My, Devotion to Him #20
VERSE PASSAGE: Matthew 5:20 “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” – NIV
Jesus is dishing it out right here. But, what does He mean when He said this.
You see the Pharisees were men of the law. I think their intentions were good but somewhere down the line they just lost it. The Pharisees had their noses stuck up, and very prideful in what they did and who they were. The Pharisees fasted twice a week and were boastful about it. They paid tithes on everything including spices and boasted about that.
However, the Pharisees had done something in which God does not want us to do. They had based their righteousness on their actions. Jesus is stating that righteousness is based on faith in what He did for us. Not the actions in which we do. Trusting in our own actions will never grant us access to God. We may be better than others, but who wants to be the best sinner?
VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 3:23-25 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” – NIV
The only one who was ever good enough to earn right standing with God is Jesus. And His righteousness is offered as a gift to anyone who will put their faith in Him as their Savior.
Jesus offers us a righteousness by faith that is so far superior to the self righteousness that the Pharisees had that there is no comparison. This is the righteousness that we need and which is available to us only through faith in Christ.
Copyright © 2017 by Jacob D. Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 