Week 9 2013 Being “Absolutely Right”

We all seem to have some innate passion to be right.  Our definition of what is right varies from one individual to another, but whatever the definition, we strive to achieve that pinnacle.  The definition I am most familiar with comes from my religious experience.  Christians long to be as righteous as Jesus Christ.  It is a goal that is beyond our reach.  Nevertheless, we feel it is worth the effort.  Indeed, our quest does tend to make us better people.  However, there is a line that is all too often crossed as we move toward personal excellence.  That line is our expectation of others who may view the journey from a lense that is different from ours, demanding that they follow the same set of rules that we follow, judging them upon the platform we have established and built.  While it is true that we believe our platform to be the same one the Lord has, our supposition is flawed because we are flawed.  It often comes down to an interpretation of scripture and what we choose to bind upon ourselves, not necessarily what Jesus has commanded.  This concept really gets complicated when we base our salvation on our platform.  In doing so, we also judge the salvation of others based upon our own flawed interpretation.  While it is best to base any such judgment upon the Lord’s teachings, we must keep in mind that such judgment must be based upon all of His teachings, not just one or a few scriptures pulled out of context.

Perhaps the best place to start is with the word “righteousness.”  This is, after all, what the whole discussion boils down to.  I recently listened to a sermon where the preacher titled a picture of his grandson with the inscription: I must be “absolutely right!”  His sentiment was pure and noble.  He was saying that in his words and actions he must provide an example that is right for his grandson.  Don’t we all feel that way?  All of my life I have striven to provide the best possible example I can for my children, grandchildren, other family members, friends, acquaintances, etc.  I have done this knowing full well that I am inadequate for the task, knowing that I fall short every day, understanding my own human weaknesses.  So, how do I overcome these obstacles?  How do I still provide a good example when I am so flawed?

To those who were intent on keeping the Law, Jesus provided a wonderful sermon where He broke down various aspects of the law, providing the legal provisions along with the Godly intent.  We often refer to this sermon as the Sermon on the Mount.  It is a wonderful sermon!  I have often referred to this as the sermon Jesus preached to Christians before there were Christians.  As he methodically takes each legal requirement and reduces it to its base element (for example, murder becomes hatred toward another) it becomes clear that He is talking about the condition of the heart.  In other words, it isn’t simply the sin, but the intent behind the sin.  It isn’t just praying in public to be seen by others, it is the longing to be recognized as someone more righteous than others who have prayed, more pious than others in our giving, prideful of our not committing the physical act of adultery, even though lust is in the heart.  From the beatitudes to building our foundation on the rock, Jesus addresses the condition of the heart, the motives behind our actions.  He is developing a theme that forces us to confront our faith, and with whom we have placed that trust.  Is it ourselves, or is it the Lord?

Over the years I have had the opportunity to study with a number of people who were approaching the end of their earthly existence.  Due to erroneous teachings, many of these would express fear of dying.  Not because of death itself, but because of the uncertainty about what comes after.  Oh, sure they knew that there is to be a judgment, followed by heaven or hell.  However, they had doubts of their own eternal destination.  Usually these doubts stemmed from their knowing they had not been “good enough” for heaven.  When any of these would express that particular sentiment to me, I would respond with, “No, you haven’t been good enough.  But, praise God, Jesus was!”

Which brings me back to the Sermon on the Mount.  As stated earlier, the Lord’s primary theme from beginning to end was to address the condition of the heart, the basis of our faith and trust.  The crux of the entire sermon is found in Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  There is only one right response to this verse.  In recognition of our inability to fulfill its mandate, we should be driven to our knees, proclaiming, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!”  While we may long for His perfection, our faith and trust cannot be in our own righteousness – it must be completely held in the righteousness and perfection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  He is our only righteousness.  As the prophet Isaiah says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6) When we come to this realization, we can then know the impossibility of our judging anyone else, and we can be “absolutely right,” as we teach and model the grace and love of the Lord.