The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard
Week 3: The Sermon on the Mount — Beyond the Letter of the Law
Read Chapter 3 (or Session 3) of The Divine Conspiracy. Key passages: Matthew 5:17–48; Matthew 6:1–18.
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Jesus did not come to lower the bar of righteousness — he came to show us what righteousness actually looks like when it flows from a transformed heart rather than a rule-keeping will.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Willard argues that Jesus's "but I say to you" statements (Matthew 5:21–48) are not making the law harder — they are going deeper, to the level of the heart and character where the law was always aimed. How does this reframe what Jesus means when he says he came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it?
2.Jesus says that anger is as serious as murder, and lust as serious as adultery. Many people find this crushing or demoralizing. Willard interprets these statements as diagnostic rather than merely condemning — Jesus is revealing that the real issue is always the interior life. How does that reading change how these words land for you?
3.Willard contrasts two kinds of righteousness: the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (external, performative compliance) and the kingdom righteousness Jesus describes (flowing naturally from a transformed interior). Which kind of righteousness are you most tempted to settle for, and why?
a.Can you think of a specific area of your life where you are managing behavior without addressing the heart beneath it?
b.What would it look like to bring that area to God, not just to manage it better?
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