My Righteousness In You
The message of love and grace is desperately needed today. Many fall away from their faith because of the futility of trying to please a God who they have been taught is demanding, rather than powerfully in love with them.
The narrow road and the narrow gate are not unrelenting adherence to commands. Jesus was not fear-mongering saying “Now walk the straight and narrow or you won’t enter the gates of heaven.” No, he was passionately trying to get stubborn, self-righteous Jewish bigots to understand that His righteousness was now revealed. “My righteousness in you” -- the basis of a new covenant. If obedience was implied by Jesus’ invitation to follow the narrow road, just how much righteousness would be required? Jesus already said in His sermon, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees you certainly shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
No, no, no! It’s the broad road that leads to failure and destruction. But how so? The narrow road is total dependence on my love and my righteousness. The broad road is dependence on your own righteousness, your own religious fervor, your own good deeds and acts of righteousness. That road leads to destruction. Just ask the guy that Jesus pictures in the parallel word-picture just a few short comments later. The spit-shined, obedient, super-religious, “apple of God’s eye” kinda guy. And Jesus says to him, “Depart from me, we don’t even know each other.”
Oh, and by the way, you need to understand. There are some interpretations of God’s inspired Word which, unfortunately, miss the mark and misrepresent totally what He has to say. Revelation 22:14 has nothing to do with obedience getting you into the gates of heaven (KJV, NKJV). Your robes must be washed, white garments. How white do you think you can get your entry-robes by your own self-righteous obedience?
Do you recall what Jesus said was the greatest command of all? It is a quote from Deut 6, “Love the Lord your God.” That is the yearning of people’s hearts – to be taught how to love and how to be loved. They need a teacher-shepherd to lead them into grace and love, not a drill sergeant to constantly command them to obey… and don’t get complacent!
People are tired of the futility of trying so hard to obey to please God. They need someone who can assure them of the power of the love of Jesus, not only to redeem them but also to transform them. Or they will give up and fall away. God is not building an army, but rather a Hall of Faith.
