Righteousness in the Kingdom
Righteousness in the kingdom of heaven is not the same as it is in the kingdom of God, as we saw in the slide presentation at the beginning of this lesson. Click the link to the Study of the Kingdoms to see the slides of what we have learned thus far.
Matt 5:20 says, “That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Notice that this is “your” righteousness; not “his” righteousness as in Matt 6:33.
This is why Jesus subsequently enhanced their application of the Old Testament laws with his commands. He said over and over, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time… But I say unto you”.
He did this with the commandment forbidding murder in Matt 5:21-22. From “Thou shalt not kill” to “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause…”.
He did this with the commandment forbidding adultery in Matt 5:27-28. From “Thou shalt not commit adultery” to “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her…”.
He did this with the commandment concerning divorce in Matt 5:31-32. From “Whosoever shall put away his wife…” to “Whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication…”.
And with the commands concerning oaths, Matt 5:33-37; an eye for an eye, Matt 5:38-42; and loving your neighbor, Matt 5:43-48.
In Matt 6:1-18, Jesus also gave commands on how to give their alms, how to pray, and how to fast. He told them to do these things privately, and not to be seen of men like the hypocrites.
Jesus taught them how to have enough righteousness to enter the kingdom of heaven. The righteousness of anyone following Jesus’s commandments in these verses would certainly exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.
Now, we’ll compare this righteousness in the kingdom of heaven with righteousness in the kingdom of God.
Jesus had not only been preaching about the kingdom of heaven but he had also been preaching about the kingdom of God. For this reason, the Pharisees asked him, in Lk 17:20-21, when the kingdom of God should appear. He replied, “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation… the kingdom of God is within you”. How is this possible?
Look at Rom 3:21-26 and Rom 4:5. In these passages, Paul begins with, “But NOW the righteousness of God without the law is manifested…”. In v.26 he writes, “To declare, I say, AT THIS TIME his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”. Rom 4:5, “… his faith is counted for righteousness”.
In the kingdom of God, righteousness is not man’s righteousness by keeping commandments, but Christ’s righteousness that is imputed to any person whose faith is in Jesus.
2 Cor 5:20-21 show us clearly how God accomplished this exchange of our sin for his righteousness. Jesus was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
We are not made righteous by what we do, but rather by what Christ has done for us. When we put our faith in Christ, he is our righteousness, 1 Cor 1:30. This is very different than keeping commandments for righteousness in the kingdom of heaven.