Hi PennEd,
I really came back for you. A serious question. What Bible Study is for.
You're writing to get clarification on my understanding of Mathew 5:20
I'd like to make two comments first:
1. It is NOT MY understanding. Unlike those who read the bible and say they are guided by the Holy Spirit, I depend on persons much more intelligent than myself for my understanding. I find that different persons depending on the Holy Spirit will often times come up with two different concepts, so that is not a method I feel I can trust.
IF there are two differing opinions, THEN I search through scripture and pray and arrive at the conclusion I feel the Holy Spirit is leading to.
2. You've done something another poster here does, you've listed many different bibles for the same scripture.
Do you feel that each version says somethnig different? Are not ALL versions of the bible the same? They are. No need to list a bunch of bibles to get to the truth.
I have many bibles. I use the NASB for my reading. If I need clarification on something, I use the NIV. Most times the bible is very clear and to the point. It's important to know some facts about this book as a Whole to be able to exegete any verse -- this comes with time and Learning and being taught by a good mainline church.
Now to get to Mathew 5:20
Matthew 5:20 New International Version (NIV)
20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The pharisees followed every law as perfectly as possible, and yet Jesus is mad at them.
The Seven Woes
Mathew chapter 23
Jesus tells us that unless we SURPASS the righteousness of the pharisees we will not go to heaven.
How does one surpass a person who is keeping all the Law?
(I thought I had explained this)
It happens by moving the Law from the mind to the heart.
Ezekiel 36:26
External actions are not important to God. The Pharisees were worshipping God in an external manner but did not love Him.
They could not go to heaven by being hypocrites. One cannot MAKE BELIEVE he loves God. God knows our heart. We must truly love Him.
This does not mean that we are not to obey God. He takes away none of His Laws. HE has created them, for different reasons, and He does expect us to follow them.
So the difference is that the pharisees were self-righteous. They were proud of following the Law, and only in their mind and not in their heart.
We are to follow Jesus. Jesus expects an internal change.
The Beatitudes in Mathew 5 tell us that blessed are the poor in spirit.
The poor in spirit are those that understand that they are totally dependent on God and look to Him for everything.
They understand how poor they are without Him.
So we depend on Him and on the Holy Spirit for our strength and our help.
Our love for God by heart and not by "show" keeps us in His trusty hands.
I don't know how to explain it better than this.
Would you agree?
(I'll check back in)
Hey Fran, First let me say that sometimes we get so wrapped up with the passion of our thoughts, and the desire to have the other person see it our way, that we forget that primarily we are called to love one another. Without that, as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us, EVERYTHING else is worthless. So I do love you Fran, and am certain others here do as well.
I don't think you're post here is terribly off the mark. We DO get a new heart. We don't have our lost heart fixed. And that's really the point. Following Christ is natural for His children. It's who we are. We don't have to force it. It's innate in the new creation we have become.
An apple tree will naturally bear apples. It does not have to work at what it does naturally.
It's so important that we realize that OUR FRUITS (of the Holy Spirit) result in good works, and that good works NEVER result in bearing fruit. Getting that backwards, I believe, is what is at the heart of those who want to receive the fruits by doing their work.
The reason I mentioned the Bible translation, is because the verse you emphasized had a clearly different meaning than every other translation I could find, Here it is again:
"UNLESS YOU DO EVEN BETTER THAN THE PHARISSES IN THE MATTER OF LIVING RIGHTEOUSLY, YOU WILL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ENTERNG THE KINGDOM.
Mathew 5:20"
Can you tell me what translation that is from? Be blessed, and have a great day.