Have you ever wondered what it really takes to earn God’s love? To get into His good graces now and into heaven at the end of it all? What would you have to do, and how good would you have to be?
What if you gave more? What if you forgave more freely? Maybe you follow all the rules but can’t shake the feeling that you need to do more to earn a place in heaven. How can you measure up? How can you be good enough?
I’ve got good news for you… You can’t.
Let’s look at three scenarios from the Gospel of Matthew where people thought they were going above and beyond the requirements for righteousness.
Scenario 1 – Matthew 18:21–22
21Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
Scenario 2 – Matthew 19:21–22
16Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” 17So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19’Honor your father and your mother,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”
22But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Scenario 3 – Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.”
Rabbinical Rules Couldn’t Suffice
In Scenario 1, Peter doubtless considered himself godly and generous with his suggestion that one should forgive as many as seven times. After all, Rabbinical rules dictated that three times was the most anyone should even ask forgiveness. Plus, the number seven represented completion and spiritual perfection. How very holy of him.
Perhaps Peter was expecting a commendation from the Lord about his blessedness like when he had declared that Jesus was the Christ. Instead, Jesus let him know that his answer didn’t even come close.
Keeping the Law Didn’t Meet the Mark
The rich young ruler in our second scenario likely sought the Teacher’s praise as well. One might assume that having enjoyed wealth and status, this young man wasn’t used to being met with anything but agreement and acclaim. While Matthew tells us that “he went away sorrowful” because of his great wealth, I suspect he went away nursing a bruised ego as well.
The young ruler had kept the commandments of the Mosaic Law all his life. Peter’s suggestions more than doubled the requirement set by the teachers of the Law. But neither was “holy enough.” If these two couldn’t hit the mark, surely the Pharisees with their unmatched dedication to following the strictest interpretation of that Law would meet the bar. After all, didn’t Jesus Himself commend them when He said, “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven”? (Matthew 5:20)
Actually, He wasn’t commending them at all.
The Pharisees’ Devotion Couldn’t Measure Up
Look carefully at what Jesus says: “unless your righteousness exceeds” theirs. That means that even their meticulous devotion to following the Law to the most minute detail—even to tithing individual grains of spices—couldn’t get them right with God. If these religious super-performers couldn’t get it right, what hope do the rest of us have?
We have the greatest hope ever… Jesus.
The Law Can’t Give Life
Paul tells the Christian believers in Ephesus, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)
He further clarifies in his epistle to the Galatians: “21For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law… 24Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:21, 24)
Righteousness Foretold, Righteousness Imparted
Centuries before the advent of Christ, Jeremiah prophesied the coming of a King who would be called YHWH Tsidkenu. Translation: “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Jesus IS Our Righteousness
In other words, Jesus imparts His righteousness to us when we believe on Him—believe that He is the Son of God, that He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sins, and that He offers the free gift of salvation to any and all who will believe.
Every other world religion seeks a way for man to get to God. Only Christianity worships a God who came down as a Man to bring us back.
But God showed His great love for us by
sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
– Romans 5:8
The Only Thing You Can Do…
You cannot climb to heaven on a ladder of good deeds. You cannot be a good enough person to be counted worthy. There is nothing you can do to make yourself righteous in God’s eyes… Nothing except to receive His Son, Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior.
Why not make the decision to receive Him today and call His righteousness your own?
Image is AI generated
Seated at His Feet 