If this first verse makes you wonder whether your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, fear not, read on and see what God has done for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
'For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.' Mat 5:20
I don't know about you but I certainly don't feel righteous, let alone think I act righteously. One way to think about it is as a new status. Historically, in the UK, we have had a status divide between the royals and the commoners. A commoner could well act more royally than an actual royal, but that doesn't affect their status. The commoner is still a commoner no matter how royally they behave. A royal is still a royal no matter how commonly they behave.
Something else that fits with that picture is that we expect those who are royal to behave like it. Likewise, now that God has given us a righteous status, we are encouraged to act like it. However, we cannot make ourselves more or less righteous by how we act. We are merely living up to who God has made us.
'Now God has shown us a way to be made righteous without keeping the requirements of His Law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made righteous by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.' Rom 3:21-22
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'To the one who does not do the works of God’s Law but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness,' Rom 4:5
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'For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which God’s Law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made righteous.' Rom 10:4
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'God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us righteous; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin.' 1 Cor 1:30
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'God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to become sin for us, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God.' 2 Cor 5:21
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'If a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on Law.' Gal 3:21b
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'Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.' Phil 1:11
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'I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in Jesus, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from God’s Law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.' Phil 3:8-9
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