Are You More Righteous Than A Pharisee?

The Pharisees were the religious leaders in Jesus’ day and they were looked up to as a standard of righteousness. But Jesus came along and declared that these Pharisees are hypocrites who are going to hell. And then He points at us and tells us that our righteousness must exceed the hypocritical righteousness of the Pharisees. Does your righteousness consist of an external list of do’s and don’ts, or has God given you a heart-righteousness?

Matthew 5:20 – For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.