THE BEATITUDES ARE THE GREATEST OF ALL COMMANDMENTS YET PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THEM BECAUSE IF THEY DID THERE WOULD BE MANY PEACEMAKERS AND PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE SAYING WE HAVE TO HAVE WAR TO HAVE PEACE. Too Many People Think That What Jesus Said In The Sermon On The Mount Merely A Bunch Of Sayings By A Wise Man. What Jesus said goes much deeper than being just a bunch of sayings by a wise man, because Jesus demonstrated that foolishness of the world was to crucify Him so that He could be the only man to rise from the dead.

Matt 5:1-48, Luke 6:27-36 and John 4:7-21. What do these texts tell us and do they give a fair picture of Christianity?

Harry Riches  answer requested by anonymous

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12)
Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13–16)
The Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17–20)
Concerning Anger (Matthew 5:21–26)
Concerning Adultery (Matthew 5:27–30)
Concerning Divorce (Matthew 5:31–32)
Concerning Oaths (Matthew 5:33–37)
Concerning Retaliation (Matthew 5:38–42)
Love for Enemies (Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 6:27-36)
The water of life is essential (John 4:7-21)

The texts that you mention require much more elaboration than merely annotating the main points. As for giving a fair picture of Christianity, unless people understand the need for new birth and baptism of the Holy Spirit, whatever is presented is merely a superficial offering—unacceptable.

Christianity is unfortunately often viewed through the rituals, rites and traditions of the Roman Catholic, Coptic, and Orthodox churches, or the assumptions of the Calvinists, or the hypocrisy of the many others who claim to be Christians because they were born in a nation that purports to be Christian.

A true Christian walks in the light of the Law and the testimony of the prophets because the Spirit of Lord Jesus Christ abides within the individual.

• But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:9–11)

• But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

• To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)

• And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (Revelation 12:11)

In the above Scriptures, we see nothing about rituals or rites, only the requirements for walking in the light through the power of the Holy Spirit and possessing righteous spirits.

The texts of Matthew 5:1-48, Luke 6:27-36 and John 4:7-21 indicate what one ought to find in the lives of Christians, but they do not clearly state what is required to become a Christian. This would probably require not just the above Scriptures (Romans 8:9–11; 1 John 1:7; Isaiah 8:20; Revelation 12:11) but also what is written in (John 3:1–16). Or what the Apostle Peter preached:

• Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37–38).

Unless we begin at the entrance to the Kingdom of God, understanding the way (Acts 16:17) to the truth that leads to life is rather difficult (John 14:6).

The Only Written Words By The Finger Of God Exist For You To Enjoy Life