Matthew 5:17-20 – The Lord Requires Righteousness
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· 1 viewThe Lord did not do away with the Law, he still requires holiness from his children
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Matthew 5:17-20 – The Lord Requires Righteousness
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.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.
There are those in an ever-widening circle of churches that call themselves Christians who deceive the thousands by saying that you do not have to obey the Law, that the gospel does away with the Law. They teach that God accepts you as you are, and he does not require that you walk away from the sin that he has delivered you from. Some have explained this in saying that God does not require us to do things that he is not prepared to do himself.
They teach from a Christian Modernism that interprets Christian doctrines based on modern science and ethics. This is a Liberal theology that is based on subjective values and morals of human reasoning and experience instead of the truth of scripture. They reject the authority of scripture, and thereby reject the authority of the God they suppose to believe in. They pervert the teachings of the scriptures. They compromise, and call what is good, evil, and what is evil, good.
Those who fallow the Word of God are called:
· Murderers because they protest the multibillion-dollar industry of Abortion.
· Haters because they warn of the spiritual dangers of homosexuality.
· Vile because they speak the Truth.
· Cruel because of a lie that Christianity keep women under subjection.
· Cold hearted because they warn people of impending judgement from God
· Hypocrites because they proclaim that morals are not subject to society’s desires
· And many more things.
The prophet Isaiah said this, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).
Although they do not like to admit it, the very arguments that they make include such absolutes, of what is good and evil. If those things such as murder and cruelty are bad things then there has to be a moral standard. These are called moral laws then. If there is a moral law then there must be a moral law giver. This is God. God is righteous and unchanging. Therefore the law is righteous and unchanging.
Therefore, Jesus himself said, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For those who say that Jesus did away with the requirement of the Law, it would seem by this passage that they are in error and under judgement of the Law Giver. Jesus’ doctrines were not at odds with the doctrines of Moses. In fact they were in such agreement that God did not do away with the Law, but became flesh to do what we could not do. He adhered to it perfectly. Then he fulfilled the requirement of the Law. This includes the penalty.
· Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
· Psalms 145:20 - The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him: But all the wicked will he destroy.
· Galatians 6:7 - Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For this reason, God (Jesus) has to come to complete the law. The Law says that the violator must die. Jesus had to be born as a man, live as a man, be tempted as a man, and die as a man. So even though he was fully God from eternity, he became flesh in time and even though he is the very source of life, he died in the flesh.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
He took on our sin and imputed his righteousness to us.
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 5:24-25)
So therefore, he took our sins. His righteousness was given to us because he paid the penalty of the Law and so fulfilled the Law. Now we are justified to be in the presence of God and to have the gift of eternal life in him (Jesus). This is why he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This is why there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved. Because faith in what he has done is how this righteousness is imputed to us. So we are justified, but God is also justified in seeing us as righteous in the name of Jesus, for the sake of his son, Jesus.
Romans 10:10 - For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
So what then? Now that we have been made righteous, are we to continue in sin? The Apostle Paul answers this for us.
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Romans 6:15-18)
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
The Apostle John confirms Paul in writing.
1 John 1:7 - But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 2:29 - If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
The Apostle Peter writes “…add to your faith virtue…”(2 Peter 1:5). The Oxford Dictionary defines virtue as behavior showing high moral standards.
In context Peter says,” Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;” (2 Peter 1:4-5).
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
We are delivered from the corruption of the world.
We are no longer to walk by our lusts, lust keeps us tied to the world. But we have been freed from the lies and bondage that lust has created in this world. We should no longer desire the things of this world, but those of our heavenly abode.
Certain things accompany Faith that saves.
· Believing
o God (Jesus) is the Law giver
o God (Jesus) is the Judge
o God (Jesus) is our Salvation
· Confess
o Jesus is the Son of God
o Jesus dies, was buried, and rose again
o Jesus is God and Lord (Master)
· Obedience to Righteousness (Moral Justice)
o Not lip service
“It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.” (Proverbs 21:15)
It is joy to the just to do judgment: But destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
To believe in Jesus is to walk in righteousness and to glorify Him. To abandon righteousness or to teach others to abandon righteousness is a demonstrated lack of gratitude toward Him who died for you.
Here the words of the Holy Spirit given through the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Roman churches.
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
We who have believed are set free from the penalty of the Law and you are justifiably righteous before God. But your new status calls you to walk in this newness of life in Jesus Christ. As Christ is Holy, be ye Holy!