Matthew 5:20 ( for I say unto you. That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven)

There are four levels of righteousness displayed by men, the first one is the righteousness of Adam, which is self-righteousness inherited after the fall; everyone does whatever is pleasing to their flesh, not weighing the repercussions and the opinion of the Bible.

This is what humanity displayed before the flood that made God regret creating man on the face of the earth, it was abominable in God’s sight.

Men do what is good in their own eyes, even if they kill; there will be an excuse for it. Whatever sin is committed, they will have a reason to do it according to what is pleasing to them, but not according to the law of God.

This is the righteousness of the heathen and unbelievers alike; they believe in their good works to see the face of God; they’re under the control of the flesh, which is yet to be slain by the cross of Christ.

This kind of righteousness makes you stay in the congregation of the dead; it is only the light of God that can quicken and change your position to the side of the living.

They can’t worship God as He demands, but instead worship themselves.

The second one is the righteousness of the law; this kind of righteousness is derived from the law of God in the Bible, an eye for an eye, and vengeance on every disobedience against the law, as it is stated in the Old Testament.

Everyone who is operating under the law is dead on arrival, because the law is dead at the resurrection of Christ. He nailed everything that is standing against us and blocking our way to his cross.

The third one is the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, they prayed openly to show their penance in public, they are white washed sephulcre who eat the house of widows and failed to take care of the father less, whoever had this kind of righteousness is a hypocrite and won’t see the face of God.

All forms of righteousness are garments of the souls, but none of this is fitted to approach the throne of God; all righteousness is nothing but a filthy rag except you’re clothed with the righteousness of Christ. That’s what God see and accepts you into his kingdom.

The Bible says, Let your righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees, for you to enter the kingdom of God.

Means that the righteousness of the pharisees exceeded that of others, but more degrading to the nature of God, that is why God reject it, it exceed self righteousness or the righteousness of the law, but the righteousness of the children of God must be directly approved by God, and the only one approved is the righteousness of Christ, that is what God will sees in us that he will allow us in to his presence.

The righteousness of Christ is the wedding garments for the marriage supper of the Lamb of God. If you’re able to enter with another kind, you will be chased out.

The only place where the righteousness of Christ is given is at the cross. It shows that you have been to the cross to dump the filthy garments and have your sins removed, and the curse of Adam wiped out completely.

If you approached the throne of God with other righteousness, even with that of the Pharisees, it shows that you are not yet redeemed and still operating under a curse, and no one under a curse will gain entrance to the kingdom of God.

Prayer: Father lord, clothe me with your righteousness, so that I can see your face at the end of my journey in life, amen.