I am a Jesus Pusher! “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The approach of the scribes and the Pharisees regarding righteousness was self-sourcing. Their righteousness was utterly self-centered. Self for self-glory sourced their righteousness. They became self-satisfied in a religious status of superiority based on their self-sourced activities. They developed a religious system designed to maintain and enhance this self-satisfaction. Their religious activities focused on external, showy things about which they could boast. Jesus confronted them on this issue; He said, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44). The Greek word “doxa,” translated as “honor,” refers to opinion and perspective. They received approval and commendation from each other. In this closed system of self-approval, they developed their righteousness. They were never open to the opinion of God.
This approach appeared in their charitable deeds. As they did a charitable deed, the blowing of a trumpet announced their generous gift (Matthew 6:2). In their prayer life, “they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men” (Matthew 6:5). When they fasted, “they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting” (Matthew 6:16). With all the instruction and warning Jesus gave to them, their self-sourcing did not change. In His last public sermon, Jesus proclaimed, “But all their works they do to be seen by men” (Matthew 23:5). Coming to a spiritual death to self-sourcing would mean the Spirit of Jesus would live through them. Not to experience death to self-sourcing meant crucifying Jesus. It is not different for us. I am a Jesus Pusher!