THE EXCELLING RIGHTEOUSNESS

In the world today, many a person strives to achieve righteousness. It is evident that it is either you are righteous or you are not (that is you are a sinner). The title “the Excelling Righteousness” indicates that there is a righteousness that is greater than another, that is, there are two types of righteousness. The basis of this article comes from Matityahu (Matthew) 5:20 “For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

With the above verse in mind, we see that our savior spoke of two existing righteousness- the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and the righteousness that surpasses the former. Thus, it is pertinent to know what the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is and also the excelling righteousness. Having the excelling righteousness (according to Matityahu 5:20) will enable one to enter the kingdom, invariably declaring that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees cannot lead one into the kingdom.
Some people assert that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is the righteousness that is mixed with hypocrisy (justifying with the fact that our savior was always reproving the scribes and Pharisees over hypocrisy). This is not true. As I always insist that the Bible is here a little, there a little, let’s take a look at somewhere else. In Romans 10:1-7, two types of righteousness were mentioned- Israel’s own righteousness which the writer referred to as the righteousness that is based on the Law and the righteousness of God also referred to as the righteousness that is based on faith. Moreover, Philippians 3:9 spoke of two- the writer’s own righteousness which is of the Law and the righteousness which is of God through faith in Christ Yehoshua. Thus, from these two places (Romans 10:1-7 and Philippians 3:9), we see that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisee (who are regarded as the leaders of the people at that time and the custodians of the Law) is the righteousness that is based on the Law (God gave through Moses). The righteousness which exceeds over the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is the righteousness that is based on the faith that is through Christ Yehoshua (the faith through Yehoshua is also called the Grace).
Having seen this, the question arises- why is the righteousness based on the Law called righteousness after all and why could it not lead one into the kingdom (guarantee salvation) if one is striving to achieve it? It is pertinent to understand the Law and the grace upon which the two righteousness depend on (refer to the article The Grace subtitled The Law and The Grace). Using a similitude for elucidation- the building of a house. Before a house is built, a plan is drawn for it. The plan serves as a focal point before the structure is laid. The point shifts to the house when completed. This illustrates to a very strong extent the relationship between the Torah and the grace. The Law is the plan while the grace is the house. The Law a prophecy, the grace the fulfillment of the prophecy. Before the advent of Christ with the grace, the Law was in force. God gave it control over man (Galatians 3:22-23). Man was kept under the Law which was serving as a schoolmaster with the purpose of bringing man to the Christ. It is pertinent to add that the prophecy of the Law came in various forms- statutes, ordinances, commandments, historical events and direct.
When the main house was not ready, man was bound to hold on to the plan as a guide/tutor. It is needful for me to say that it is still the same house that is on the plan but it is in a form not habitable so it is still salvation that is written in the Law but in a prophetic form. Hebrews 10:1 called it a shadow and not the reality and thus cannot make one perfect. Thus, the Law offered righteousness in a prophetic form. The children of Israel who obeyed and kept the Law as it is written, before the advent of the Grace, were accepted. But now that the house is ready, salvation has appeared, anyone who practices the righteousness based on the Law (strongly holding onto the plan and refusing to enter the house), if he is able to keep all the statutes, ordinances and commandments, cannot be saved (because the Law was not designed to grant salvation). Salvation (entrance into the kingdom) can only be achieved if one embraces the excelling righteousness. Note that one cannot use because salvation has come and dispose the Torah (even the plan of a house is not thrown away after construction of the house). The torah, being a perfect plan of the house, gives a full detailed view of the house even things one might not even see while in the house. A very important thing to take into cognizance is that today a lot of “houses” are in existence with each claiming to be the true one. It is only the plan, the Torah, which proves if a house is the true or false one. This is even why the Torah and the Prophets (Genesis to Malachi also referred to as the Holy Scriptures) were advocated and used in their preaching by our Savior and his early apostles and disciples.
Finally, embracing the excelling righteousness can only be done by becoming born again (see the article on born again) by receiving the one who brought the Grace and believing in his name, Yehoshua.