Today’s power word is righteousness – as in the Righteousness of God. It is manifested by the redeeming action of Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior of Humanity. God’s divine righteous or justifying action in Christ is there for all believers. It declares the guilty innocent. All have sinned and are doomed to destruction. Our destiny is in our hands only insofar as we choose to be believers or otherwise. And this choice has eternal consequences. Let us choose well. Let us choose Christ.
Higher Standard
Jesus unloads on the Pharisees and Scribes, trying to get them to change their ways.
Jesus doesn’t mince words. He gets right down to it. The people of Israel have spurned the prophets and apostles, past, present, and future. Jesus knows it and calls them out. He goes further. He charges their generation with the blood of all the prophets that ever drew breath. His ire includes the Scribes and Scholars, who He claims have taken away the key of knowledge, not only denying themselves but those in their sphere of authority.
Jesus is demanding, not just of the plotting and scheming Pharisees. But you and me, we too have heard words that have cut to the core.
Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. Mat 21:43
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Lk 10:37
He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” Lk 11:28
“Many are invited, but few are chosen.” Mt 22:14
Pharisee, Scholar, Apostle
In his epistle to the Romans, Paul points out that all without exception, Jews, and Gentiles alike, have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God, but:
They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus. Rom 3:24
The crux of Paul’s message is exactly this: Salvation is from Christ.
St. Paul was as zealous a Pharisee as ever widened a phylactery. A Hebrew by birth, of the tribe of Benjamin, educated strictly in the law at the feet of Gamaliel at a young age and zealous for the law, tirelessly persecuting the early Christians and even consenting to their death. All of this changed with his encounter with the Risen Jesus at Damascus. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Righteousness of God
Why is Jesus so hard on the Pharisees? And why is he so demanding of you and me? I think it’s because our God has high expectations and lofty standards. Can’t just tread water with Him at the helm. He knows just what we are capable of.
God demands justice. And perfect obedience. And He knows we are going to fall short. This is why He sent us so great a redeemer, because where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. He wants to raise us to His full stature because He is righteous and wants us to be with Him. And so, despite our not deserving it, He justifies us through the perfect obedience of His Son and the perfect oblation of His Son’s sacrifice. It is only through Christ that we can enter the kingdom of Heaven. He is the door, the gate. Jesus will not sit idly by while the scribes and Pharisees hide the key of knowledge. Jesus wants them and us to become righteous. How do we do that? Like Paul, we need our Damascus moment. Knocked off our horse, blinded by the light that is Christ. There is only one way, the Principle of Faith. I do believe, LORD. Help my unbelief.
Once again as ever before, good job. 👍