TRUE SALVATION
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. “Matthew 21:45-46, ESV
Theme: While the average person was drawn to Jesus, the temple leaders put their traditions ahead of Him. Beware of being “religious.”
LIVING BY THE RULES
Rules Girl: that’s how I would describe myself. For me, it was very important to follow all the rules and do things right. I was raised in church, so being “good “was strongly embedded in me. I would take pride in doing right. Yet, I didn’t always do what was right. Greater desires would tempt me; cheating on a test to get a good grade, having sex outside of marriage to feel loved, or lying to protect my reputation. My conscience would bother me, so I would just try harder to not fail and “do things right.” I tried to right my wrongs or justify myself.
The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were a special sect of the religious Jewish community. They worked very hard to obey all the laws written in the Old Testament. They even added new rules, to make sure they did everything right, thereby avoiding guilt. Today, we see Pharisees in a negative light of self-righteousness (which they were). Yet in those days, the Pharisees were very much looked up to and were honored for their strict obedience. It was all about rule-keeping. This was how they were made “right with God.” But were they? In one place, Jesus said: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27, NIV).
AWARE OF SINFULNESS
Others in the Jewish community just could not keep all those rules. Some were outcasts because of living irreligious lives. People such as prostitutes, tax collectors, and non-Jews. People with a physical disability, such as those with leprosy, were considered unclean; they must have disobeyed God, so that they were being punished (John 9:2). They knew they had failed; no pretending or hiding.
Jesus came healing the sick, eating with tax collectors, and caring for the prostitutes. He didn’t approve of how they were living, but He understood them and loved them. This love impacted their lives, so they began to change. Matthew himself was a tax collector, a hated traitor, collaborating with the Romans. Yet after meeting Jesus, he left that life to follow Him.
Those who saw admitted the truth about their own failures knew they were sinful; they did not measure up, so they were open to Jesus. These were the folks who went to John the Baptist to repent of their sins and be baptized. The Pharisees didn’t understand this. How could John baptize them? How could Jesus spend time with these people who didn’t keep the rules? Regular people loved Jesus, thinking He was a prophet. It was yet to be revealed that He was more than that. The Pharisees were jealous of Jesus and wanted to get rid of him.
WHICH IS RIGHT?
Jesus told His followers; “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” (Matthew 5:20, NIV). Now this really was confusing! Jesus confronts the Pharisees about how they were not obedient to God, and then says you must be better than the law-keeping Pharisees. What?! What righteousness is He talking about?
What does righteousness mean anyway? Basically, it just means doing every right thing for all the right reasons 100% of the time. Yet we are not capable of doing everything right with pure motives. The Bible says if you have broken [just] one law, it’s just like having broken all the laws (James 2:10). Jesus Himself didn’t get rid of the laws, but elevated them to a higher standard In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), He says just thinking lustful thoughts was the same as adultery. God looks at what is in the heart.
HELPLESS WITHOUT JESUS
In reality, we are just helpless due to our sinful natures. We are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NIV). This means that no amount of rule-keeping makes you right before God, meeting His requirements for eternal life. It’s impossible—no matter how hard you try. In fact, trying hard just pushes you further away, because you're trying to save yourself. Jesus said He came to save those who know they need saving (Luke 19:10). And “all who come to me [Jesus] will in no way be cast out” (John 6:37, ESV).
Make It Personal: How about you? Are you trying to keep all the rules to feel good and right about yourself? Do you look down on others for their failures? Admit you are a Pharisee like me. I’m a recovering Pharisee. Jesus loves you too and invites you to come. (Luke 15:28, John 3:1-21) Where are you hiding and pretending to be better than you really are? Are you heavy with guilt because of your failures feeling hopeless? I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that you are not and will never do it good enough to be acceptable to God and gain eternal life. The good news is that Jesus lived a life of perfection keeping all the laws in your place and took your punishment that you deserve. The great exchange. Everyone needs the Savior and anyone, no matter how good or bad your record, can be saved. He is more than a prophet but a Savior. He is more than an example but a substitute. I invite you to cling to Him.
Pray: Father, forgive me for rejecting Jesus by trying to be good enough by being religious and doing religious things building a good record for myself. Help me to be honest about my failures and shortcomings. Help me to see my need for Jesus no matter how good I am and truly rest in Jesus when I see how bad I am. I am grateful that you sent Jesus to live a perfect life in my place being more than an example of how to live. May I live a life of obedience only because you love me.
Read: Isaiah 55; Matthew 5:17
Weekly Memory Verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 (ESV)