Justice as a mark of Christian life
Today, we delve into a critical aspect of genuine Christian living: Justice as a mark of Christian life. In His profound Sermon on the Mount, after setting forth the spiritual attitudes of true blessedness, Jesus makes a radical and startling declaration in our base text, Matthew 5:20: "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."
What did He mean by this? Are the scribes and Pharisees not considered the most religious people of their time? Weren't they meticulous in their observance of the Law, fasting, praying, and giving alms?
Indeed they were! On the surface, their righteousness seemed impeccable. Yet, Jesus declared that unless our righteousness surpassed theirs, we would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. This implies that their "justice" was deficient in some crucial way.
In this message, we will see what kind of justice characterized them, and more importantly, what is the true justice that God expects from us, the justice that truly marks a life dedicated to Christ.
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I. The Justice of the Scribes and Pharisees (A Deficient Justice)
The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, while outwardly impressive, was fundamentally flawed. It was a justice that failed to meet God's true standard.
1. External justice only (Matthew 23:27-28): Jesus condemned them, saying: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the dead bones of dead men and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." They seemed like saints on the outside, meticulously observing rituals and outward appearances, but inside they were full of hypocrisy and corruption.
2. Based on human traditions (Mark 7:7-9): They elevated their own interpretations and traditions above God's explicit commands. Jesus rebuked them: "They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions." And He added, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" They prioritized man-made rules over the divine will.
3. Professed but not practiced (Matthew 23:1-4; Romans 2:20-22): Jesus described them: "They preach, but do not practice." (Matthew 23:3). They taught the people the law, holding themselves up as examples, but they did not live what they preached. As Paul echoed in Romans 2:21-22: "You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?"
4. They justified themselves (Luke 18:9-12): The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates their self-righteousness. The Pharisee prayed: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." They felt more righteous than others because of what they "did," comparing themselves to others rather than to God's perfect standard.
5. Neglected the most important thing (Matthew 23:23): While meticulously tithing herbs, Jesus declared: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness." They focused on external rituals and forgotten the weightier matters of the law: true justice, mercy, and loyalty to God and neighbor.
6. Didn't help those in need (Luke 10:31-32): The parable of the Good Samaritan directly exposed this flaw. A priest and a Levite, despite knowing the law, ignored the injured man, demonstrating a lack of practical compassion. Their "righteousness" did not extend to genuine care for others.
7. Did not judge with justice (John 7:51): Nicodemus challenged his fellow Pharisees: "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?" They often judged according to their biases or external appearances, rather than according to truth and justice.
II. The Justice That God Demands of Us (True Justice)
In stark contrast to the deficient righteousness of the Pharisees, Jesus calls us to a superior, transformative justice that springs from the heart and is manifested in authentic living.
1. It must be born from the heart and be sincere (John 4:24; Revelation 3:1): God desires genuine worship and righteousness that comes from within. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "God is Spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." (John 4:24). It's not about outward conformity but inward reality. Jesus also warns the church in Sardis: "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." (Revelation 3:1). True justice is spiritual and authentic, not just lip service.
2. Based on the Word of God, not on traditions (Galatians 2:16): True righteousness comes not from human effort or man-made rules, but from faith in Christ and obedience to His inspired Word. "Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified." (Galatians 2:16).
3. It must lead us to obey, not just listen (James 1:22-23): It's not enough to hear sermons or understand doctrine; we must live it out. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." True justice is demonstrated in practical obedience.
4. It must include fair judgment and without favoritism (1 Timothy 5:21): Paul instructs Timothy, "I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism." We are called to judge righteously, not by appearances or biases, but with justice and truth.
5. We must practice what we preach (Titus 1:16): Our lives must align with our profession of faith. Paul describes false teachers who "claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." The truth of our faith must be reflected in our conduct, not just in our words.
6. It must be humble, not proud (1 Peter 5:6): Unlike the self-justifying Pharisees, true justice leads to humility before God. "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." We don't justify ourselves by believing we are better than others; we humbly submit ourselves before God, recognizing our dependence on His grace.
7. It must include love for your neighbor and help for those in need (James 2:14-16): True faith is active in love and compassion. "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?... Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" Faith without works is dead. Justice is not merely avoiding evil; it is actively demonstrating love and service to those around us.
III. A Question to Reflect On
As we consider these two starkly different forms of "justice," let us ponder this critical question that Jesus Himself posed:
"Is our justice helping others to enter the Kingdom or, like the Pharisees, is it becoming an obstacle?" (Matthew 23:13: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.").
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Conclusion
The justice of the scribes and Pharisees was incomplete, superficial, and hypocritical. It was a self-made righteousness that sought human applause and external conformity, ultimately shutting people out of the Kingdom.
Jesus calls us to a vastly superior justice, one that springs from a transformed heart, is rooted in faith in Him, and manifests itself in sincere obedience, humility, and genuine compassion in our daily lives. It's not about outward appearance; it's about pleasing God with sincerity, truth, and genuine love.
Only with this true, Christ-centered justice—a gift of God through faith, worked out in love—can we truly enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be the salt and light that God intends us to be in the midst of a dark world.
May God grant us the grace to pursue and live out this divine justice!
