Kingdom righteousness

Read Matthew 5:17-20

.

Righteous living matters. We are put right with God through faith in Jesus – not by keeping the law (Gal.2:16,21). But that’s so that we can now live rightly. Jesus made clear that in God’s kingdom our obedience to God’s laws is a requirement (19). In fact it’s now far more important and has a far greater depth of meaning.

.

That’s because Jesus has fulfilled the Law, which is why it can never be abolished (17). All that the Law pointed to has been fulfilled in him, making it possible for us to serve the living God (Heb.9:13-15). And we serve him by living out the righteousness of God’s kingdom in “a relationship of love and obedience to God which is more than literal observance of regulations. It is such a righteousness which fulfils the Law and the Prophets” (R.T.France).

.

This is a heart righteousness very different from that of the scrupulously religious Pharisees. It begins with our hearts being made good in order that good fruit might then be found in our lives (Mt.12:33-35). This is “the fruit of the righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Ph.1:11), through his Holy Spirit in us (Rom.14:17), and for which we are to hunger and thirst (Mt.5:6; Ph.3:7-12).