which we shall inherit so long as we remain strong and not bend under the pressure of persecution and renounce our faith in Christ.

While being persecuted, we should recall the faithful prophets of old who endured intense persecution and remained strong despite it. We are to mirror their ways and not give up. Like them, we shall be rewarded in due time. Our treasure will be eternal, whereas our persecution, however severe, is temporal.

The Woes of the World

After identifying the blessed people, Jesus turned to speak woes against certain people. Woes will befall:

a) The rich: They are those who trust in their riches rather than in God. Many of them are greedy, and their greed drives them to commit sins such as extortion and oppression to accumulate wealth. Their earthly riches will be their only consolation. They will perish together with their worldly treasures. Wealth in itself is not sinful, so being rich is not sinful; but it becomes a sin when you trust in your wealth rather than in God and use your wealth unjustly.

b) Those who are full now: They indulge themselves and satisfy their own needs rather than caring for the needs of others. They will be hungry, for what they truly need--spiritual fulfillment--will not be given them.

c) Those who laugh now: They live carelessly in the world and sin all they want without feeling mournful over their iniquities. They see life as a party with no divine morality to govern them. They live by their own standards and rules. They shall mourn and weep when God's fiery wrath falls upon them.

d) Those whom people speak well of: They are the popular people among society who gain man's favor by condoning the wicked deeds of the people. The dark world loves those who speak well of it and thus returns the favor by showering praise upon them. The false prophets of old were those whom the Jews' ancestors loved because these prophets told them what the people wanted to hear instead of rebuking them for their sins. What happened to those false prophets? They were forever condemned. So the same fate will fall on those whom the world loves.

If the world loves us, then we must be concerned because it shows that we're acting more worldly than Christ-like! If we are Christ-like, we would be persecuted, not praised. Rest assured, those who are loved by the world will not be loved by God or Christ. Remember, by the "world," we're talking about the people supporting ungodly systems and opposing God's system.

The Light and Salt of the World

Jesus compared his disciples to salt and light, saying, "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)

Why did Jesus say that his disciples are the salt and light of the world? What do his disciples have in common with salt and light? Let's consider salt first.

Salt serves several purposes: it spices up dishes, preserves food, soothes a sore throat, and disinfects, among other functions. For instance, adding just a tiny bit of salt to food can make all the difference to our taste buds, and before the refrigerator was invented, people used salt to preserve food and many still do today.

Being the salt of the world therefore entails:

a) Preserving the world from moral decay by teaching, rebuking, and setting righteous examples for others to follow

b) Disinfecting the world of sins by preaching the Word of God and repenting of sins ourselves

c) Bringing "good taste" (joy, comfort, hope and meaning) to other people's lives with the truths of God

In Jesus' day, salt could lose its saltiness, for their salt was a mixture of salt and other minerals. Such salt could be diluted or degrade due to moisture, leaving only tasteless particles behind, rendering it useless, so it was thrown away. Jesus warned his disciples not to lose their own saltiness; if they did, they would be good for nothing.

We lose our "saltiness" when we no longer affect the world as we should. We lose our effectiveness by adopting the ways of the world, by allowing the world to negatively influence us so we become more pagan than Christ-like. If we lose our saltiness entirely--if we become exactly like the wicked world--then our end would be as the salt that lost its saltiness--thrown onto the street. This speaks of the point of no return, a point that only God determines, a point we don't ever want to cross. So to remain salty, we must not mirror the ways of the world. We're to remain set-apart from the world, not be like the world, even though we live in the world.

Now, let us consider the light. The natural light provides warmth and guidance and exposes what's in the dark. The sun brings warmth and delight, a lighthouse aids and guides, and a flashlight exposes what is hidden in a closet.

Like these lights, a Christian should shine forth as the light of the world by:

a) Teaching and providing guidance with the Bible so people can be directed to do righteousness, be comforted by God's Word, gain eternal life, and most importantly, enjoy a sweet fellowship with their Father in heaven

b) Giving correction and rebuking the sins of others

c) Leading people to the ultimate light: God and Jesus, so they can bring honor to and fellowship with the Father and the Son

We must shine forth brightly and not hide our light. We hide our light when we fail to do good works that glorify God, when we fail to speak out against something that's immoral or unjust, when we do not rebuke a friend for their sin, or when we do not spread the gospel. Hiding our light makes us ineffective workers. What good is a lamp if we put it under a bed or in a closet? A light is meant to be brought out in the open so that it brightens the whole surrounding. As the world's light, we are to beam with good works, so people can see God in us and glorify God.

Are you reflecting the light of God? When people observe your lifestyle, can they say of you, "You must be of God, otherwise no one could be so loving or kind or generous! God must be good since His people are so good"?


~*~ Q&A with Dr. Shirley ~*~

Question: What qualities should Christian elders or church leadership possess?

Answer: Paul instructed his spiritual son, Titus, "I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking, and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you; if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior. For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him." (Titus 1:5-9, WEB)

Paul assigned Titus the task of building an orderly Christian community in Crete with godly leadership so that the new Christians there could properly mature spiritually. Crete is a Greek island in the Mediterranean Sea. Formerly, it's known as Candia. According to the Strong's Concordance, Crete is "the largest and most fertile island of the Mediterranean archipelago or Aegean Sea." The book of Acts does not mention Paul founding any Christian assembly on this island, so it's quite likely that the Cretans accepted the Gospel by hearing other evangelists or apostles. Though the new Cretan Christians were not his spiritual children in this sense, Paul rightly perceived that it's his duty to help them grow in their faith, and he entrusted this task to Titus. When we see a need, we ought to meet it when we can, especially if we're in leadership.

A major part of Titus' job was to appoint elders in every city of Crete to oversee the Christians. Paul set down the criteria for each and every elder, and such criteria apply to all modern church leaders.

Every elder should be blameless. This does not mean that elders are required to be sinless since the state of sinlessness is impossible prior to our resurrection or transformation at Jesus' return. Being blameless means that the elder must do their very best with divine empowerment in living a life above reproach. Being blameless entails:

a) Not being self-pleasing or self-willed but putting other people's interests above one's own: Elders should aim to please God and do what's best for others rather than going out of their way to please themselves. God's will should be their will. Their mission is to know and do God's will, rather than pursuing their own will that contradicts God's will.

b) Not being easily angered: Elders must keep their cool in the face of criticism or rebellion. God is slow to anger, and as His stewards, elders must be likewise.

c) Not given to wine: Elders must keep a clear head at all times to make the correct decisions and formulate appropriate plans and execute those plans properly. To do all this, they must be able to think clearly and avoid any substance such as alcohol that could impair their judgment.

d) Not being violent: This is a no-brainer

e) Not going after dishonest gain: Elders must be honest people who accept no bribe to pervert justice, nor should they oversee God's flock for personal profit. Instead, elders should oversee Christians because they want to out of love for the people. Their love for God's flock proves that their love for God and Christ is genuine.

f) Being hospitable: Elders should open their hearts and their homes to those who are in need by providing what others need, be it advice, food, clothing, or lodging.

g) Loving what is good: This is the key to living a blameless life. Elders should not do good grudgingly or simply as an obligation. Rather, they must sincerely love what is good and their love will automatically motivate them to do good. It's only when we love something will we eagerly do it and do it well.

h) Being sober-minded: "Sober" means serious, temperate, clearheaded, and sensible. If a community is facing crises and everyone is going haywire, it's the elders who must keep the situation under control by staying sober. Their soberness itself will calm other people down so they can think clearly rather than letting their emotions run the day.

i) Exercising justice: Elders must administer equity to everyone, showing no partiality to anyone. Regardless of one's social status, age, gender, race or background, elders must treat people fairly.

j) Holiness: Elders are sanctified or set-apart people of God who are assigned the duty to oversee God's flocks. They must keep this in mind as they exercise their responsibilities and not stray from holiness or from the God who sanctifies them.

k) Self-control: Elders must restrain or keep in check their negative emotions, thoughts, desires, words or actions. They are to be responsive rather than reactive. In other words, they must not react to problems with emotional outbursts but respond to problems with decisive plans or solutions.

Before a man is assigned as an elder to oversee a Christian community, his family or household must be considered. Is he the faithful husband of only one wife? Does he oversee his family well? Do his children live out their faith in God and behave properly? If not all the answers are "yes," then he is unfit to be an elder. If he cannot rule his household well, restrain his children from unruly behavior or restrain his own sexual appetite, how can he properly lead God's sheep? He must be a good head over his family before he can be a good head of God's people.

Finally, elders must faithfully hold on to the Word of God, all that God teaches through His Son Jesus and His other Spirit-filled servants. This way, they will be able to instruct others soundly and rebuke anyone who goes astray or contradicts them.

Though this passage deals with elders of the local church, the traits that are required of them are model traits for all Christians to mirror, as we're to imitate those who imitate Christ. So regardless of which position we may hold in life, we must strive to live a life above reproach, to live up to our positions as the sons and daughters of God! When He is holy, then we are to be holy as well!

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

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