Friday; April 13

Early on in Jesus’ ministry He appears to go on record as  to what His disciples (and His adversaries) could expect from Him.  One certainty was controversy.  Jesus made a lot of startling statements throughout His life, many of which come in what is called the Sermon on the Mount.  One such statement is, “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)  The scribes had become the “experts” in the Law of Moses and the Pharisees consisted of some of the most religious people in the nation, so this statement was bound to raise some questions (as well as some ire).  How could Jesus’ disciples become more righteous than those who had dedicated their careers to religion?  The answer is found in those two “r” words – righteousness and religion.  Jesus’ disciples were to practice His religion, but they were also to emulate His righteousness.  They were supposed to demonstrate their love for God in the way they acted – not just how they worshipped. 
It is easy to condemn the religious aristocracy of Jesus’ day, but we must be careful that we don’t follow in their footsteps.  We must never replace righteousness (doing what is right) with vain religion (merely doing what feels churchy).  God’s law is supreme.   Man’s teachings, theories and traditions can serve a purpose but they must never be allowed to usurp God’s intent.  Just because something seems religious doesn’t automatically make it wrong – but, it doesn’t mean that it is right either. 
Are we practicing our religion or God’s righteousness?  The answer to that question just might help us determine if we will enter the kingdom of heaven.
Think About It!

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