905 Minimum Standards - Matthew 5:20

How good do we have to be to get to heaven?   "For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:20 ESV   The minimum standard to enter heaven seems like a pretty high bar in this passage. What did Jesus mean and what hope exists for us?   Yesterday, we talked about the consequences of not keeping the whole law. In Romans 3:23, we are told that, "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." None of us measures up to the rule of the Law.   Jesus adds a clarification for the Jews, but it can apply to non-Jews today, too. The most "righteous" of the Jews were the scribes and Pharisees. I put "righteous" in quotes, because we know Romans 3:23.   We're not going to measure up to the Law and the Prophets. It's not doable. If we don't follow Jesus, we're going to end up in a bad situation for a very long time.   So what? For those of us who follow Jesus, we may want to use the days we have left to help others avoid this terrible outcome. We can help others move one notch closer to Jesus. Often, that's easier done by serving others and acting the way Jesus would act. We're often tempted to try and tell everyone else what to do. That doesn't often work in my experience.   Today, let's ask God how he wants us to interact with everyone we meet. If you ask God to show you how to serve every person you meet today, I bet he gives you some ideas. Do them. See what kind of adventure Jesus asks you to join. You may have a blast!