"For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, your shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5: 20 NASB)."
Before making this statement, the Lord Jesus Christ had been teaching on the subject of who would be great and who would be least in the Kingdom of God. His obvious point was that the issue of who would be great and who would be least is mute if one is not even going to enter.
As in the case of any given audience, there are always those in attendance who have not been born again (John 3: 5, 7).
There are many religious persons who not only believe they are heaven bound, but are a "cut above" many of their fellow believers due to the quality and the quantity of religious activity with which that they are involved (Luke 18: 11, 12).
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done (or were done for us) in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by (God) the Holy Spirit...(Titus 3: 5 NASB italics mine."
Religious activity is anything and everything that Man has added to the true Gospel Message in a misguided attempt to either obtain or retain salvation. Religious traditions of Man has wormed its way into every dispensation in the plan of God. It did not contribute to one's salvation (Eph. 2: 8) or to the worship (Mark 7: 8) of God in the past, and does not contribute to one's salvation or the worship of God now.
"For by (unearned/undeserved) grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it (salvation) is the (irrevocable-Romans 11: 29) gift of God (Eph. 2: 8 NASB italics mine."
As the Lord Jesus reiterated to Nicodemus (John 3: 3 NASB), a very religious man of his day, "Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again (John 3: 7 NASB)."
The Pharisees of Matthew 5: 20 were the extreme right wing of the Jewish religious community of that day. It was their perceived mission in life to hold themselves and everyone else accountable to the strictest interpretation and compliance of "The Law" (Old Testament Scripture). In their zealousness, they added many traditions and practices of Man (Matt. 7: 13) that went beyond what The Law intended. Despite their religiosity, they failed to see the very God they claimed to represent when He was literally standing right in front of them.
There were many Pharisees on the Sanhedrin. It was the Sanhedrin that falsely convicted the Lord Jesus Christ of blasphemy when He claimed to be God. When this issue of blasphemy was not of great interest to Pilate (), they accused of Him of leading a rebellion against the state.
For fear of being excommunicated from the synagogues John 9: 22), the general Jewish population would not oppose the Pharisees who policed the crowds, on a search and destroy mission for anyone who acknowledged the true Gospel Message.
Before he was born again, Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul was a Pharisee and one of the most violent persecutors of the early Church.
Whenever religious and political forces collaborate, the door of tyranny swings wide open. It is not uncommon for religious and political authority to solicit (or feign) mutual support in order to secure independent agendas. What both entities seek is control.
The principle of separation between Church and State did not originate with US Constitution (Mark 12: 17).
In many ways, there are many "Pharisees" promoting Church Age religion within the Christian Community of our day while neglecting the Great Commission. They were blind guides then, and they are blind guides now, leading those deceive into a pit of destruction (Matt. 15: 14).
The tell-tale sign that it is religion (vs. Christianity) being promoted is that one will not hear the true Gospel Message being mentioned or reiterated, and there will be little offered for the development of post salvation discipleship. As in the case of any other counterfeiting operation, there will be enough truth promoted to deceive those who engage in it.
The scribes of Matt. 5: 20, like the Pharisees, were highly esteemed within the Jewish community. They were considered "experts" in The Law (Old Testament Scripture). Like many religious groups and individuals of our day, these scribes could quote Scripture "backwards," but failed to make accurate application when it came to its fulfillment in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
While referring to the the Pharisees as blind guides (Matt. 15: 14), He pointed to the false pride (Luke 20: 46) and hypocrisy (Luke 20: 47) of the Scribes.
* * *
So far in this study we gave seen that it is NOT through religious rituals, relatively good behavior, or by doing good deeds that one can obtain or retain salvation.
So what is meant by the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees and Scribes, providing the recipient with eternal life?
"But now apart from (mechanical compliance with) the Law the r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s of God has been manifested, being witnessed (spoken of) by the Law and the (Old Testament) prophets, even (specifically) the r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s of God (obtained) through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe...(Romans 3: 21, 22 NASB italics mine." This r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s is an irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift (Romans 5: 17) that is neither deserved or earned.
This righteousness is a spiritual status that is secured as a result of being born again (John 3: 5, 7, 9, 16, and18).
As in the case of the very religious, ancient Pharisees. no amount of Church Age religious activity can save anyone. As in the case of the ancient Scribes, factual knowledge of Scripture without the application of personal faith accomplishes nothing of eternal significance.
When the Bible speaks of faith, it can be referring to what it is that one believes, and /or it can be referring to the action of believing. Faith in anything or anyone other that the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ saves no one (John 14: 6).
Rejecting the truth of the Gospel Message assures the unbeliever of a never-ending eternity, separated from God, in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15) just as much as placing one's trust and confidence in the Gospel Message assures the believer of eternal life (John 3: 16, 18) and a home in Heaven.
For Church Age religious authorities to add any further requirements to what the plan of God calls for is no different that what the Pharisees did when they promoted their own teachings and traditions as having equality with Scripture (Matt. 15: 9). It is one thing to be able to accurately quote Scripture, as did the ancient Scribes, but it something else to be able to interpret and apply it!
The devil has a long history (Gen. 3/Matt. 4) of quoting, misquoting, and perverting what God actually had to say. Promoters of religion have done the same.
The righteousness of God is the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished and finished (John 19: 30) on the cross. The righteousness with God is the spiritual status that defines the eternal relationship that a saved (born again) soul has with God. This righteousness began at the moment that one chose to make a one time decision to believe (John 3: 16) in a presentation of the Gospel Message, and remains secure for all of eternity.
Maintaining the integrity of the salvation that a born again believer has already received is the Work of God (Romans 14: 4), not Man. To think that Man could retain what he could not (independently of God) obtain in the first place is ludicrous, yet both concepts are promoted by religion.
"Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or fails, and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand (Romans 14: 4 NABS)."
Eternal security does not make the righteousness that a born again believer has already received a license to sin. Although the salvation of a born again believer is secure, there is divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) here on Earth, and loss of reward (1Cor. 3: 15) and privileges (Rev. Chapters 2, 3) in Heaven awaiting born again believers who choose to sin. Sin takes the born again believer out of fellowship with God and out of the plan of God.
God as a plan that involves your personal salvation (John 3: 13).
The devil has a plan to deny God His glory by having as many human souls as possible spend eternity separated from God in the lake of fire.
God has a post salvation spiritual life in mind for every born again believer that calls for the production of divine good. It is divine good, and NOT deeds of human good that will be rewarded in Heaven.
The devil has a plan to impede or eliminate the production of divine good in the post salvation spiritual life of every born again believer.
The details of God's plan of salvation and God's plan for the post salvation spiritual life will be made clear to anyone who really wants to know (Jer. 29: 13).
Much of the devil's plans are promoted by the counterfeit alternatives of Man-made religion and human good, leaving the ones he deceives with the feeling that all is well.
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Prov. 14: 12 NASB).
"...for if righteousness comes through (compliance with) the Law (or practicing Man-made religion), then Christ died needlessly (Gal. 2: 21 NASB italics mine)."
Faith in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only "a" way, but the only way that one can be saved ().
In closing, I would ask you, "Do you have the righteousness of God, or are you relying on the practice of religion and good deeds to save you? If you are saved, are you depending on the Work of God (Romans 14: 4) to maintain the integrity of the salvation you have already received, or are you relying on the practice of religion and good deeds to keep you "saved." When you comprehend what the righteousness of God is really all about, you will have the confidence that builds an unwavering faith.
Religion, on the other hand, generates fear and uncertainty. It is freedom from such fear and uncertainty that God desires to set you free (John 8: 32).
As in the case of any given audience, there are always those in attendance who have not been born again (John 3: 5, 7).
There are many religious persons who not only believe they are heaven bound, but are a "cut above" many of their fellow believers due to the quality and the quantity of religious activity with which that they are involved (Luke 18: 11, 12).
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done (or were done for us) in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by (God) the Holy Spirit...(Titus 3: 5 NASB italics mine."
Religious activity is anything and everything that Man has added to the true Gospel Message in a misguided attempt to either obtain or retain salvation. Religious traditions of Man has wormed its way into every dispensation in the plan of God. It did not contribute to one's salvation (Eph. 2: 8) or to the worship (Mark 7: 8) of God in the past, and does not contribute to one's salvation or the worship of God now.
"For by (unearned/undeserved) grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it (salvation) is the (irrevocable-Romans 11: 29) gift of God (Eph. 2: 8 NASB italics mine."
As the Lord Jesus reiterated to Nicodemus (John 3: 3 NASB), a very religious man of his day, "Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again (John 3: 7 NASB)."
The Pharisees of Matthew 5: 20 were the extreme right wing of the Jewish religious community of that day. It was their perceived mission in life to hold themselves and everyone else accountable to the strictest interpretation and compliance of "The Law" (Old Testament Scripture). In their zealousness, they added many traditions and practices of Man (Matt. 7: 13) that went beyond what The Law intended. Despite their religiosity, they failed to see the very God they claimed to represent when He was literally standing right in front of them.
There were many Pharisees on the Sanhedrin. It was the Sanhedrin that falsely convicted the Lord Jesus Christ of blasphemy when He claimed to be God. When this issue of blasphemy was not of great interest to Pilate (), they accused of Him of leading a rebellion against the state.
For fear of being excommunicated from the synagogues John 9: 22), the general Jewish population would not oppose the Pharisees who policed the crowds, on a search and destroy mission for anyone who acknowledged the true Gospel Message.
Before he was born again, Saul of Tarsus, later known as the Apostle Paul was a Pharisee and one of the most violent persecutors of the early Church.
Whenever religious and political forces collaborate, the door of tyranny swings wide open. It is not uncommon for religious and political authority to solicit (or feign) mutual support in order to secure independent agendas. What both entities seek is control.
The principle of separation between Church and State did not originate with US Constitution (Mark 12: 17).
In many ways, there are many "Pharisees" promoting Church Age religion within the Christian Community of our day while neglecting the Great Commission. They were blind guides then, and they are blind guides now, leading those deceive into a pit of destruction (Matt. 15: 14).
The tell-tale sign that it is religion (vs. Christianity) being promoted is that one will not hear the true Gospel Message being mentioned or reiterated, and there will be little offered for the development of post salvation discipleship. As in the case of any other counterfeiting operation, there will be enough truth promoted to deceive those who engage in it.
The scribes of Matt. 5: 20, like the Pharisees, were highly esteemed within the Jewish community. They were considered "experts" in The Law (Old Testament Scripture). Like many religious groups and individuals of our day, these scribes could quote Scripture "backwards," but failed to make accurate application when it came to its fulfillment in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
While referring to the the Pharisees as blind guides (Matt. 15: 14), He pointed to the false pride (Luke 20: 46) and hypocrisy (Luke 20: 47) of the Scribes.
* * *
So far in this study we gave seen that it is NOT through religious rituals, relatively good behavior, or by doing good deeds that one can obtain or retain salvation.
So what is meant by the righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees and Scribes, providing the recipient with eternal life?
"But now apart from (mechanical compliance with) the Law the r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s of God has been manifested, being witnessed (spoken of) by the Law and the (Old Testament) prophets, even (specifically) the r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s of God (obtained) through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe...(Romans 3: 21, 22 NASB italics mine." This r-i-g-h-t-e-o-u-s-n-e-s-s is an irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift (Romans 5: 17) that is neither deserved or earned.
This righteousness is a spiritual status that is secured as a result of being born again (John 3: 5, 7, 9, 16, and18).
As in the case of the very religious, ancient Pharisees. no amount of Church Age religious activity can save anyone. As in the case of the ancient Scribes, factual knowledge of Scripture without the application of personal faith accomplishes nothing of eternal significance.
When the Bible speaks of faith, it can be referring to what it is that one believes, and /or it can be referring to the action of believing. Faith in anything or anyone other that the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ saves no one (John 14: 6).
Rejecting the truth of the Gospel Message assures the unbeliever of a never-ending eternity, separated from God, in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15) just as much as placing one's trust and confidence in the Gospel Message assures the believer of eternal life (John 3: 16, 18) and a home in Heaven.
For Church Age religious authorities to add any further requirements to what the plan of God calls for is no different that what the Pharisees did when they promoted their own teachings and traditions as having equality with Scripture (Matt. 15: 9). It is one thing to be able to accurately quote Scripture, as did the ancient Scribes, but it something else to be able to interpret and apply it!
The devil has a long history (Gen. 3/Matt. 4) of quoting, misquoting, and perverting what God actually had to say. Promoters of religion have done the same.
The righteousness of God is the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished and finished (John 19: 30) on the cross. The righteousness with God is the spiritual status that defines the eternal relationship that a saved (born again) soul has with God. This righteousness began at the moment that one chose to make a one time decision to believe (John 3: 16) in a presentation of the Gospel Message, and remains secure for all of eternity.
Maintaining the integrity of the salvation that a born again believer has already received is the Work of God (Romans 14: 4), not Man. To think that Man could retain what he could not (independently of God) obtain in the first place is ludicrous, yet both concepts are promoted by religion.
"Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or fails, and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand (Romans 14: 4 NABS)."
Eternal security does not make the righteousness that a born again believer has already received a license to sin. Although the salvation of a born again believer is secure, there is divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) here on Earth, and loss of reward (1Cor. 3: 15) and privileges (Rev. Chapters 2, 3) in Heaven awaiting born again believers who choose to sin. Sin takes the born again believer out of fellowship with God and out of the plan of God.
God as a plan that involves your personal salvation (John 3: 13).
The devil has a plan to deny God His glory by having as many human souls as possible spend eternity separated from God in the lake of fire.
God has a post salvation spiritual life in mind for every born again believer that calls for the production of divine good. It is divine good, and NOT deeds of human good that will be rewarded in Heaven.
The devil has a plan to impede or eliminate the production of divine good in the post salvation spiritual life of every born again believer.
The details of God's plan of salvation and God's plan for the post salvation spiritual life will be made clear to anyone who really wants to know (Jer. 29: 13).
Much of the devil's plans are promoted by the counterfeit alternatives of Man-made religion and human good, leaving the ones he deceives with the feeling that all is well.
There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death (Prov. 14: 12 NASB).
"...for if righteousness comes through (compliance with) the Law (or practicing Man-made religion), then Christ died needlessly (Gal. 2: 21 NASB italics mine)."
Faith in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only "a" way, but the only way that one can be saved ().
In closing, I would ask you, "Do you have the righteousness of God, or are you relying on the practice of religion and good deeds to save you? If you are saved, are you depending on the Work of God (Romans 14: 4) to maintain the integrity of the salvation you have already received, or are you relying on the practice of religion and good deeds to keep you "saved." When you comprehend what the righteousness of God is really all about, you will have the confidence that builds an unwavering faith.
Religion, on the other hand, generates fear and uncertainty. It is freedom from such fear and uncertainty that God desires to set you free (John 8: 32).