Tuesday: The Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees
Read Matthew 5:20. What does Jesus mean when He says that unless our righteousness “surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law” (NIV), we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven?
Though salvation has always been by faith, and though Judaism, as it should have been practiced, was always a system of grace, legalism did creep in, as it can in any religion that takes obedience seriously, such as Seventh-day Adventism.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
At the time of Christ, many (but not all) of the religious leaders had fallen in a kind of “hard religious orthodoxy … destitute of contrition, tenderness or love” that left them with “no power to preserve the world from corruption.”—Ellen G. White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 53.
Mere outward forms, especially those that are man-made, have no power to change lives or transform character. The only true faith is that which works by love (Gal. 5:6); that alone is what makes outward actions acceptable in the sight of God.
Read Micah 6:6-8. In what ways is this a summary of the Sermon on the Mount?
Even in Old Testament times, the sacrifices were not an end in themselves but a means to an end, and that end was a life in which followers of God reflect the love and character of God, something that could be done only through a complete surrender to God and a realization of our utter dependence on His saving grace. Despite all their outward appearances of piety and faith, many of the scribes and Pharisees were definitely not a model on how a follower of the Lord should live.
| Even if you are a great believer in salvation by faith alone, and that only Jesus’ righteousness can save you, how can you be sure that even subtle forms of legalism don’t creep in? |
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"Even if you are a great believer in salvation by faith alone, and that only Jesus’ righteousness can save you, how can you be sure that even subtle forms of legalism don’t creep in?"
What does the above statement mean that "only Jesus' righteousness can save you"?
What does "save" actually mean?
How is one really saved?
Can you explain how one is saved to an unchurched person off the street?
That "only Jesus' righteousness can save you" means just what it says. Our own "righteousness" is never more than "filthy rags" compared to the character of Christ. But He has promised to "cover" us with His righteousness if we will only give our hearts to Him.
To the person off the street, we need to explain Who Jesus is and what He has done for us, then explain that He has promised to save us from our sins, and He will do it if we allow Him to be Lord in our lives. And the only way to do that is to surrender ourselves to Him anew every morning, laying all our plans at His feet to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate.
The focus on making ourselves righteous is the most subtle form of selfishness aka sin. Only Jesus can save us from that, and He will do it if we will daily look to Him for His righteousness, trusting Him to give us a new heart with new motives.
Thank you for replying.
What is the difference between "our own righteousness" and the following?
"When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own." COL 69
"By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ's true followers will possess." COL 310
I believe that Paul illustrates the difference when he writes, "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith" Phil 3:8-9
To answer your question more directly, "our own righteousness" is any righteousness we claim as our own. The "character of Christ ... reproduced in His people" is just that - the character of Christ. His people will always recognize this as a gift of God and not their "own righteousness." It is "woven in the loom of heaven and has not one thread of human devising." Christ *offers" His righteousness to us. It is not something we can devise on our own even with the most serious effort.
Thank you Inge for the Bible texts on human righteousness and for the discussion. It is a help for sharing the ideas with others.
I have struggled with that COL69 quote for a long time in light of the Sanctuary. Does it appear to anyone else that there is some sort of evolution here? God's people will have perfect characters then He can send Jesus back (and not until)? Thus the rest of us imperfect ones are waiting for the super-christians to get us out of here, or some such scenario. To be a "true" follower I should have that spotless character.
I search the scriptures but have a hard time seeing humanity ever achieving a spotless character. There is no statute of limitations on my sinful acts. Satan boldly stands to point out my errors. My own conscience convicts me, I am undone. Who then can claim to be a "true follower"?
The wicked prosper, the ignorant are satisfied in a shallow sense of Righteousness. Where am I to go to learn this way of 'perfectly reflecting'? ROM 7. Thank God for Jesus Christ!
We must remember that although we live on Earth and are surrounded by the evil, our character is recorded on books in Heaven, washed by the blood of the lamb. I may not see any good in me, but God sees his Son, and He will be the timekeeper. It could be today, hallelujah! Come Lord Jesus!
Michael,
One does not even have to buy an exhaustive Strong's concordance with internet bible word search available.
Here are a few victory verses for you.
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 2 Pet 1:10
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 1 Pet 4:1
Now to Him who is able to keep you[a] from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, Jude 24
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish Eph 5:27
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Heb 12:14
SOP>>
Every one who by faith obeys God's commandments, will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression. ST 7-23-1902
He came to this world and lived a sinless life, that in His power His people might also live lives of sinlessness. R & H 4-1-1902
This complete sanctification theme is not a very popular topic in SDA circles.
The hardest hitting chapter in the book "Great Controversy" is .."Facing Life's Record" You can get more insights there. I would say most SDA have never read it.
Fewer people really read much anymore with TV movies, social media with text messages.
A large problem or obstacle is that altruism is not promoted. Churches are not geared for ministry. For this reason church attenders are spectators instead of being trained as workers or participants. Even when an outreach theme comes up, it is so obscure..like "share your faith with others".."share the 3 angels message".
Shallow, superficial calls for outreach go in one ear and out the other.
"We overcome by helping others to overcome, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony." SOP
Michael Trunkey I believe you have answered the majority of the questions you have raised. I also believe two texts come to mind, that I believe,for those that struggle to find ways to secure their own salvation through their own initiative, are doomed to failure. One of the two texts is one that you mentioned Romans 7, a message of hope and a promise of salvation 2Peter 3:9.
When it says that there should be a perfection of character, let it be so. After all, it is God that determines for it. I don't believe that we have the same perfection level or standard. Let us accept the perfection that comes from Jesus Christ - that's it! Whatever that is, I don't know. I should not base mine with yours or his or hers or theirs. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me is the best song to sing.
Amen
To answer your question, "How is one really saved?"
We are saved by trusting fully in Christ's offer of salvation through His righteousness. - trusting Him enough to allow Him to be Lord of our lives. Because we trust Him we surrender our hearts to Him in obedience, and we trust Him to perfect us into His image.
It means we have to follow Jesus examples. The faith of pharessee is not even enough. Therefore we ought to follow what Jesus says because He is our redeemer. Be perfect coz He is perfect
I believe that we are created with the moral right to choose and to exercised this right of choice. Whether you go to church or unchurched as your question goes: "How is one really saved?
Can you explain how one is saved to an unchurched person off the street? The simplest conviction comes to both the churched and unchurched to make life saving decision or perishing choice after they read or read to them: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17*For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."(John 3:16-17). Also this is the gospel we find in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Jim, once we give the call to "repent", the Holy Spirit will teach every receptive soul what they are to be saved from. We can only say "sin", but the Holy Spirit can convict each of the particular sin in their lives. This call to "repent" must be combined with lifting up Jesus as the "way, the truth and the Life" we are to follow.
We can only sow the seed, the Spirit of God does the rest, as we learn from the parable of the 2 sowers of Mark 4.
Psalms 36:10
which says continue your love to some one u know...
How are we saved? the Lord said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.Luke 9:23-24 KJV
As you rightly say we have to commit ourself each and every day to the Lord and just let him lead us
Please help me understand what these words mean " The only true faith is that which works by love" and how does this faith come about, how can I have it? the verse in Galatians 5:6
Blessings
Salvation is by faith in JESUS.
'A drowning man will clutch at a straw'. He can clutch as many and as long as he wants but they won't save him. I see that as righteousness by works. It is only when he takes hold of the lifeguard (Jesus) that he can be saved by His strength (righteousness).
Before we ask "how is one saved" I think we need to ask "why would I want to be saved" and "saved from what"
When I was young I was nearly drowning and I was saved, so instead of dying I am now living.
What would I say to that person?
In the beginning God created humans to be in a loving relationship with him and to live in a perfect world where everything was good, their character was in harmony with God's character. They had the choice, only good or include evil. Unfortunately they chose to have evil as well, and their relationship with God was broken and their world got more and more bad things in it, and their character became more and more like the rebel Lucifer.
Jesus' goal is to restore our loving relationship with him and to change our character to once again be in harmony with His character, and one day soon He will re-create this world and there will be a new earth and a new heaven where there will only be good and we will live with Him.
The Everlasting Covenant that God offers us is:
I will be your God
You will be My people
and I will dwell with you
To be like Jesus and live with Him that is what it means to be saved!
"Saved from what"?
Saved from my past mistakes- I need forgiveness.
Saved from my current weak character which continues to cause more sin- I need the Holy Spirit.
Saved from the future temptation to sin, or even live in the presence of sinful beings- I need Satan bound and destroyed.
I can achieve exactly none of these on my own. I must receive them as a gift from Jesus.
The self-made righteousness of the scribes and pharisees was not righteousness at all, just plain "filthy rags" devoid of love and mercy and grace of God. All who attempt to carve out this kind of outward form of piety and faith for themselves, in their own strength, are denying the power God (2 Tim 3:5) and fall in the same lot as those who are "lovers of their own selves, blasphemers, covetous, boasters, proud, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, despisers of those that are good, truce breakers, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God..." etc. (2 Tim 3:2-4).
Though in hindsight we see the errant ways of these sects in Christ's day, we must be careful not to fall in the same predicament as they, especially regarding our feeling of exceptionalism that comes with membership in a certain church or denomination. We must not fail to understand and acknowledge each day, that we live only by the grace of God, lavished on us through the inestimable sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Every follower of Christ must daily prostrate himself at the foot of the cross, - taking a fresh look at the enormity of the price paid for our ransom - in thankfulness and penitence. When we see ourselves in this light, there can be no room for selfishness, boastfulness or pride, instead an outpouring of gratitude to God for His amazing grace "that saved a wretch like me".
This is how I believe we can have (Mic 6:8) fulfilled in our lives, "He hath shown thee, o man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God."
I'm just a sinner saved by grace
When I stood condemned to death
He took my place
Now I live and breathe in freedom with each breath of life I take
Loved and forgiven
Back with the living
I'm just a sinner saved by grace.
Have "faith" in Jesus. How can you know you have faith? If you have always believed that Jesus came and died, that He is the Son of God, isn't that the same "cheap" grace that the world believes in? Just how far can you carry "faith"?
Faith is like the air we breath ..we know it's there..its trust in God. Without faith it's impossible to please him.
Perhaps the world has forgotten the real purpose; And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins Matthew 1;21.
Jesus is the source of our strength but i have a question,since we shall be saved by grace,does it mean we have no role to play in our salvation?
My comment earlier has "being saved" in three parts, past present, and future. You had nothing to do with how Jesus lived and died for you. Accepting that He did is called justification and is your qualification for Heaven. The present and future (sanctification and glorification) you do have a part to play. Saying you have no part is like saying you own all the fish in the sea, but you haven't caught them yet. Today is another day to choose Him, and to believe in His power to make your day Spirit filled. That makes you fit for Heaven, and when you get there you will be satisfied. Without choosing Him, what good did He do for you?
Regarding righteousness, I carry this EGW quote in my Bible:
"Every soul may say, 'By His perfect obedience He has satisfied the claims of the law, and my only hope is found in looking to Him as my substitute and surety, who obeyed the law perfectly for me! By faith in His merits I am free from the condemnation of the law. He clothes me with His righteousness, which answers all the demands of the law. I am complete in Him who brings in everlasting righteousness. He presents me to God in the spotless garment of which any human agent wove no thread. All is of Christ, and all the glory, honor and majesty are to be given to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!' " 1 SM 396 [Emphasis supplied.]
Because we cannot save ourselves from sin that we are accounted for, our Heavenly and Gracious Father in Heaven sent His only begotten Son to cover us with His Righteousness so that we are free and can be counted for His righteousness.