Matthew 5:17-20
Beginning with Matthew 5:17, Jesus makes an abrupt change in His sermon message. Jesus explained in the first twelve verses what He wanted to see in the heart of all disciples in the Beatitudes. He then explained the effect that His disciples must have on the world through the two metaphors of salt and light. In the verses before us now, He explains what true righteousness is, and how important it is to possess it. He taught them, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:17-20).
As Jesus made this abrupt change in verse 17, because He was revealing that He knew exactly what His disciples were thinking. This is why Jesus began by saying, “Think not,” because He didn’t want them thinking the wrongly concerning His purpose or plans. He knew that they are questioning who He was, and what His purpose and ministry was all about. Therefore, He wanted to set them straight right at the beginning of this sermon. You must understand that there was a great controversy as Jesus began his ministry, and with all the people who heard Him. There was also a controversy among those in the religious establishment of the Pharisees and Sadducees. In John 7:12 it declares, “There was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, ‘He is good’; others said, ‘No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.’” So many thought that Jesus was a really a good man, and that He was a true to the Word of God, but others thought he was a deceiver. The Apostle John further explained, “Therefore some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?’ And there was a division among them” (John 9:16). This was the thinking of the people of Christ’s day, and this was why Jesus wanted His disciples to fully understand what He had come to do.
What did Jesus want them to know?
Jesus first explained that He had not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. This was one of His central messages for all the people who heard Him. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained what the true intent of the law was, and how He would fulfill it. If you look ahead to verse 21, Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders shall be in danger of the judgment.” Then He goes on to teach the true intent of this law, which was very different from the view of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus taught that the true intent of this law was that men should obey these commands from the heart. To obey this command to not murder meant that you must first deal with the hatred and anger in your heart, because this is where murder originates. Jesus made this clear when He said, “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matt. 5:22). He also said in verse 27, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’” The original intent of this commandment was to keep you from lusting in your heart after a person (Matt. 5:28). Adultery will always begin in a heart controlled by lust. Jesus was clearly trying to explain the correct intent of each of these laws. Every law of God, was not to only address the external actions of a person, but to always address the heart attitudes that motivate the behavior. These were revolutionary teachings that made people stop and think, Is Jesus correct?
Why did people think that Jesus was out to destroy the law?
The answer to this question is very simple. Jesus didn’t keep the external traditions of the religious leaders, such as the ways that the Pharisees kept the Sabbath. He healed people on the Sabbath, which was contrary to their traditions, but was not against the Law of God. Jesus deliberately healed people on the Sabbath to highlight the foolishness of their religious traditions. Matthew records, “There was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?’--that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, ‘What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.’ Then He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him” (Matt. 12:10-14). It is obviously lawful to do good and to help someone on the Sabbath, but the religious leaders hated Jesus for revealing their hypocrisy.
People also thought Jesus was seeking to nullify the Law of God, because He spent time with sinners, and did not follow the ritual cleansing traditions and hand washing rules setup by the Pharisees. Remember, one of the questions that came up during Christ’s ministry was, why don't your disciples wash their hands and go through the ritual cleansing process as the Pharisees do? In other words, “Why don’t your disciples follow our traditions?” Jesus continually explained to them that their traditions were actually violating God’s commandments. In Mark 7:6-9, He said to the Pharisees, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men for laying aside the commandment of men.’ For laying aside the commandments of God, you hold the tradition of men - the washing of pitchers and cups, and, many other such things you do. All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” It is clear from these statements that Jesus had no problem with God’s Law, it was the traditions of men that Jesus wanted destroyed.
The Apostle Paul also made the same distinction between men’s traditions and God’s Law. Paul first wrote in Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’” Paul’s conclusion was made a few verses further when he declared, “Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Rom. 7:12). However, he also taught the church in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” He believed the philosophies and traditions of men were not good, and would actually rob a believer of their true inheritance in Christ. Therefore, you should always draw a distinction between God’s Word, and the traditions of men. Why? Because God’s Word is unchanging, but men’s traditions are fallible and ever changing.
How did Jesus fulfill the Law and the Prophets?
If Jesus came not to destroy or abolish the Law of Moses, exactly how did He fulfill it? To answer this question, you must understand that there were four aspects to the Mosaic Law. There was the ceremonial law, the civil law, the moral law, and also a prophetic element to the law. Jesus fulfilled portions of the law in His first coming, and other portions of the law in His second coming. Also note that Jesus commended those who accurately taught and practiced what was given in the law, even in this very passage (Matt. 5:19).
The ceremonial law.
Jesus fulfilled every aspect of the ceremonial law, from being circumcised on the 8th day after His birth, to one of the most important feast days on the Jewish calendar, by becoming the Passover lamb for us (Luke 1:59). Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” Just as the blood of the Passover lamb saved the Jewish people in Egypt from the angel of death, so all who believe have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ once and for all time. Scripture declares, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:12-14). Jesus was also put to death during the Passover feast, so that the disciples would clearly understand what Jesus was accomplishing for them.
Jesus has also fulfilled the Feast of First-fruits, becoming the first fruits from of those who would rise from the dead. Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 15:20, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” So, Jesus fulfilled these ceremonies that prophetically spoke of Him. He will also fulfill the remaining ceremonial law in His Second Coming such as the Feast of Tabernacles, which is also called the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Trumpets when the last trumpet will sound at His return (1 Thess. 4:16). However, Jesus also fulfilled the position of the high priest, the perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish being offered to God, the blood of atonement offered to God, and obedience to the covenant of God that required all these things (Heb. 2:17; Lev. 22:21; Heb. 9:26; Heb. 9:12; Heb. 5:8). Never forget what Paul asserted, “And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:28-30). And He is alive forever more to be our intercessor for all eternity (Heb. 7:25).
The moral and civil law.
Jesus fulfilled the civil and the moral law of God by obeying its requirements completely. Remember, Jesus asked the Pharisees in John 8:46, “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” Think about this assertion, because no one else in the world could ever make such a claim. Anyone that lives with you, knows that you are a sinner and that you are not a perfect person. Yet, Jesus could make this claim that He had never broken the moral or civil law. He also fulfilled the moral and civil law by fulfilling the penalty of the moral law, when He died for the sins of the world. He fulfilled every aspect of the law, even paying the temple tax that was required once a year for all Jews (Matt. 17:24-27).
The prophetic element of the law.
Many people don’t even realize that there are multitudes of prophecies throughout the first five books of Moses, and these prophecies must be fulfilled. The first prophecy in the Scripture was given to the serpent (Satan), and he was told that the seed of the woman (Christ), was going to bruise the head and authority of the serpent (Gen. 3:14-15; Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:16). This of course occurred when Christ died and rose again from the grace, forever delivering all who believe in Jesus from the authority and power of the enemy (Col. 1:13).
However, one of the most important prophecies that Jesus fulfilled is found in Deuteronomy 18:18. There God said to Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and I will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” We know that this is a prophecy concerning the Messiah, because this was one of the questions the people asked John the Baptist, was he “that prophet that was to come?” They asked him in John 1:19; 21, “Who are you?... Are you the Prophet?” John said, “No.” He confessed emphatically in John 1:20, “I am not the Christ.” Then John the Baptist also said in John 1:26-27, “There stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” So, clearly the people understood this prophecy of, “The Prophet,” to come, was referring to the Messiah. Jesus was that ultimate Prophet that was like Moses who was to come, thus fulfilling this prophecy.
There are also prophecies in the Mosaic Law that foreshadowed the suffering of the Messiah. One of these prophecies was pictured in Abraham offering his only son Isaac upon the altar to God. God commanded Abraham to take his son to Mount Moriah, and to sacrifice him there. When they arrived at the place of sacrifice, Isaac asked, “‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ Then he said, ‘Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.’ So the two of them went together” (Gen. 22:7-8). Now you can take this response by Abraham one of two ways. One way to understand this statement would be that Abraham was believing God to provide a sacrificial lamb somewhere, which God did provide with the ram caught in the thicket. The second way to take this passage was that he was speaking prophetically, without knowing that God would provide Himself as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Is it possible that Abraham could have been speaking prophetically at this moment and not know it? Yes, absolutely! And yes, he was of course speaking of the actual need for a sacrifice for the offering. But remember what Peter declared as he preached to the people, “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled” (Acts 3:18).
Nothing in the law can be abolished.
Another reason you can be confident that Jesus did not come to destroy the law is because He emphatically declared that this was an impossibility. He declared in Matthew 5:18, “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away; one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Now what are a jot and a tittle? This is important, because Jesus was using hyperbole to make His point. A jot is the tenth letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and is also the smallest letter. This letter would look like an apostrophe in the English language. A tittle is even smaller than a jot, because a tittle was a letter extension, or a small pen stroke that could differentiate one Hebrew letter from another. Where you place the jot and tittle would change the meaning of the word, so these small marks were very important. Jesus was declaring that not the smallest letter, nor the smallest stroke of the pen will be changed until every word is fulfilled. In other words, every detail concerning God’s promises will be come to pass. Now, I believe that this is one of the most powerful statements that Jesus has ever made, and is the reason you should put your faith and hope in His Word. You should have great assurance in the faithfulness of God’s Word, and that nothing will fail of what He has said.
Jesus made this same assertion another way in Luke 16:17 when He said, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” Think about what Jesus is declaring! Our planet is revolving in our solar system, and rotating around the sun. Then our solar system is also within the Milky Way galaxy, rotating through the heavens. Jesus said it is easier for the heavens to move away, than for one word that He has spoken to fail. Note, He is declaring with absolute certainty that not one word, not one letter, and not one stroke of the writer’s pen would fail to come to pass. Jesus meant what He said!
Do you have the same certainty in your heart as you hear God’s Word? Do you put your complete faith in what He has promised, so that you live like you believe His promises? Or, do you think to yourself, I hope God really meant what He has said? If you have a faith mixed with a lot of doubt most of the time, I want to encourage you that you need to study the Scriptures more. Why? Because that is where your faith will grow and be strengthened. Paul said that, “Faith comes by hearing… the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). I would also encourage you to listen to this audio study. https://calvarychapelag.libsyn.com/biblestudies/winning-against-unbelief Put your confidence in the Word of God, because it will not fail. When you come to God in prayer with this kind of confidence, there will be a big difference in the way you pray. You will find an incredible confidence and boldness to petition your heavenly Father.
What is the law good for?
This is a question I have heard many times from believers, and it is an important one to answer. I hear people say, “I don’t want to have anything to do with the law, because it is obsolete now that Jesus has come.” But the Scripture teaches that the law is very good if a person uses it lawfully. Remember that Paul told us that the law was good, holy, and just. And Jesus said right here in our text that the Law of God will never pass away, which must mean that the law of God has a purpose. In 1 Timothy 1:8-10 Paul explains this explicit purpose when he taught, “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.” So, Paul made it very clear that the law is a very good thing, if we use it in a lawful way. There are many in the church that use the law in an unlawful way, for example by trying to obtain their salvation through keeping the law. They use the law in a legalistic way to try and justify themselves before God. People will declare to you, “I’m a Christian because I don’t do things I shouldn’t, and I do good deeds that prove I’m a good person. This is why God will allow me into heaven.” But this is an unlawful use of the law that God never intended. Why do I say this? Because Paul taught in the verse above that the law was not given for a righteous man, or to make a person righteous, but to show someone that they were unrighteous, and in need of a Savior.
Let me explain this truth concerning the law more fully. The intent of the law was always to show men God’s righteous standard, and also reveal to them that they were not keeping the law. When you realize that you are not keeping God’s Law, you then come to the realization that you are also under the judgment of the law. The law then was given to reveal to every heart, that they are in need of a Savior, which leads a person to Christ. This is also what Paul taught the Galatian church who were trying to obtain salvation by keeping the law. He taught them, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). Consequently, the law of God was intended to be a schoolmaster or a tutor that would bring a person to the feet of Jesus, because the law showed a person that they were guilty before God. Therefore, when you meet someone who declares to you, “I am really a good person,” just take them to the law. This is the simplest and easiest way to address this deception in this person’s mind. Just ask them, “Have you ever lied?” If they reply, “Well, yes.” Then ask them, “What does that make you?” Their reply should be, “A liar.” Then ask them, “Have you ever stolen anything?” When they tell you yes, ask them again, “What does that make you?” Their answer should be, “A thief.” Then ask them if they have ever lusted in their heart?” When they answer, “Yes,” explain to them that they have also broken God’s commandment dealing with adultery. So, do you see my point? When you take anyone to the law, they will always come away agreeing with you that they have broken God’s law. In fact, we have all broken every one of His laws. That means every one of us are in need of God’s forgiveness. However, for a righteous man or woman, someone who has come to faith in Christ, they don’t need the law. Why? Because they already know that they have broken His law, and have come to the Savior for His forgiveness. Then He fulfills the righteous requirement of the law within them. We will get to this point later in this study.
Who are great and least in the kingdom? Vs. 19
Now, verse 19 usually causes people to question, what did Jesus mean when He said, “Whoever therefore breaks one of these least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” This passage is a very difficult one to understand, but it is one that you must understand. Jesus was declaring the fact that there were some teachers that did and taught God’s commandments correctly, and there were some who did not do or teach His commandments correctly. First, who was Jesus referring to in this instruction? Primarily, He was referring to the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the other religious leaders of that day. These religious leaders did what was contrary to the law of God, and they taught people to do the same. By elevating their traditions above the commandments of God, they were actually rejecting His Words. In Matthew 15:3, Jesus asked these leaders, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your traditions?” This was a direct reproof toward these teachers, which revealed that this is no small issue. He was telling them that they were breaking God’s law, and they were teaching men to do the same. Jesus was teaching that this was not acceptable with Him. What is always important for any teacher is that they do and teach what is correct. This is something that I have been very concerned about from the beginning of my ministry. I have asked myself many times, are we setting up traditions that are contrary to the word of God, which frustrate God’s will and purpose? There are plenty of churches that set up their rules and regulations that they demand people fulfill, which are not supported in the Scriptures. In other words, they are doing exactly what the Pharisees were doing. So, it is essential that we all consider this question in our own lives. Are we are doing and teaching what is correct and biblical.
The application of Christ’s words for our day is very simple. In the church today we have teachers who are hyper-legalistic, and those who I would call, hyper-grace-oriented. These are the two extremes that I see in the church today. You have some Christian churches that establish their rules and regulations, that lead people believe that if they fulfill these laws, that this will enable them to earn heaven. Then on the other extreme, you have people who teach that you can do whatever you please, even breaking God’s commandments, and they are told that grace will cover it. No matter how evil a person behaves, God’s grace overlooks it, and you still get into heaven. I have heard these two extremes throughout my ministry. Both of these issues are addressed by this passage.
There are also cult groups today that take the grace of God, and turn it into a license to sin. In Jude 1:4, he warned the people not to take the grace of God, and use it as a cloak for lasciviousness. In other words, in Jude’s day the teachers were saying, “Do whatever you please, sin as much as you want, grace will cover it.” I remember I had a man come to me in the early years of my ministry who said, “Steve, do you really understand the grace of God? I said, “Well, I think I do. It’s a pretty gracious thing that God has done to forgive me.” Then this man went on to tell me that I could basically do whatever I wanted to do, and that I should enjoy myself with any pleasure, and God’s grace would cover it all. I immediately said to him, “You have an incorrect view of the grace of God. Grace does not give me the freedom to sin; grace gives me the power and freedom not to sin.” Paul was very clear about balancing these issues of grace versus works. He was very clear about turning people away from hyper-grace, and would always balance his teaching. In Titus 3:7-8 Paul gives this perfect balance when he wrote, “Having been justified by His grace we have become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to constantly affirm, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” Notice that Paul balances the fact that we have received God’s grace, and that we should be careful to also maintain good works. If you have truly been justified by His grace, you have become an heir of eternal life. Your justification by faith should cause you to naturally want to maintain good works. Now, if you reverse that order and someone says, “You have to do these things to obtain God’s grace and favor,” that is putting the cart before the horse. That is hyper-legalism. Grace is what enables you to change anything in your life that is contrary to His Word. Grace is not some excuse you have to not mature in Christ, but actually, grace is the power of God that enables the transformation process to take place and continue in your life.
Note that Paul said, “I want you to affirm this constantly.” That means that this is an essential message that must be communicated constantly to believers in the body of Christ. If you communicate this balance of the grace of God to others, then you will be great in the kingdom. You must do and teach a correct balance on the topic of grace. That is not just my responsibility, but yours as well. What do you teach your children? What do you teach your friends when they ask you about the responsibilities of one who has received grace? I hope you will always share the correct balance.
How can your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees? Vs. 20
Another very important truth that Jesus told His disciples was that their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. What did Jesus mean by this statement? How could this ever be done? I am quite confident that when Jesus said these words to the disciples, they probably looked at Him with total disbelief and confusion. They probably thought to themselves, Is that even possible to be more righteous than these religious men? How could we ever achieve that? The disciples knew that the scribes and Pharisees were hyper-legalistic, and were meticulous about keeping every part of the law. But Jesus also knew that their keeping of the law was only external, and their hearts were far from Him (Matt. 15:8). The Pharisees were only interested in all of the rules and regulations of each ceremony to follow them in a legalistic way. In addition, Jesus knew and explained that the Pharisees had missed the weightier matters of the law, which were justice, mercy, faith, and love (Matt 23:23; Luke 11:42). They had spent all their efforts on the smallest details of the law, but forgot what true righteousness was all about. They had missed what was really important in life, which was loving others, showing mercy to those around them, having true faith in God, and being just and fair with people. So, when Jesus told His disciples that their righteousness must exceed the Scribes and Pharisees, these were the things He was referring to. They needed a righteousness that was internal, and something of the heart. Jesus knew that they could obtain that kind of righteousness.
How can you obtain a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and pharisees?
First, a righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees must be genuine, as opposed to hypocritical. The righteousness of the Pharisees and Sadducees, was all done just to be seen by men. Genuine righteousness is completely different than righteousness which is just for show. Remember what Jesus called the Pharisees? He called them hypocrites, which means one who acts with a mask, or a stage actor. Why? Because they did their righteousness or good deeds so people would see them and think, Oh how spiritual are these men. Notice in Matthew 6:1-2 where Jesus warned, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” Also, in Matthew 23:13 Jesus said again, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” Jesus was making it very clear to these religious leaders that they were not going to inherit the kingdom of God. Why? Because they are being hypocritical and not genuine, because their righteousness was only for show. But you may ask, “How can you know what is truly genuine righteousness?” This brings me to my second point.
Second, if you want to enter the kingdom of heaven, your righteousness must inward, and come from the heart. Jesus also made this point very clear to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-26, when He said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Jesus said again to these religious hypocrites at another time, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Mark 7:6). In other words, if you want genuine righteousness, God must have your heart. Your heart must be fully surrendered to Him! That means that you can’t be doing things externally just to be seen by men, or following some external tradition of men. Your righteousness must be something that is from the heart. This will require your heart to be pure before Him, so that no other motive than glorifying Him is present. How can you find this purity of heart? When you see wrong motives for your actions, ask God to cleanse your heart, and give you the correct motives (1 John 1:9). It is just that simple. Remember that Jesus told the Pharisees in the verses above, “First cleanse the inside of the cup.” He was telling them just how simple it was to resolve their problems with the heart. Jesus is after your heart.
Third, the genuine righteousness that Jesus was speaking about is something that must be received by faith, and cannot be achieved by works. Paul explained this simple truth when he wrote, “For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Paul tells us here in very simple terms how we can reign victorious in life as a believer. The word reign in this verse means to reign as a victor. In the next chapter in Romans, Paul used the same word when he told believers, “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts” (Rom. 6:12). Two verses later, he told them how Christ could reign inside them when he wrote, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). In other words, grace is the only power that can bring the dominion of the Holy Spirit, which frees you from the dominion of sin in your life. This is the victory that every believer should experience! Paul was explaining how to find real victory in your life, and how to control the selfishness and corrupt motives of your heart. Never forget that Paul does not say you must achieve grace, but receive grace. This word receive is also in the present tense which means that you must continually receive God’s abundant grace, if you want to reign victoriously in the Christian life.
Not only do you need to receive the abundance of God’s grace, but you also must receive the gift of righteousness. Don’t miss this fact. God’s genuine righteousness is a gift that He freely gives to only those who believe. A gift is something that you cannot achieve; it is something that you receive. You can’t ever do enough good things to ever deserve this gift of righteousness, because you are constantly falling short of God’s desires for your life. This is what Paul taught in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, faith is what enables you to receive this true righteousness into your heart. How do we know that faith is the key to obtaining this righteousness within? In Romans 9:31-32, Paul explained why his countrymen did not obtain this gift of righteousness from God. He said, “But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained the righteousness of the law.” Why? “Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.” There are many that seek a Christian life today, and they stumble at this very same stumbling stone. They are trying to find some legal code to follow, that will give them righteousness before God. Then they find a church that lays out a legal code for them to follow and they think, I have attained it, I have achieved it. In reality, they have just become a modern-day Pharisee. They have stumbled at the same stumbling stone that the Jews did in Paul’s day. Therefore, you must seek God’s righteousness by faith alone. That is the only way this genuine righteousness can be possessed by anyone. You must declare in your heart to God, “Lord, I believe what You have said about me. I am a sinner. I believe that you died for me. I believe that if I ask for your forgiveness, it shall be given. So I’m asking right now in faith, please forgive my sins. Please come in and take over my life, and fill me with your Spirit and change me. I receive your gift of righteousness now.” All you have just asked for, you have received by faith. God then declares you righteous in His sight by cleaning your cup from within, and He gives you a standing of righteous before Him. This has always been God’s plan from the beginning. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen. 6:8). Abraham believed God and He accounted it to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6).
Positive vs. negative righteousness.
First, let me define what I mean by positive vs. negative righteousness. Negative righteousness is when a person focuses their attention on what they should not do. This person’s attention will constantly be concerned with the, “You shall not,” commands in Scripture. Positive righteousness is focused on what you should do. This person’s attention will always be on the, “You shall,” commands in His Word. Negative righteousness is another one of the great problems in church today, because it causes believers to miss the point and intent of God for their lives. Positive righteousness was clearly the focus of the Sermon on the Mount, and the entire teaching of Jesus. Let me give you several examples of what I mean.
In verse 21, notice the words, “you shall not.” Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder.” Jesus was reminding them about one of the Ten Commandments in the Old Testament law, but then Jesus gave them the correct understanding of this commandment and its intent. He told them if they didn’t want to murder someone, they must seek to reconcile with people that have offended them (verses 22-25). Then Jesus said in verse 27, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery.” Then He told them if they didn’t want to commit adultery, they needed to deal positively with the lust in your heart (verses 28-29). It is interesting that if you consider the end of this chapter, Jesus declared, “you shall” several times in verse 42 and 48. He doesn’t end with “you shall not.” He told them, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” – Underline added. Note that He told them what they should do. Now, before you say to yourself, “That counts me out. I can’t do that.” Oh yes, you can! This word perfect literally means to be mature, or full-grown in integrity and virtue. In other words, Jesus was encouraging them to grow into the integrity and virtue that God Himself would provide through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Just as your Father is mature in virtue and integrity, so you must also be. That is exactly what the New Testament teaches. Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2). As you surrender to Him every day, this transformation will take place, because He is faithful to do it. Transformation is the positive righteousness God wants to build in your life.
As you continue in the Sermon on the Mount, you will see this positive righteousness taught again and again. Consider these passages: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:43-45 – Underline added). Note what you should do in a positive way.
Or, consider: “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:5-6 – Underline added). Note again what you should do in a positive way.
Another passage: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21 – Underline added). Jesus again focuses them on what they should positively do.
Then Jesus gave them the means to the ultimate positive righteousness when He taught, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:25-33 – Underline added). The positive solution to worry is trusting Him because He values you more than the grass of the field. If you believe this, then you will seek first the Kingdom of God.
This message of positive righteousness that Jesus taught is also found throughout the New Testament. Jesus declared in Matthew 22:37-40 – underline added, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” This is the positive means to righteousness that Jesus communicated continually throughout His ministry. This was the same teaching that Jesus also taught here in the Sermon on the Mount. The fulfillment of the positive righteousness of God, is to simply walk in love.
Why is this positive message of love so important?
In Romans 13:9-10, Paul revealed that he understood the difference between negative and positive righteousness when he declared, “For the commandments, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this thing saying namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, because love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” If I have the true righteousness that comes from the heart by the gift of grace, then I will be focused on loving the Lord, and loving my neighbor, which is a fulfillment of the righteousness of the law.
The ultimate fulfillment of righteousness.
The ultimate purpose of God’s gift of grace and power, is so He can fulfill His righteousness in and through our lives. Note what Paul declared in Romans 8:3-4 as he reveals God’s plan of us as believers. He wrote, “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh; God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” … For what reason? “That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” God’s ultimate purpose in Christ’s death and resurrection, was to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law in us. Where is the righteous requirement of the law? All that the law required, and all of the righteousness it was intended to demonstrate, God has given to us as a gift, if we will simply believe, and walk according to the Spirit. In other words, to those who believe and are following Him, He gives you a righteous standing in Christ, justified from your sin (Rom. 3:28; Rom. 10:10). Then by His Holy Spirit He produces an inner genuine righteousness in the heart (Rom. 8:29). Remember that the fulfillment of the law is love, and the fruit of the Spirit is also love. Therefore, Paul said in Galatians 5:16, “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Why is this the result of the Spirit’s work inside of you? Because you are being transformed from within, and He is fulfilling in you the righteous requirement of the law, which is love. Rejoice, because if you are a believer, the transformation is under way. Let him do all that He intends to do in and through you!