Oct 9 - Matthew 5:20

Jesus said,

"For I tell you, unless

your righteousness exceeds

that of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will never enter

the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 5:20

For the last two days we focused on the Law ... indeed, the doing of the Law. Why? Because Jesus focused on the doing of the Law.

But ... as the Savior says here, "being good" doesn't save us. Indeed, our degree of righteousness (exceeding the Pharisees or not) is not what punches our ticket and buys us a trip to heaven.

So ... God's law is important. He gave it to Israel as a way to live successfully in the Land. He gives it to us as a way to live joyfully in the Kingdom. But ... it's not what saves us.

Jesus hints at this truth here. The rest of the New Testament states it more clearly. We are justified by God's grace, effective through faith and apart from the works prescribed by the law -- Romans 3:23ff and scores of other passages.

Why is grace the rule rather than righteousness? Because no matter how perfect we try to be, we will inevitably fail. We will sin and fall short. We'll soil ourselves and deserve condemnation rather than an invitation into the presence of a holy God.

We must be saved, therefore, by God's action. By grace.

And if it's his action, rather than our own that makes us righteous, Jesus is saying, "get off your high horse ... because it's not really very high."

He's saying, "Quit being a Pharisee!"

Wait. A Pharisee used to be a good thing, an honorable thing. The Pharisees were passionate God-followers (if rule-followers was what it meant to follow God).

But by the time of Jesus, their rule following became legalism. And they became judgmental hypocrites.

And that's what we become when the Law of God becomes the focus.

Grace must be the focus.

God's grace to us.

Our grace to others.

This doesn't encourage permissiveness. Grace doesn't excuse sin. The Law is still the path to human joy and success in the Kingdom. Obedience is still a path to bringing God joy. But it's not about legalism and judgment. It must be, instead, about freedom and joy.

We must seek to set our neighbors free. And we do that by loving them. And introducing them to the Prince of Grace. And letting him discover peace by following this Prince ... and this freedom ... and this life.

In Christ's Love,

a guy whose righteousness

does not exceed the Pharisees

(and yet I'm righteous nonetheless

through the One whose does)