Monday 16/7/12

Matthew 5:20 ESV

For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

The scribes are the Bible experts in Jesus' time. They copy and study the Bible with great care. The Pharisees are the religious leaders. They lead the community and resolve disputes. While many are fallen to greed, pride and hypocrisy, at their best they are respected scholars and honored leaders.

Nevertheless, even at their best, they cannot go to heaven. We human simply cannot earn the right to go to heaven by our own effort. Moral living and doing good work are not the way to heaven. Our heart has sinful tendencies, we can only restrain, but cannot change this. All have sinned, and fall short on the glory of God. No matter how good by human standard, we cannot meet God's standard.

Because of this, God has taken on flesh to live among us, and to die on the cross as an atonement for our sin. By Christ's work, salvation from sin and eternal life in heaven are available to us as free gift of God. By and only by believing God exists, believing Christ's word, and receiving the gift of forgiveness and salvation from God, we can become children of God and destined for eternal life in heaven.