Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . ., 4

Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . . 4

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

The clearest testimony a Christian can give concerning His Lord is righteous behavior. It seems no true Christian would argue with this.

The tree that does not bear the fruit of righteous conduct will be cut down eventually.

Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:7-9)

The Lord Jesus warned us clearly that if we do not bear the fruit of righteous character we will be cut out of the Vine—out of Christ.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:2)

If an experienced Christian does not begin to live righteously he is facing Divine judgment.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:7,8)

The purpose of the old covenant was that human beings live uprightly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. In many cases the Israelites did not mix faith with the Law of Moses. They strained over the letter of the Law and ignored justice, mercy, and faith.

The purpose of the new covenant is that human beings live uprightly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. In many instances Christians do not mix faith with the grace of God. They present the "four steps of salvation" as an escape from Hell and a ticket to Heaven and ignore the importance God always places on justice, mercy, and faith. The believers of today often view righteous behavior as "works" that must not be "added to God's grace."

Divine grace is being presented as an alternative to righteous behavior instead of what it is in actuality—an alternative to the Law of Moses.

The hand of Satan is evident in this frustrating of God's desire to produce righteous people.

We all understand that the Pharisees strained over the tithing of herbs, vaunted themselves, robbed widows, and performed other acts of wickedness culminating in the crucifixion of Christ.

We exclaim, "How terrible!"

But we of the new covenant are doing the same thing, with some differences. We have made the Divine salvation a release from Hell and entrance into Paradise by means of "grace" instead of what God means it to be—the instrument to create righteous people.

In many instances (perhaps the majority of cases) the Christian people of today are ignorant of the relationship of God's salvation to righteous behavior. While all sincere believers in the Lord Jesus would claim that Christians ought to behave righteously, the concept is emphasized again and again that basically we are saved by "grace" and not by our righteous behavior.

To be continued. Except Your Righteousness Shall Exceed . . . 5