The
Righteousness Christ Taught
"The righteousness which Christ taught is
conformity of heart and life to the revealed will of God. Sinful men can become
righteous only as they have faith in God and maintain a vital connection with
Him. Then true godliness will elevate the thoughts and ennoble the life. Then
the external forms of religion accord with the Christian's internal purity.
Then the ceremonies required in the service of God are not meaningless rites,
like those of the hypocritical Pharisees.
Jesus takes up the commandments separately,
and explains the depth and breadth of their requirement. Instead of removing
one jot of their force, He shows how far-reaching their principles are, and
exposes the fatal mistake of the Jews in their outward show of obedience. He
declares that by the evil thought or the lustful look the law of God is
transgressed. One who becomes a party to the least injustice is breaking the
law and degrading his own moral nature. Murder first exists in the mind. He who
gives hatred a place in his heart is setting his feet in the path of the
murderer, and his offerings are abhorrent to God.
The Jews cultivated a spirit of retaliation.
In their hatred of the Romans they gave utterance to hard denunciations, and
pleased the wicked one by manifesting his attributes. Thus they were training
themselves to do the terrible deeds to which he led them on. In the religious
life of the Pharisees there was nothing to recommend piety to the Gentiles.
Jesus bade them not to deceive themselves with the thought that they could in
heart rise up against their oppressors, and cherish the longing to avenge their
wrongs.
It is true there is an indignation that is
justifiable, even in the followers of Christ. When they see that God is
dishonored, and His service brought into disrepute, when they see the innocent
oppressed, a righteous indignation stirs the soul. Such anger, born of
sensitive morals, is not a sin. But those who at any supposed provocation feel
at liberty to indulge anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan.
Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we would be in
harmony with heaven." The Desire of
Ages, page 310.