ONE GOD: THREE TYPES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE CHURCH
Matt 5:20 KJV “ 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.”
Scribes (Greek ‘grammateís’) which means "lawyers," where those trained in the application of the
Torah(Matt 22:35 , Mark 12:28 ) they are described as "teachers of the
Law," In old testament times they took down prophet’s dictations (Jer
36:4,18) “The importance of scribes (in the basic sense of those trained to
read and write) goes back to the first use of writing in the ancient centers of
civilization, Babylon and Egypt. Clearly these skills automatically made the
scribe both a necessary and a powerful member of society. The ruling class
depended on the scribes for a great variety of practical matters, and gradually
scribes evolved from mere copiers and recorders to influential members of the
government and representatives of the king”
The Pharisees
were a Jewish sect or party whose members voluntarily took upon themselves a
strict regimen of laws pertaining to purity, Sabbath observance, prayer, and
tithing. The first-century
Hellenistic-Jewish historian Josephus; a
student of the Pharisees ;in his writings
described them as "the most accurate interpreters of the
law" (BJ ii.8 .14 [162]) and "experts in their country's laws"
(Vita 38 [191]). They excelled the rest
of the nation in observing religious customs (BJ i.5 .2 [110]). (from
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, revised edition, Copyright © 1979 by
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)
The scribes and
the Pharisees were simply the best authority in matters of Jewish laws and
customs , yet Jesus in Matt.5:20 declared their righteousness insufficient to give a
person access to heaven. From this we
see three types of righteousness practiced in the church. The first , is the
righteousness of Moses , obtained by the strict observance of the six hundred
and thirteen laws of Moses , which no man could fulfill , not even Moses
.Secondly , the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees , they had an oral
interpretations of the laws of Moses (Halakah) which included human traditions . Thirdly , there is the righteousness by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ and his redemptive work for the salvation of
mankind on the cross. This is the same faith by which Abraham was declared
justified by God in the absence of the written laws of Moses (Rom4:1-13).
Jesus
said no one can have access to heaven through the first and second kinds of
righteousness . The prophet Zechariah prophesied about Jesus Christ and
salvation by grace in Zech 12:10 KJV “
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they
have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only
son,…” We are saved by the spirit of
grace and supplication. Our hope is on Jesus Christ who was pieced on a cross for our redemption. Unfortunately, some church leaders promote hatred using
the laws of Moses “They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know
what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. ..the law is
good if one uses it properly….” 1 Tim 1:7-11 NIV
that law is made not for the righteous. They are for whatever else is
contrary to the sound doctrine of the glorious gospel of the blessed God. As you receive Jesus Christ as lord and
savior and read this now receive freedom from guilt and condemnation in Jesus
name.
Free prayer/counseling +2348098536911,+2348035536911,
email:michaelbensonajayi@gmail.compics credit: pixabay
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