Righteousness of A Man

These verses from Matthew Chapter 5 (Young’s Literal Translation) keep turning up every time we start to write.
17 Do not suppose that I came to throw down the law or the prophets -- I did not come to throw down, but to fulfill;
18 for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.
19 Whoever therefore may loose one of these commands -- the least -- and may teach men so, least he shall be called in the reign of the heavens, but whoever may do and may teach [them], he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.
20 For I say to you, that if your righteousness may not abound above that of the scribes and Pharisees, ye may not enter to the reign of the heavens.
We often wonder if people really understand the words Jesus is speaking here. A definition of fulfill is “to meet the requirements of”, Ok we like to use this in looking at Jesus words to the crowd, So what were the requirements Jesus was referring to. He was referring to the Physical Sacrifice Requirements in Leviticus 9:1-4. Thought the teachings of Saul and the theology of Hyper-Dispensationalist these verses have been taken completely out of context. We always need to keep in our minds that when Jesus was preaching and teaching through out his Ministry Saul of Tarsus was nowhere to be found. He neither followed Jesus nor was a disciple of Jesus. So how did he even know what Jesus was talking about, We were recently asked by a teacher of Theology to consider that Saul as he put it was speaking for God. The response we sent to that request was quite simple. Adonai (The Lord God Most High) came in the cloud to instruct the people of Israel what he had told Moses to tell them. Jesus in these verses explains to the crowds that this is not why he has come. And further more rebukes any and all who will teach such Theology. Verse 19 the Commandments Jesus was speaking of here is the 623 Mitzvoth in Torah.
So in looking at verse 20 were Jesus said your righteousness must be that greater than the Scribes or Pharisees to enter into the kingdom what do you think that meant? What did the Scribes and Pharisees do that made them righteous men in the eyes of Jesus? To be righteousness in the eyes of Adonai (The Lord God the Most High) is to follow his will and his Mitzvoth (Commandments). They would wear Fringes Tzitzit on the corners of their garment, put Tefflin on during their prayers (Bind them for a sign upon thy hands and they shall be forefontletes before thine eyes. The problem comes in when you look at the beginning of Chapter 6, when you look at what Jesus is telling them of the acts of tzedakah (righteousness). He is speaking of the ones who come out right and make a big deal of the things they do in the name of Adonai or today in Jesus’ name. He is saying if you do these acts of Tzedakah then do them without letting others be aware of them and you will receive your reward in heaven, if you go to great lengths for a pat on the back from your fellow church members, this is also inclusive of your local Church, if they go out to minister, then they need to keep it private and not extort praise from there local community. Even for our Churches to advertise and invite others to come out and join in these efforts can be construed as an attempt to gain praise for there efforts of tzedakah.
So maybe the righteousness of a person is determined if he/she is following the directions of God in everything he/she does, if one prayers daily and when a choice is set before you seek what the Lords choice is for you. Seek him in all you do, yes we can sometimes make the wrong choice, but the important thing is seek, seek and seek his directions.

The Articles presented here are copy written by The Light In Christ Ministry in Sherman, TX