The Quality Of The Life Of Christ In A Believer.

Exceeding In Righteousness.

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.Matthew 5:-20.

Here, Jesus emphasises the contrast between the state of righteousness in religion and that of true righteousness, which is acceptable to the Father and stems from a relationship with Him, and not a religious duty.

The Lord impressed upon my heart a few years ago when He declared: Righteousness is the God-given state of being right with Him, through Jesus, and living right through Him.

The righteousness of religion, as exemplified by the Pharisees, was characterised by the appearance of external piety, seeming to be right before the eyes of men; everything they did was intended to gain the approval of men.

Listen to what Jesus said concerning the righteousness of the Pharisees: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Jesus warned that those who were to receive and follow in His footsteps would have to have a righteousness that was of the heart, that had the approval of His Father.

It must become a revelation in the lives of believers that we are only able to stand before the Father because our righteousness is found in Jesus Christ, who took our self-righteousness and gave us His right standing before Almighty God.