In the last couple of threads the Fact that Christians are seperated from the Law has come up a few different times. There still seems to be some confusion as to what this means.
In order to have a better understanding we must look at some key words and understand how the bible uses them. Righteousness is the quality or state of being that being in the presents of God demands. In otherwords it is God's absolute standard.
To know what righteousness is important, because in OT times the only way to obtain it, was through strictly following the law and through the blood of animals. The blood animals offered was little more than a stop over measure pointing to the comming sacerfice Christ was to make.
In Mat 5 Christ says:
To do this we have to look beyond the Law of moses to find righteousness. (This does not mean we ignore the law) It means we are not going to heaven because any of us did a good enough job keeping the law. So we must seek a path the surpasses the one the pharisees were on. This is the path of attonement/Forgiveness of sins.
In order to have a better understanding we must look at some key words and understand how the bible uses them. Righteousness is the quality or state of being that being in the presents of God demands. In otherwords it is God's absolute standard.
To know what righteousness is important, because in OT times the only way to obtain it, was through strictly following the law and through the blood of animals. The blood animals offered was little more than a stop over measure pointing to the comming sacerfice Christ was to make.
In Mat 5 Christ says:
Quote:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.To full fill means two things here, to complete the law (by extending the law to cover thought and intentions, and to be the final sin sacerfice.)
Quote:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.Which not only points to the law itself, but to the part of the law that speaks or provides for attonement.
Quote:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.We are to follow the law, but not as a means of earning righteousness. this next passage explains why.
Quote:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.Remember the Scribes and pharisees were the spiritual elite. Following the law to the letter or making the letter of the law was their only job. To exceed the righteousness of the pharisees was to go beyond just going through the motions of following the Law to it's final letter. Because in Jesus' "completion" of the Law it was expanded to include thought. Which makes one guilt of sin even if one's thoughts are not undercontrol all of the time. Also remember we are told if we are guilty of breaking the smallest part of the Law, but keep all of the rest in God's POV we are still guilty of breaking all of it James 2:10-13. Which brings us back to a 'righteousness' the surpasses the righeousness of those who dedicated their lives to up holding the law.
To do this we have to look beyond the Law of moses to find righteousness. (This does not mean we ignore the law) It means we are not going to heaven because any of us did a good enough job keeping the law. So we must seek a path the surpasses the one the pharisees were on. This is the path of attonement/Forgiveness of sins.
