Sermon On The Mount: Part 13

For I say to you that unless your righteousness (uprightness, moral essence) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:20

There are people who will freak out over this verse, thinking that we have to do all of these religious things to be accepted by our Father, but remember this Truth: the Scribes and Pharisees were not righteous at all.

Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the [false] teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:12

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

We are all going to mess up, but our Father will have mercy on us regardless. We do not have to depend on our own righteousness, which is as filthy rags, we get to depend on Jesus’ righteousness. The Truth that sets us free is that it is up to Jesus, Who is our Head, our Shepherd, our Vine, our Potter, and our Savior to make sure that we make it!

Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. John 17:17 (Jesus is asking God to sanctify us here)

And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth. John 17:19

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] Romans 8:28-31

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you]. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren; Hebrews 2:11

We are able to have perfect peace that Jesus will cause us to be as righteous as we need to be.