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.”

The passage from verse 17 is a difficult one for many people because of differing definitions of “law.” God Himself seemed to remove dietary restrictions when He spoke to Peter to prepare him to welcome Gentiles into the Kingdom, (Acts 10) and Paul affirmed that in Romans 14:14 and elsewhere. However, there are differences between dietary restrictions and moral principles. In Jesus’ day the scribes and Pharisees tended to put as much weight on the minutiae as on the fundamental principles. That’s one reason they collided with Jesus so often. Attitude toward the Sabbath was a major sticking point for them. When this whole issue came up in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, after Paul and Barnabas’ dramatic successes in evangelizing Gentiles, the conclusion they came to, in agreement with the Holy Spirit, was “to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, (avoiding temptations to idolatry) from blood, (particularly offensive to Jews) from the meat of strangled animals (likewise very offensive) and from sexual immorality.” (Acts 15:29) Coming back to what Jesus said, we will never make it into the Kingdom of Heaven by focusing on rules, but only by grace through faith, receiving Jesus’ perfect righteousness. However, when we make “grace” an excuse for yielding to our flesh we are essentially denying Christ, and there is no salvation in that.

This has been a real issue for me. I was raised with a strong moral framework, but I departed from it. My repentance was real, and I have sweet assurance of salvation. At the same time, I have a strong distaste for legalism, which is why I struggle with this passage. I come back to a verse I quoted in the message this past Sunday: “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:10) It’s a matter of “Loving God, Loving Each Other,” as the Gaithers summarized the 1st and 2nd Commandments. (Matthew 22:38-40) I am never to think I’m good enough on my own, but know that Christ paid the price for me, and love Him for it.

Father, may I walk in the righteousness of Christ, and may I lead others to do the same. May I proclaim grace but never cheapen it, so that we may walk free of the traps of the devil in the purity that You desire and intend for us, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!