Did you know that one of the things Jesus commanded in the Sermon on the Mount is to be perfect—just like God is perfect (Matthew 5:48). I don’t know anyone who’s perfect—certainly I’m not perfect. So what was Jesus up to when He said that? Well, let’s talk about the Sermon on the Mount first. Jesus said some things that were simply outrageous. He said that if someone is angry—just angry!—with someone else, it was the same as committing murder. The same as murder? We all get angry—how can anyone keep such a command? Jesus said that if a man to lusted after a woman, he had already committed adultery. But you didn’t do anything yet, how could you have already sinned? Jesus said love your enemies, and even pray for them. Do you do this? If not, you’ve already failed in being perfect. See how impossible it was to keep the law that God required for entering heaven? It was impossible. And that was Jesus’s point.
Just like today, people back then believed that it’s possible to work your way into heaven. What Jesus was showing them was the exceptionally high standard God had. Why so high? Because God is holy and perfect. He’s never sinned, not for all eternity. So while God made us in His image—meaning that in many ways we are like God. Notice I said like Him. We share similarities with God in some ways, but we fall far short of His perfection. So if the only way to heaven is being perfect, and you’ve already failed, what can you do? The only thing you can do is pray that God would have mercy on you. But God can’t show you mercy if you deny the one thing that can save you: the righteousness of Jesus.
Here’s what that means. Before God the Father sent God the Son (Jesus) to earth, he was in heaven. When Jesus came to earth, becoming fully man and remaining fully God, He lived a righteous life. This means Jesus lived perfectly. No sin. Jesus perfectly fulfilled all that God commanded. Now, why did Jesus come to earth? To live a sinless life—a righteous life—one that covered the sins of all who believed in Him. You see, Jesus is the only one in the history of the world who was ever qualified to go straight to heaven on His own merit. Why could He do that? Because He lived the perfect life that no one else can live. This means everything to the sinner! It means that when I believe in Jesus as my Savior (rescuing me from my sin) and Lord (submitting to Him by learning about Him through studying the Word of God—it’s tough to submit and obey if you don’t know what’s expected).
I feel like I keep writing the same message. And here’s why. I see many at Feed Your Soul who do the “best behavior” thing when you come. You don’t swear, you don’t say “Oh my God,” you don’t do a lot of things that you do when you’re not at the Methodist building picking up meals. You know, I don’t care about all your behavior that you do elsewhere. The Holy Spirit will take care of your sinful behavior if you believe in Jesus. What I care about is you and your eternal life. Jesus makes it possible for your sin to be covered—but the sin He’s concerned with is not your swearing. He’s concerned with your belief in Him. I don’t mean the facts of Him being born on Christmas, Him dying on Good Friday and rising from dead. Anyone can believe that. You only are covered by Jesus’s righteousness if you realize the sin of not believing in Him damns you to hell forever, that His righteousness can cover your sin, and that if you refuse Jesus’s righteousness, you are under judgment. And Jesus is the Judge. Think about all this. I love you all and want you to be in heaven. But you have to put your faith in Him and trust in Him. Jesus is the only way. If you need prayer or a Bible, let me know.