Suggested Reading: Matthew 5:17-20

After Jesus makes it clear to His followers that He didn’t come to declare God‘s law irrelevant, He points to those who profess to keep the law perfectly, namely the church leaders of His time. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees had all the externals in place. Their religious performance was certainly admirable to the untrained eye. They played church and they played it well. But there was one person they failed to impress: Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Then Jesus makes a statement that declares their religious performance null and void: “I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20). From this statement one can deduct that the church leaders of His time were not granted entrance into the kingdom of heaven. The reason for that was their fake righteousness. Their righteousness was nothing more than a well-practiced veneer. Furthermore, Jesus was showing that their rules had very little to do with the laws of God (as discussed in previous verses). He called their worship a farce, since they taught man-made ideas as commands from God.

They had a very long list of rules that people had to abide by and in their zeal to see that these rules are kept, they often treated people with disdain and looked down their noses at those who didn’t keep all the rules. The really sad part of this for me, is that the rules weren’t things God expected of people. They were rules instituted by a religious organization. Jesus accused them of keeping the rules while ignoring the most important part of God’s law: Treat people right; Love them and respect them.

Without love for others, we are missing the whole point of Christianity. Jesus didn’t die for religious institutions and traditions. He died for people. He set the first example for us as someone who loved people without regard for their social standing, education and nationality. Unless our righteousness is more than an external show to fit in with the Christian crowd, we cannot enter the kingdom, says Jesus. People who belong to church denominations are most at risk of faking a form of righteousness simply to fit in. They know what is expected of them and they develop ways to make it appear as if they are abiding by all the church rules.

Sadly, many of these rules were never instituted by God. And yet, people feel guilty for not keeping them. Religion coerces from without, making us behave in certain prescribed ways, although our hearts are not in it. This is a dangerous place to be in as Jesus said, “These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” (Matthew 15:8-9 NLT). So, unless our righteousness is born from the heart, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Playing church won’t get us in. God is not looking for play-actors in heaven. He  loves the real you -not the person you pretend to be in front of others.

How do we attain the kind of righteousness that allows us entry into the kingdom? First of all, we cannot work for it. We have to receive it as a gift. We receive it by faith in Jesus Christ. We are imputed the righteousness of Christ, accepting that we couldn’t perfectly keep God’s laws and accepting that Jesus’ perfect obedience to God’s laws were done on our behalf. We receive the righteousness of Christ by faith in Him.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:21-24)

Playing church, therefore, is a terrible waste of time and energy. Moreover, it may keep us from God’s kingdom. We can only truly change if the change is from the heart. God promises to give us a new heart and to write His laws in our hearts and to cause us to obey Him (Ezekiel 36:26-27). That’s the promise of the New Covenant. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.