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| Q: | Please explain the words in Matthew 5:19: "Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven." | ||||||
| A: | The first words are a warning not to take any of Scripture's teachings lightly. Some people may think that some of God's commandments are less important than others and so can be ignored. Jesus says anyone who breaks any of his commandments is sinnng. The next words are a warning to those who want to teach God's Word to others and then teach their own ideas that are contrary to what God says. God will hold them responsible for misleading others. James 3:1 indicates that God will judge teachers "more strictly" because they are dealing with the souls of other people. The last words (least in the kingdom) indicate that teachers who mislead others may not lose their salvation. If they still cling to Jesus as their Savior they can be saved. But as 1 Co 3:15 indicates, God will somehow make it clear to those who did not teach pure doctrine what their wrong teachings were ("escaping through flames"). Exactly how they will be the least in God's kingdom the Bible doesn't explain. Perhaps this process of "burning off" their wrong teachings is what is meant. | ||||||
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