Kingdom Living Part 3 - Heart Behind the Law
In Part 3 of our Kingdom Living series, we step deeper into Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:17–48 and uncover a truth that changes everything—God is not after outward perfection, but inward transformation.
Jesus didn’t come to fix behavior—He came to transform hearts. In this episode, we explore what’s beneath the surface and how true Kingdom living begins within.
Diana’s Notes
Series: Kingdom Living Part 3
Hello Everyone! Welcome to Heartfelt Conversations With Diana! As we continue with part 3 in our series on Kingdom Living!, The Heart Behind the Law: From Behavior to Heart Transformation
Let’s take a brief recap of our conversation in part 2 of the Kingdom Living series. We moved from the inward transformation of the Beatitudes, part 1 & into the outward impact of Jesus’ call to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, part 2. (Matthew 5:13–16).
Jesus doesn’t call us to blend into the culture around us—He calls us to influence it.
We unpacked how Kingdom living is not about striving to behave better, but about allowing God to transform our hearts so deeply that His life begins to flow through us. When that happens, we naturally begin to preserve what is good, bring life into dry places, and shine hope into the darkness.
Through practical examples, honest reflection, and biblical truth, we explored:
What it means to be the “salt of the earth” and how believers preserve and add value in a broken world
How to remain distinct without becoming disconnected
What it looks like to be the “light of the world” in everyday moments
Why influence is not about performance—but about staying close to Jesus
This episode encouraged us to stop striving and start abiding—because true Kingdom influence flows from a heart that has been transformed by Christ.
“Everything in our lives and in our relationship with the Lord begins in our hearts. Our heart is the central part of us. It’s our personal headquarters. God doesn’t want us to allow anything to hinder our hearts - fear, doubt, busyness, hatred, anger, strife, or any other troublesome thing. In addition, the Lord wants our hearts to stay clear and free from condemnation. That’s because our heart is the place from which we communicate with God, and it’s the place He speaks to within us. No wonder God told us to guard it!”
This is a quote from Valley’s Founding Pastor, Beth Jones, and it is taken from her Getting A Grip On The Basics Of Prayer workbook.
And I 100% agree with that statement she made.
I spent a lot of time going through deep personal healing and restoration with the Lord, and most of the healing I needed came from a broken and contrite heart. In other words, I finally got to the end of myself and became gratefully aware of how reliant I am on God’s loving mercy. And because I am so aware of everything He has brought me through, I willingly lay down my way and choose His, knowing from experience, it will lead to a smoother, better-paced road for me.
The whole point of the Sermon on the Mount was a message of personal healing for our hearts, really.
If we can discover God’s truth for our complete healing and wholeness meant for us today by getting out of our heads and taking the necessary time to heal our hearts, then we will have done well for ourselves and hopefully the people in our scope of influence.
Jesus knows that if we can deal with and overcome the hidden things in the dark, the things that lie beneath the surface, and learn to follow Him through them, or overcome them, or face them, then our own hearts will no longer condemn us. We won’t believe we are unworthy of good things, we won’t allow our own imperfections to keep us from God’s goodness. We will learn that we don’t earn a clean, clear heart; it is by God’s grace that we receive.
Ephesians 2:8: (AMP) For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God;
Maybe you are angry with God or have a misunderstanding of Who God is, how He feels about you because of your past, but maybe if we can all be honest with our own selves, maybe the reason our path has been so hard, maybe the reason we have unanswered prayers maybe the reason for all the cloudy, rainy days in our lives is not because God is against us, but maybe, without realizing it or maybe it has been completely intentional, but maybe just maybe, we have some things laying quietly in our hearts.
Pastor Beth goes on to say in her book, “If there is anyone or anything that is causing your heart to feel condemned, why not take a few moments to clear that up before the Lord.”
So with that in mind, let’s begin part 3 of our conversation today about what those things are that lie beneath the surface: You know, the things that trip us up, cause us to stumble and lose our balance in life.
As Jesus moves from external obedience to heart transformation.
Jesus moves beyond surface-level legalism to address the "things beneath the surface"—the hidden, internal attitudes that drive human behavior.
That condemns our own hearts.
He challenges us and encourages us through His teachings to be able to recognize that inner transformation is achieved not by trying harder to follow rules, but through a fundamental shift in our personal relationship with God, and to be humble enough to recognize that we may need to go through a reorientation of the heart.
I know as a young person, we think we can skip going to orientation, skip the beginning steps, when entering into a higher level of education, but when we skip the basic things ( in any part of life), we miss out on beginning with a strong foundation.
Orientation is meant to build confidence, independence, and essential skills. Orientation, learning, training, and development can provide critical knowledge on expectations, which will actually reduce anxiety, and we might get connected to much-needed resources and development. Being oriented to a new standard, a new level, sets a foundation for long-term success.
Jesus is letting us know that unless we actually put into practice His orientation ( the Sermon on the Mount), we will not have the basics we need to live the Kingdom Life as Christians we are meant to live. This is what usually causes us to go down paths of frustrations, anxieties, disillusionment, and distrust.
A lack of knowledge and a lack of practice in this new lifestyle will lead to eventual decay, unfulfillment, and a life that feels less than successful; an ineffective, unproductive, futile, and fruitless life!
Who wants that?? Not me! Hopefully, not you either!!
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus does something that probably shocked everyone listening. He doesn’t just talk about behavior— He starts talking about the heart behind the behavior. He goes beneath the surface.
So let's pick up in the book of Matthew, and look at some of the things that are beneath the surface as Jesus moves into teaching on the LAW
Matthew 5:17–48: (NLT)
17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Rather than lowering the bar when it came to the Old Testament law and abolishing it, Jesus came to fulfill all of the laws, a burden we would never be able to satisfy. Jesus did it for us!
Then, He goes on to talk about anger and lust, revenge, divorce, and loving our enemies. Picking up in verse 21-
Teaching about Anger
21 “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.
23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, 24 leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny. i
Jesus says it’s not just about murder. It’s about anger. It’s about resentment. It’s about what we are saying in our hearts about other people.
And I don’t know about you, but sometimes my mind is quick to jump on the bandwagon of criticism!
Because you can look like you’ve got it all together, and still be carrying around frustration, bitterness, and offense on the inside.
I was angry with my mom for many years. Many unnecessary years. I allowed wounds and hurts from my youth to carry over into decades of my life, and because I did not want to deal with all of the hurt and sorrow and pain, I tried to bury it all. Bury the pain I felt as a child, while burying the pain of losing my child.
Nothing we bury remains buried. I hope you know that, if you are going through any form of denial right now. As hard as it might be to deal with the stuff we hide under the surface, I promise you that if you will trust God to go through it with you, then you will have the strength, peace, and grace to get through it to the other side. And when you look back one day, I know that I know, you will be so thankful that you did it!
It isn’t just about the “big act” of murder. Jesus is trying to help us understand that our emotions lead to actions. It is about what takes root in our hearts.
The Roots of Anger and Murder:
Jesus knows that a person doesn’t just go out and commit an act of murder. But when there is a deeper dive behind the scenes, usually, there are other root causes leading up to the act of murder.
Like uncontrolled anger, resentment, and contempt for others.
Then he goes on with teaching about Adultery, defining that lust is adultery in the heart.
27 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
Jesus addresses The Roots of Lust and Adultery: Jesus states that looking at someone with lustful intent is equivalent to adultery in the heart, highlighting that the desire exists before the action.
He says it’s not just about adultery— it’s about what we allow our eyes and thoughts to dwell on.
Because sin doesn’t start with action, it starts with what has our attention.
What has our attention? Who has our attention? The bible tells us to “guard our hearts,” and this teaching from Jesus is all about that. If we are learning to guard our hearts and who is at the center of our hearts, then we will be well on our way to witnessing the transformation of our own lives!
Proverbs 4:23: (NLT) Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life
What Jesus is showing us is this:
The issue isn’t just what we do… It’s what’s driving what we do.
Then we go into the topic of divorce and vows
Teaching about Divorce
31 “You have heard the law that says, ‘A man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce. ’ “ 32 But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery.
Jesus is teaching that marriage comes down to faithfulness. Being faithful in relationships goes beyond physical monogamy. Faithfulness includes our emotional integrity, our mental dedication, and what we are doing to build up trust throughout the marriage. Maintaining sexual exclusivity, keeping emotional bonds focused on your partner, communicating openly, staying consistent, and making loyal choices when your partner is not present.
Teaching about Vows
33 “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ 34 But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. 35 And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36 Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. 37 Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
Here, Jesus is teaching us to have integrity with our speech and what we say. Do we have a habit of making plans and then canceling them at the last minute? Can people count on our word? Do we align our speech, our words, with God’s word? Do our words line up with our actions, and do our actions line up with our beliefs?
Teaching about Revenge
38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.
Jesus isn’t saying to go pluck out your eye or go around letting people slap ya a good one across the face. He is saying for us to learn to love with the same type of radical love that God loves us with. Maybe rather than seeking revenge, we ask God to give us the grace and wisdom we need to handle the situation. We are led by our spirit, our heart, not our anger or self- righteous attitudes.
Teaching about Love for Enemies
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor ’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies!r Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Jesus challenges believers to love their enemies, to show they are children of God. The point of Jesus going through all of these laws was simply to expose our need for a Savior. We simply don’t have a holy nature naturally! Lol Ya know! It is only because of Jesus, the work He did on the cross, that gives us the strength, desire, and ability to love others as we would want to be loved. Or to treat others the way we would want to be treated. Not when others are being nice to us, but in spite of how others behave
Because of who we are in Christ!
Basically, Jesus is telling us, we can’t just clean up bad behavior… We are in need of a full heart renovation. And let me tell you… Sometimes a heart renovation feels like a full-blown construction job with no warning! LOL Have you ever been involved in renovating a bathroom, a sunroom, or maybe an entire house? God bless you if you are right now! LOL But who knows that sometimes what seems like a little work will need to be done, turns into a project we never saw coming! The work is longer, harder, and typically more costly than we anticipated, but if we don’t lose our cool and just do the work, little by little, we see progress, and then one day, it is like, “Oh my goodness, I just love it!” It was so worth it, and you soon forget all the torture you just went through! LOL
The Pharisees focused on outward perfection. Jesus is focused on inward transformation.
One says, “Look right, dress right.”
The other says: “Be made right.”
By focusing only on outward behavior, the Pharisees found "loopholes" to avoid the law's true intent. We do that sometimes, don’t we? Look for the loophole in something.
Especially in God’s word, if we don’t like what it says. I lived in such an arrogant way towards God’s word for so long. Trying to update or upgrade the Bible so it was more “relevant” to our modern world. Did we not think that if God is indeed God, He wouldn’t have been smart enough or creative enough or powerful enough to prepare for every generation?
Our biggest failure is to not fully trust and obey God, especially when we don’t understand. I have learned the hard way that when I obey, eventually, not always, but eventually down the road, I will say “thank you Lord, for helping me to listen and follow Your word because otherwise, I would be in a big mess right now!”
Ultimately, Jesus taught that true righteousness is not something humans can earn through effort alone; it is a gift "imputed" or credited to those who have faith in him. While the Pharisees used the law to build a "smokescreen" of holiness, Jesus used it as a mirror to show the need for a new heart.
And I can tell you from the work I have had to do in my own life that God didn’t just come in and fix my broken behavior.
First, He somehow gently and tenderly began drawing me closer to Him. Then, together, we began dealing with my attitude towards others, my reactions to Him and to others, because I was reacting out of anger from a profoundly broken heart. And when I grew stronger in trusting Him with my attitude and my behavior and with the basic day to day stuff of life, then as my trust in Him grew, and as our bond together grew, eventually one day, I was strong enough to begin dealing with the real pain, my undealt with pain from the death of my daughter and all the guilt and shame I carried in me, about my own self, the things I didn’t even realize were driving my life.
Jesus was then able to gently and lovingly guide me down a path of healing that, if I had not dealt with some of the other hidden things first, I would never have been able to walk this road. He knows what steps we need to take first. We think we do, but believe me, we don’t.
What are we building our lives on, our future?.
Jesus is teaching that righteous living can only flow out from a changed heart, rather than just keeping the law outwardly; that inner transformation is achieved not by trying harder to follow rules, but through a fundamental shift in one's relationship with God and a reorientation of the heart.
God is not after perfection in your performance— He’s after transformation in your heart.
And that takes time! Life is a journey.
Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians that it is God’s grace that reveals within us a new identity, that we are a "new creation" in Christ. Righteousness is no longer earned through "works of the law" but is received as a free gift through faith.
2 Corinthians 5:17:(NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
It's all about our hearts.
My greatest hope is that each and every single one of us comes to a deep, personal, and intimate revelation of who God is. Who is he to you? So no one can ever steal your joy, your confidence, your peace, your position as God's child ever again!
To know that you know that you know whose you are, where you will spend eternity, and the inheritance you possess right now. But we must rise up and seize it!
Let’s trust the Lord to help us overcome the things that might be lying beneath the surface as we learn the real heart behind the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount.
So with that! Let’s wrap up today. Next time we will be discussing: Trusting God instead of living anxious, performance-driven lives.
Until then, I left the link to Pastor Eric‘s message: Combatting a Critical Spirit. Check it out and today’s notes on -
remember—sit with the Shepherd, trust His Word, choose Beatitudes over attitudes. Preserve and Illuminate. Live with a transformed heart!
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Psalms 118:24:(NLT)
See ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Sermon on the Mount: Combatting a Critical Spirit | Pastor Eric Jones
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Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You:
Phil Wickham, Jamie MacDonald - Flowers (with Jamie MacDonald) [Official Lyric Video]
Phil Wickham, Crowder - It Really Is Amazing Grace (Performance)
Phil Wickham - Psalm 8 (Hallé) [Official Lyric Video]
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Matthew 7:11:Soifyouwho areevilknow howto givegoodgiftstoyourchildren,how muchmorewillyourFatherinheavengivegood thingsto thosewho askHim!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick:Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.