Unless You Do Better Than The Best You Are In Trouble

Matthew 5:20
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven

Good News Translation (https://biblehub.com/gnt/matthew/5.htm)
I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires.

When your best team player is disqualified, you will need to perform better than your best if you will ever make it. If your best player is disqualified, you need to reorient yourself to forget that best and have a new standard to look up to. If your best is disqualified, the whole team including you gets disqualified unless you disassociate with that failed best and develop a different and new approach that is better than what your best offered. Unless you do better than the best, you will remain stuck where you are!

Jesus told His disciples and the multitude listening to His sermon on the mount, that their best standard had failed miserably. The best religious standards at that time were Pharisees and teachers of the law. Pharisees were very strict in keeping the law of God. Pharisees practiced their faith publicly so that the public can see and approve. They set a standard so high that the public felt they would never attain that standard. Yet Jesus said, unless His disciples outperform them, so to speak, they will be eternally lost!

Pharisees were considered righteous by human standards but not by God. Pharisees withstood the daily public pressure of being openly scrutinized. They strictly followed scripture in a manner that was difficult if not impossible for the majority. Their religion had become a show-off. They were the best of religious examples available in Israel at the time of Jesus. Yet Jesus rejected them as failures. Jesus said anyone who attains what the Pharisees have achieved, will be eternally lost. Their standard was far from divine expectations. The best had just been rejected. Unless you do better than the best, you will remain stuck where you are!

Teachers of the law were the scholars of the time. They had logical explanations and interpretations. They answered all questions. They were authorities. No one could claim to know better than them. Yet Jesus said their righteousness would not qualify them for eternal life. The best had just been disqualified. Unless you do better than the best, you will remain stuck where you are!

Pharisees were focused on impressing people and getting the approval of the public. Salvation requires approval from God which only comes if you are covered in the free saving blood of Jesus. We are not and will never be saved by public approval. You may be revered by the public but rejected by God. Being a famous preacher, musician, church worker, prayer warrior, etc., has zero guarantees that you are worthy of God’s eternal kingdom.

Teachers of the law had academic knowledge which does not save. Mastery of religious literature and the ability to impressively expound the Bible and other teachings does not place any of us anywhere near qualification for salvation. We are not saved by understanding but by faith in Jesus.

Pharisees and teachers of the law had convinced the public that their standard was the ultimate standard. Jesus came and scraped their standard off. Jesus said we must exceed the Pharisees and teachers of the law in righteousness if we desire to be part of God’s eternal kingdom. The best had just been disqualified. Unless you do better than the best, you will remain stuck where you are!

Who is your best? Who do you look up to? Who is that one preacher, one pastor, whose sermons you must follow, whose teachings impact you the right way? Is it a choir? Is it a prayer group that has been upholding you spiritually? Is it the faith of your parent(s)? Is it the faith of a relative? Is it the faith of a religious leader? Whoever is your best today, has been disqualified by none other than Jesus Himself. Jesus wants you to set Him as your standard and no one else. Pray and aim to be better than your best by God’s grace, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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