Mountain Message: Righteousness
By Greg Russell
Renovate Church—Centennial, CO
When reading through the Sermon on the Mount, it can be easy to view Jesus’ teaching as a series of isolated moral proverbs or disconnected shifts in conversation. He begins in Matthew 5 by elevating the poor, the meek, and the persecuted—people considered the “losers” of first-century society—by declaring that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them. He goes on to call this same group the salt of the earth and the light of the world, effectively flipping the cultural hierarchy on its head.
Then, Jesus makes a statement that can seem like a abrupt pivot:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” — Matthew 5:17–18
This was not a change of topic; it was a direct response to His critics. The religious establishment often accused Jesus of being a lawbreaker because He healed on the Sabbath and allowed His disciples to pluck grain to eat. But Jesus was not dismantling the Law; He was revealing its original intent.
The True Definition of Righteousness
The Law was given to reveal the will of God and to align human hearts with His reign. In biblical terms, righteousness is alignment in the Kingdom—being in the state that we ought to be before God.
Jesus warned His listeners:
“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:20
To the crowd on the hillside, this statement was shocking. The Scribes (experts in the Law who were supposed to be the “light”) and the Pharisees (influential community leaders who were supposed to be the “salt”) were considered the gold standard of spiritual performance. However, their brand of righteousness was built on legalism, external tradition, and the mere appearance of piety.
To illustrate what true, kingdom-surpassing righteousness looks like, Jesus walks through practical real-world scenarios—anger, lust, divorce, oaths, justice, and love—to contrast external compliance with internal transformation.
Addressing the Source, Not Just the Action
Human religion focuses heavily on controlling external actions, but Jesus goes directly to the heart, addressing the root motivations behind our behavior:
1. Anger and Murder
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder…’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” — Matthew 5:21–22
The Pharisaical mindset says: “I haven’t physically murdered anyone, so I am righteous.” Jesus points out that murder is merely the end result of an unaddressed root: anger and contempt. Outwardly refraining from violence does not mean your heart is free from a murderous spirit.
2. Lust and Adultery
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” — Matthew 5:27–28
Physical adultery causes catastrophic damage, but the internal condition of lust demonstrates a heart that objectifies others and disregards God’s design. Managing outward behavior while indulging internal compromise leaves the heart sick.
3. The Absurdity of External Fixes
Jesus then uses hyperbolic imagery to drive the point home:
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away… If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.” — Matthew 5:29–30
This was never meant to be taken as literal physical mutilation. Jesus uses an extreme illustration to highlight a logical truth: even if you cut off every limb and gouged out both eyes, your unregenerate heart could still lust and harbor hatred. Removing the external tool for sin does not cure the internal inclination to sin. We must deal directly with the heart.
How God Works Righteousness into the Heart
Righteousness is not something we achieve by trying harder at external behavior modification; it is something God works into us as we abide in Him. This transformation involves three continuous posture shifts:
- Trust: True discipleship begins with genuine faith—believing not only that God exists, but that He is inherently good and rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
- Decide to Follow: Faith requires a conscious, daily decision to yield our will to His. As James 2:14 points out, claims of faith without active obedience remain dead and immature.
- Train through Spiritual Disciplines: We do not engage in spiritual disciplines (meditation, prayer, scripture reading) to earn God’s favor, but to train our minds to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:14).
For example, anger often arises when our personal will is crossed. Instead of merely trying to suppress angry reactions, we train our hearts by meditating on Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 10:24 (“No one should seek their own good, but the good of others”) and praying as Jesus prayed: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
Similarly, overcoming lust isn’t about constantly telling yourself “don’t think about that”—which only focuses your attention on it. It happens when you find God more compelling, training your heart to value what He values until broken desires simply lose their appeal.
Getting Heaven Into Us
Righteousness is ultimately not about a cosmic legal transaction to get us into heaven when we die. It is about getting heaven into us today.
When we stop focusing strictly on external performance and yield our internal motives, desires, and thoughts to the Holy Spirit, we step into true alignment with the King. That is the righteousness that surpasses the Pharisees—a transformed heart that naturally reflects the reign of God to the world.