We Can't Do It

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.

What a sobering statement for Jesus to make to the Jewish people! The Pharisees and teachers of the law kept the 613 laws (not just the 10 commandments) perfectly.  So when Jesus is saying this, I'm sure people listening were very concerned.  How could anyone keep the law more than perfectly? His point exactly.  We can't do it. We, in our brokenness, cannot begin to keep the law.  Even the Pharisees and teachers were not keeping the law to the standard Jesus described later.  Jesus would go on to teach that even our thoughts are considered sinning, not just our actions.  So the Pharisees, who were keeping the law on the outside were not doing so hot on the inside.  Their hearts were not changed at all, they just had great self discipline.  So, what are we to do with this information then? We cannot do it, and that is what we must first recognize and admit.  Once we do, then we can begin to live a life in Christ where our thoughts and actions are affected by the Holy Spirit.  We tell God we are sorry, we ask Jesus to come into our life so we can die with Him and be resurrected to a new life in Him.  We enter the kingdom of heaven through the finished work of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  His death on the cross we accept as ours and we can live in the power of His resurrection now and for eternity.  On our own we cannot follow all of the rules and do all of the good deeds to the standard God requires.  That is why Jesus came. Seek Him and accept Him today.