Jesus Gave You His Perfect Score

Jesus once set a standard that sounds impossible on purpose. Matthew 5:20 says, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." The Pharisees were the professionals. Nobody fasted longer or gave more carefully than them.

So is Jesus telling you to out perform them? Fast longer, give more, keep a cleaner record than the guys who did nothing else all day? If that is the game, nobody is winning it.

Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." All. That word does not leave anyone a loophole, including the person with the best attendance record at church.

Here is the thing, Jesus was not raising the bar. He was flipping the whole script. He pointed away from performance entirely and toward Himself, the only one who ever kept the standard.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." He took what was yours and handed you what was His. That righteousness is not a score you build, it is a gift you receive, and the Holy Spirit is the one who teaches you to live like it is actually true.

You are not trying to out hustle the Pharisees. You have been given a righteousness they never had access to, and it cost you nothing.