Is the Gospel a Message of Balance? part II

Jesus introduced extreme righteousness

Matt 5:20 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. NKJV

Old Covenant righteousness was attained by a “just enough” payment: one that was just enough to balance the scale of justice. Jesus’ new system of justice would produce an extreme righteousness through a “more than enough” payment.

Matt 5:27 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. NKJV

The old law system could only be applied to the outward acts of sin. Sin could remain hidden in the heart as long as it was not acted upon. It would be easy to assume that lustful desire was not sin until it became a physical act, but God sees the heart: Jesus wants us to deal with the hidden root of sin. Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, it must go deeper than what appears on the surface.

Matt 5:38 You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. NKJV

I am sure that many who heard Jesus were scratching their heads. It does not make sense to let someone off the hook. If the offender does not pay it could be interpreted as rewarding evil. The context of Jesus’ teaching is: we turn the other cheek and extend unmerited favor and grace, rather than seeking vengeance through the law. Jesus wants us to become living sacrifices, illustrating His suffering for the wrongs that were done against Him. We only overcome, or defeat, evil by returning good. What we sow we will reap. If we want mercy and grace then we must give it away.

Matt 5:40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. NKJV

Jesus illustrated a new method of settling debts. The old required them to give their coats to achieve justice, but the new says give your shirts as well. Paying more than required qualifies as extreme; it is the innocent one giving more than is required to achieve justice by faith. The just shall live by faith and not the law. Jesus began by saying that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees.

The cross is an extreme measure

The innocent Christ paid the debt of the guilty but included more than required by law. He did not just forgive us and leave us with a zero balance, like the law system did, but He added grace and divine favor that we could access in our time of need, like a savings account. The key to the bank, so to speak, is the cross. Our natural mind will tell us we have no ability to pay another’s debt or to give them unmerited favor. But if we look beyond our own ability and see what Jesus provided, we see that our account contains mercy, favor and grace for us and, an abundance to extend to others.

Jesus said in Luke 6:38 “Forgive and you shall be forgiven, give and it shall be given unto you again, pressed down, shaken together and running over they shall give to you. The measure you use, will determine the measure used in return to you” (my paraphrase)

The best the law system could do was to provide forgiveness to those who offered innocent sacrifices. They went away debt free but with a zero balance in their account. Since no one has the ability to earn forgiveness or mercy, they were left vulnerable to further debt. Their very next sin weighed on them until the next annual sacrifice. The saints of old never acquired a plus balance in their righteousness account.

Taking up our cross is doing what Jesus did. We must not leave our offender with a zero balance but add a gift of grace to our forgiveness. We must use the extreme measure of faith. If we press down, shake together, heap up to overflowing our measure, we have surpassed the law as an act of faith. Faith never comes short of the law but always exceeds it. Love is the fulfilling of the law and faith must be motivated by love, not a requirement. Faith is freedom to do as love directs yet love never violates God’s commandments. On the other hand, we cannot use the law to require love otherwise it is no longer love. Just as freedom and bondage can not go hand in hand faith and the law can not mix.

The gospel was good news to Old Covenant saints.

The saints of old already had the promise of eternal life if they obeyed the law and offered their innocent lamb once a year. The good news of the Gospel, to them, was not a promise of heaven some day, but trusting that sacrifice of Christ would clear not only their debt but remove their guilt, shame and condemnation once and for all. And, if they did sin again, they would not have to wait to offer their annual sacrifice. Christ is the once and for all time sacrifice. Under the new system of justice it is no longer necessary for a priest to mediate before God, all can boldly enter His presence by the blood of Christ through faith.

Only the sacrifice of Christ has the power to cleanse the conscience from our past. The payment Christ made for sin qualifies as extreme: it was more than enough to pay our debt. It was so weighty a payment that it bottomed out the scale of justice in our favor. There is now no need to renew the payment for sin. In fact, His payment forever put the law system out of commission for those who trust in His sacrifice.

So where is the problem? I believe the problem is in our lack of understanding of the cross of Christ and our new identity in Him. We too often identify ourselves by our temporary life. We allow the limitations of our humanity to overrule faith. We are a new creation in Christ; the old has passed away and the new has come. We are now a new wineskin and able to contain the new, but if we identify with the old, limited, balanced life of moderation, the new will spill out and be lost. The old must be left at the cross and our new identity is found in the risen Christ.

Continued in part 3