Dependent on Christ for Perfect Righteousness

Jesus’ words are often hard to digest, especially since they cut at the very core of humanity’s desire for autonomy and self-justification. In speaking with his disciples and a large crowd about the ethics of God’s Kingdom, Jesus reminded them that the Father’s standard for humanity was perfection: "Be perfect as our Father which in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). 

As he unwrapped the core teaching of the Ten Commandments in the Sermon on the Mount, he emphasized that God requires much more than the external obedience being practiced by the Scribes and Pharisees – and instead demands an obedience that flows from a regenerate heart and trust. Rather than lowering the bar for righteousness, he surprisingly raised it to the highest level. Not only was it sin to murder and commit adultery, but Jesus warned them if they even hated someone or looked at someone lustfully they had broken God’s commands and were guilty. He went on to tell them they must love their enemies, not trumpet their good works or store up treasures for themselves on earth – but to be rich toward God. These standards of perfection certainly brought the most self-righteous in the crowd to despair. After all, who besides God could achieve this kind of holiness? And wasn’t Jesus telling them they must somehow attain it themselves?

Since the Bible makes it clear that no one is righteous and that anyone claiming to be without sin is a liar (Romans 3:10-12; 1 John 1:10), we know Jesus was in no way contradicting the Word by requiring that humanity somehow pursue sinless perfection on their own (Numbers 23:19). Instead, his purpose in making this statement was to show them the utter impossibility of achieving this kind of perfect righteousness in their strength and their need for his redeeming work, which would not be fully revealed until the cross and resurrection. Jesus was directing their gaze away from themselves and their helpless attempts at self-righteousness and pointing them to their need for a Savior – one who had perfect, trusting obedience to the law and the authority to gift them with his perfect righteousness.  

The book of Hebrews speaks of this exact same transaction in Christ, but in different terms. Paul writes in Hebrews 10:14, “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” In other words, Jesus’ finished work on the cross on our behalf has made us “perfect” in God’s sight, who has forever cancelled the debt of sin we owed and imputed to our account perfect righteousness in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). In addition to this miraculous work, we are “being made holy” by his indwelling Holy Spirit. 

Jesus’ teaching on God’s standard for perfect righteousness in the Sermon on the Mount reminds us that he never minimizes his standards to accommodate our fleshly nature. Instead, he achieves perfection in us through his gifted righteousness and then works holiness in us through his Spirit, who enables to fulfill the ethics of the Kingdom of God (Romans 8:4; Hebrews 10:14-17; Philippians 2:12-13, 3:9). For this reason, we need to be wary of theology that either demands human perfection or denies God’s righteous standard for it. The reality is that we must be holy as he is holy -- but this holiness can only be given by Christ and sustained as we abide in him (1 Peter 1:16). 

“…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9)

God's Standard for Humanity: Perfection

While as humans we have different levels of what we consider right and wrong, God shows in his Word that he requires perfection, "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve into sin, there is "no one" who is righteous, "not even one" (Romans 3:10-12). To illustrate the point, imagine that you had a huge container of water and someone put just one drop of poison in the water. As a result, the whole container of water would be contaminated. This is the case with each of our lives. This initial poison is original sin that is present in our lives from the Fall. Each time we say an unkind word, think an impure thought or do anything that is not filled with goodness and love, we commit a sin -- thus another drop and another drop and another drop of poison goes into the tank so that the whole tank of our life is completely contaminated.

Since God is holy and requires perfection (Matthew 5:48), we cannot have a relationship with him regardless of how hard we try to do good works and be good (Isaiah 52:9). Unless we are perfect, which we've seen is impossible, we cannot enter his presence (Leviticus 19:1). This is where Jesus comes in. He is the perfect God-Man, who lived a sinless life, died an atoning death on the cross to pay the just penalty for our sins and then rose again to make a way for us to receive his gift of salvation through repentant faith (1 John 2:2, Isaiah 53:4-5). When we come to him and receive this gift of salvation, he brings us into this family and gives us his Holy Spirit, who then empowers us to live and walk in newness of life, just as the prophet Ezekiel prophesied (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 36:26). The Father declares us not guilty and innocent through the blood of his Son, Jesus, which enables us to stand in his presence and enjoy fellowship with him (Romans 3:24).

This is why the Gospel is called Good News, because it reveals God's miraculous provision for sinful humanity to be eternally restored to their original design as children of God -- who are forgiven, accepted and beloved of God.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1).

Let God be True

In Romans 3:4, the apostle Paul makes a profound statement about the prominence and preeminence of the Word and will of God when he writes, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” This passage reminds us that an integral part to esteeming God as the Sovereign Lord is to adamantly refuse to bow to any other word or way of thinking that contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture – regardless of its appeal. 

This principle is revealed throughout Scripture but recently stood out to me as I was reading 1 Kings 13. God sent his prophet on a mission to speak truth to King Jeroboam, who was defying the name and word of God by promoting idol worship among the people of Israel and allowing unauthorized priests to offer “strange fire” before the Lord. The prophet faithfully delivered God’s word of judgment, along with the sign from the Lord of the altar breaking in two. He interceded for the king, according to the word and will of God, and God miraculously healed the king’s hand -- which he had previously shriveled in judgment. In gratitude, the king invited the prophet to come to his home for a meal and a gift. And once again, the prophet honored the word of God and refused to take anything from the king.

All seemed well for this man of God as he left to return home on a different route, just as he was instructed. On his way home, he encountered an older prophet, who also invited him to his house for a meal. Once again, the prophet remembered the word of God and declined -- until he heard another word that had greater appeal: “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (1 Kings 13:18). The older prophet was lying, but the younger prophet chose to believe him over God’s word and went home with him. This seeming incidental change of plans did not go well for him. At dinner, he was rebuked by the Lord for defying his word and not keeping his commandments and was given a promise of judgment. On his way home he was mauled by a lion and left dead on the side of the road.

On the surface, this seems like a harsh judgment – after all the lying prophet did claim to hear from an angel of the Lord, and it’s likely the other prophet was exhausted and hungry. Yet, it’s clear that his choice was a monumental one. He was compelled by the desires of the flesh to reject the direct command of the Lord and follow a word that was more appealing. He chose to listen to, trust and follow the word of man over the word of God, which is forbidden by God, who warns that if an “angel from heaven” gives instructions against the word he is to be considered accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). 

While we do not have the behind-the-scenes details, we can discern that the Lord was testing his heart to determine if he would remain faithful to the word of God in the face of seemingly better options. Since God required righteousness and justice among King Jeroboam and Israel and judged them accordingly, the same standard was applied to his prophet -- and even more so as 1 Peter 4:17 warns, “Judgment begins with the household of God.” 

Though we do not receive new, direct revelation from God like the prophet, we experience many similar temptations to follow the word of other people instead of closely following the Lord’s word from the Word. One area of God’s Word that has been cast aside by many in the church in America, and sadly in my own life at times, is God’s final instruction to fulfill the Great Commission by going and making disciples of the nations. Like the prophet of 1 Kings, many teachers and leaders stand at the crossroads and assure believers that we can turn and go in the other direction of God’s command. 

I have personally experienced this throughout my Christian life but most intensely after I gave my life to Christ 35 years ago. From my earliest days as a follower of Christ, the Spirit etched Matthew 28 on my heart, along with his command to take up my cross and follow him. As I communicated this conviction with others, some sought to convince me that I had not heard the Word correctly, and that these passages were not actually calling for me to follow him wherever he said to go in a life altering, sacrificial way. Looking back, I believe God placed them on my path, much like he did the older prophet, to test my heart and see if I would remain faithful to his Word. There have been seasons, and some longer than others, when I have followed their counsel, sat at their table and sought to make peace with these two opposing words. During these times, I have experienced deep angst in my soul and conviction that I, like the younger prophet, was rejecting  the very Word of God by my actions. 

Thankfully, the Lord keeps bringing me back to his unchanging Word, along with the reminder that I have been rescued from the empty way of life handed down to me by my forefathers and given new life in Christ (1Peter 1:18). As his beloved daughter, my only commitment is to trusting and obeying his Word. This lifestyle, he promises, is one of sacrifice and self-denial, but is shielded by his love. It involves living in an upside-down Kingdom that is counter cultural with the world. Yet, he promises that it is the good life where true happiness, joy and peace can be found and where real purpose rises from seeking first his Kingdom and righteousness.

He’s reminding me again of the serious ramifications of choosing to exchange his Word for other words. While I may not face a sudden, tragic death like the prophet, he assures me that I will grieve his Father heart and forfeit grace that could be mine by clinging to worthless idols (Jonah 2:8). With open hands, I’m giving up my right again to receive any other word that appeals to my flesh and choosing by faith to stand firmly on the Word of God. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).