Possessing and Maintaining a True Righteousness

Carlton Elkins

Text: Matthew 5:20

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. ”  Introduction:

The theme of the Sermon of the Mount is "A Place in the Kingdom of Heaven." This follows both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaiming, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Israel had been waiting for this for 2,000 years. Jesus begins his message, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." (See: Psalm 34:18.)
Daniel 7:18 records that the saints shall possess the kingdom forever. The book of revelation shows that at first there shall be 1,000 years of peace upon this present earth, after which there will be endless bliss in a recreated earth.

The Sermon on the Mount tells who may and may not be in the kingdom. The self-righteous, no matter how excellent their reputation, will not be there. Jesus said to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth," (the moral foundation of the world).

Jesus said to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth," (the moral foundation of the world). Yet, salt can lose its savor.
And again, "You are the light of the world" (the essence of spiritual awareness in society). But here again, we may carelessly neglect the oil that is in our lamps.
Jesus said, "If the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness." Our spiritual provision needs constant attention.

Moral character includes the things we do and refrain from doing, but spiritual character deals with the heart. For example, we know it is wrong to murder, but Jesus goes to the heart of the matter and includes hate as murder. Even spiteful insults come under the heading of murder. Thinking of a brother or sister as a bit of worthless trash, is murder. Perhaps you do not have anything against a brother, but he may have something against you. If you do not make an honest effort to be reconciled, God does not accept your worship. Murder always starts with bad attitudes toward someone.

Adultery is accepted as normal today, except by spouses. It is still the number one cause of divorce in America. It is the ultimate treachery. Jesus said to hold this desire in the heart is the heart of adultery, whether men for women, or women for men, it is the same rule. Marriage is sacred to God, and is generally so among people. The marriage relationship is very important to God.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was in the Law, but it was to be administered by the judges, not as personal vengeance. We know something of turning the other cheek. God is the greatest example of this? Having been rejected by His people, He turned the other cheek and sent His own Son into the world, and at His baptism God spoke from heaven, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." They nailed Him to a cross."

Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you. Love all without distinction, as God does. He sends rain and sun upon the good and the evil alike. If you would be sons of God in character, love as God loves. We cannot perform to the same degree of perfection, but we can do so to the full limit of our abilities. Do we want to enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus explains the requirements in Matthew chapters 5, 6 & 7).