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“Let us look at what the Word of God says.”
> “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
> — *Matthew 5:20 (NASB)*
This is one of the most searching, dividing, and exposing statements Jesus ever made. It cuts through every form of religious pretense and moral self-confidence. It confronts us with a simple but terrifying reality:
There is a kind of righteousness that looks impressive to men
—and yet is not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven.
The song “Heart Deep Righteousness” is built around this central assertion of Jesus. It contrasts two kinds of righteousness:
1. Outward, rule-based righteousness (that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law).
2. Heart-deep, God-given righteousness (that comes through Jesus Christ, by grace, through faith, and works itself out in transformed living).
The lyrics echo the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: it is not enough merely to avoid murder; anger and contempt are judged. It is not enough to abstain from physical adultery; lustful looking is exposed. It is not enough to keep external rules; God looks “straight into the heart.”
The central question is this:
Matthew 5:20 stands in the opening section of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus has just pronounced the Beatitudes—blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for righteousness. He then speaks about His disciples as salt and light in the world.
Immediately after that, He addresses a potential misunderstanding:
> “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”
> — *Matthew 5:17*
He affirms the continuing authority of God’s moral law and then introduces verse 20. The context is important:
The Pharisees were known for:
To the average Jew, the Pharisee represented the highest possible standard of human righteousness. When Jesus said that their righteousness was not enough, He shattered every illusion that heaven can be gained by human effort.
In that setting, Matthew 5:20 is like a spiritual earthquake. Jesus is not speaking to pagans; He is speaking to people under the law, in a religious culture. He is saying:
are not sufficient to bring you into the kingdom of heaven.
He then gives six “You have heard… but I say to you…” examples (Matthew 5:21–48), in which He takes commandments from the law and drives them from the external level into the inner man—into motives, thoughts, and attitudes.
The song rightly picks up three essential components from this section:
1. Anger and contempt = heart-level murder (vv. 21–26).
2. Lustful looking = heart-level adultery (vv. 27–30).
3. The law’s true function and Christ’s fulfillment = righteousness through Him (vv. 17–20; Romans 3–5).
Jesus exposes that the Pharisees’ righteousness is surface; God demands a righteousness that is heart-deep.
Let us look at two key words from Matthew 5:20.
### 1) “Righteousness” — *dikaiosynē* (δικαιοσύνη)
The Greek word here is dikaiosynē. It is a central New Testament term.
In the Old Testament (Hebrew: *tsedaqah*), righteousness is closely related to covenant faithfulness—being in right standing and right relationship.
In Matthew’s Gospel, *dikaiosynē* is not merely legal correctness. It is a life that:
Jesus is not speaking about a superficial righteousness that consists only of correct outward conduct; He is speaking of a comprehensive, relational, God-centered righteousness.
The song highlights this by repeating:
> “We need a righteousness that comes from God
> Not from keeping rules, but trusting Christ
> He makes us right, then helps us live right…”
That is precisely the Pauline understanding:
> “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested… even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe.”
> — *Romans 3:21–22*
### 2) “Surpasses” — *perisseuō* (περισσεύω)
The phrase “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees” uses the Greek verb perisseuō.
Jesus is not saying, “You must be a little better than the Pharisees.”
He is saying: your righteousness must be of an entirely different order, an overflowing righteousness, not a marginal improvement. It must:
This helps us understand:
The contrast is not between 90% obedience and 95% obedience,
but between a man-made righteousness and a God-given righteousness.
The song captures this:
> “Heart-deep change that honors the King
> Surpassing the old way—by His power within”
The surpassing quality is not quantity of rules obeyed, but the nature and source of the righteousness itself.
Let us move through the major themes in the lyrics and see how they align with Scripture.
### A. Outward Rules vs. God’s Gaze on the Heart
> “Their outward rules look good on the outside
> But God looks deeper, straight into the heart”
This is a direct echo of 1 Samuel 16:7:
> “For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
The Pharisees’ righteousness was highly visible:
Yet Jesus’ consistent diagnosis was:
> “This people honors Me with their lips,
> But their heart is far away from Me.”
> — *Matthew 15:8, quoting Isaiah 29:13*
And further:
> “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.”
> — *Matthew 23:25*
The heart is the true battleground. Proverbs 4:23 says:
> “Watch over your heart with all diligence,
> For from it flow the springs of life.”
The song is faithful to this emphasis: “Be pure inside, not just on the outside… Guard your thoughts, keep your heart clean.” This is biblical. God does not merely demand correct behavior; He demands a pure heart (Matthew 5:8).
### B. Murder and Anger: Heart-Level Guilt
> “It’s not enough to say you’ve never killed
> Anyone who stays angry with a brother or sister
> Is just as guilty before God
> Anyone who curses another in their heart
> Already stands in danger of the fire of judgment
> Make peace quickly—reconcile while there’s time”
This comes directly from Matthew 5:21–26.
Jesus quotes the commandment:
> “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’…” (v. 21)
But then He reveals the root:
> “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court…” (v. 22)
In God’s eyes, the attitude that produces murder is already morally guilty before the act ever happens. Hatred and contempt carry the seed of murder.
> “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”
> — *1 John 3:15*
The song rightly warns:
> “Anyone who curses another in their heart
> Already stands in danger of the fire of judgment”
Jesus Himself speaks of “the fiery hell” in this context (Matthew 5:22). Words of contempt (“Raca,” “You fool”) reveal an inner arrogance that devalues a person made in God’s image.
Here we must see the spiritual warfare dimension:
Satan is “a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44).
When we yield to abiding anger, hatred, and curses, we open our inner life to the nature of the evil one. Ephesians 4:26–27 warns:
> “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Unresolved anger gives Satan a foothold. That is why Jesus commands reconciliation:
> “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law…” (Matthew 5:25).
The song reflects this accurately: “Make peace quickly—reconcile while there’s time.” Delayed reconciliation is spiritually dangerous.
### C. Adultery and Lust: Heart-Level Purity
> “You’ve heard ‘Do not commit adultery’
> But I say anyone who looks with lust
> Has already committed it deep in the heart
> Be pure inside, not just on the outside
> Guard your thoughts, keep your heart clean
> True righteousness starts within”
This is based on Matthew 5:27–28:
> “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’;
> but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Again, Jesus takes the law from the level of outward act to the level of inward desire.
In God’s courtroom, that heart posture is already condemned as adultery. The issue is moral intention.
Jesus goes on to use extreme language about dealing with sin:
> “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out…
> If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off…” (Matthew 5:29–30)
He is not advocating physical mutilation; He is emphasizing radical, decisive dealing with whatever leads us into impurity. The heart must be guarded.
Job understood this:
> “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
> How then could I gaze at a virgin?”
> — *Job 31:1*
The song echoes this principle: “Guard your thoughts, keep your heart clean.” This is not a marginal matter. Hebrews 12:14 says:
> “Pursue… the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
Heart-level purity is essential to true righteousness.
### D. The Law’s Function and Christ’s Fulfillment
> “The law pointed to holiness we couldn’t reach
> But Jesus came to live it perfectly for us
> He fulfilled every demand, paid every debt
> Now His righteousness covers us by faith
> Not by works, but by grace we stand clean
> Yet we live it out—changed hearts, new lives seen”
This stanza captures the two great functions of God’s law:
1. To reveal God’s standard of holiness.
2. To expose our inability to meet that standard and drive us to Christ.
Paul writes:
> “…through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”
> — *Romans 3:20*
And again:
> “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”
> — *Galatians 3:24*
The Sermon on the Mount intensifies the law’s demands. It shows that God requires perfection in the inner life. This leaves no room for self-righteousness. At the end of Matthew 5, Jesus says:
> “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
> — *Matthew 5:48*
That standard can never be met by fallen humanity. Hence, the necessity of Christ.
Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). How?
2 Corinthians 5:21:
> “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Philippians 3:9:
> “…not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”
The song phrases this clearly: “Now His righteousness covers us by faith / Not by works, but by grace we stand clean.” That is biblical justification.
But notice: it does not stop there. It adds:
> “Yet we live it out—changed hearts, new lives seen”
That is sanctification. The righteousness that is imputed (credited) must also become imparted (expressed in behavior) through the Holy Spirit. Titus 2:11–12:
> “For the grace of God has appeared… instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly…”
True grace does not leave us in sin; it trains us to live righteously. A heart made right with God will begin to live right before God.
### E. God’s Righteousness, Received by Faith, Worked Out in Life
> “We need a righteousness that comes from God
> Not from keeping rules, but trusting Christ
> He makes us right, then helps us live right
> Heart-deep change that honors the King
> Surpassing the old way—by His power within”
This captures the full New Testament sequence:
1. Righteousness from God (source).
2. Through faith in Christ (means).
3. Not by works of the law (contrast).
4. New power within by the Spirit (result).
5. Visible change in life (evidence).
Romans 8:3–4 states this beautifully:
> “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son… He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Note: The law’s requirement is fulfilled in us, not by our own ability, but as we walk in the Spirit. This is the surpassing righteousness—Christ’s righteousness in us, working from the inside out.
This is heart-deep righteousness:
Anything less, however religious, will not admit us into the kingdom of heaven.
The teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5, and the truths expressed in these lyrics, are not theoretical. They demand response. Let us consider several clear steps.
### 1) Renounce Confidence in Your Own Righteousness
First, we must decisively abandon any hope of being accepted by God on the basis of our own morality, religious effort, or good works.
Paul sets the pattern:
> “…not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ…”
> — *Philippians 3:9*
Any inner attitude that says, “I am good enough,” “I am better than others,” or “God will accept me because I try hard,” is rooted in the same spirit that operated in the Pharisees.
You may need to say consciously before God:
This is poverty of spirit (Matthew 5:3)—the essential entry point to the kingdom.
### 2) Put Your Faith in Christ’s Finished Work
Second, we must transfer our trust wholly to Jesus Christ, His obedience, His death, and His resurrection.
Romans 10:3–4 describes Israel’s mistake:
> “For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Faith in Christ means:
You should say, in faith:
This is the foundation of heart-deep righteousness.
### 3) Submit Your Heart to the Searchlight of God
Third, we must invite the Holy Spirit to search the inner life—not only our actions, but our attitudes, motives, and thought patterns.
Psalm 139:23–24:
> “Search me, O God, and know my heart;
> Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
> And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
> And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Pray this sincerely. Then be prepared for God to put His finger on:
When He does, do not argue, excuse, or explain. Agree quickly. Confess it as sin, not as “weakness.” Bring it to the cross. Receive cleansing through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7–9).
This is how heart-deep righteousness is worked out practically.
### 4) Practice Reconciliation, Purity, and Guarding the Heart
Fourth, we must cooperate with the Spirit in specific practices that align with Jesus’ words.
> “…if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Heart-deep righteousness is maintained and grown by continual, practical cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
### Proclamation of Faith
Speak this out loud, thoughtfully, as an act of alignment with God’s Word:
> I proclaim that I cannot enter the kingdom of heaven by my own righteousness.
> My own goodness, like that of the Pharisees, is not enough.
> I renounce all trust in my works, my religion, and my efforts.
> I receive the righteousness of God, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
> Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly on my behalf.
> He bore my sin, my guilt, and my curse on the cross.
> God has made Him to be sin for me, that I might become the righteousness of God in Him.
> I stand before God not in my own merit, but clothed in Christ’s righteousness.
> The Holy Spirit dwells in me to produce heart-deep righteousness—
> purity in my thoughts, love instead of anger, blessing instead of cursing.
> I choose to guard my heart, to reconcile quickly, and to flee lust.
> By the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit within me,
> my righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees,
> because it is the righteousness of Christ, lived out in my heart and life.
> This I confess in the name of Jesus. Amen.
### Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
I bow before the authority of Your Word.
You have said that unless my righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, I will not enter the kingdom of heaven. I confess that in myself, I fall short. My thoughts, attitudes, and desires have not met Your holy standard.
I thank You that You came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Thank You that You lived a perfect life of obedience, that You died in my place, and that You rose again. I now renounce all trust in my own righteousness, and I put my trust in You alone. Lord Jesus, be my righteousness. Cover me with Your righteousness. Wash me in Your blood.
Holy Spirit, search my heart. Expose anger, bitterness, lust, pride, and every hidden sin. I bring them to the cross. I choose to forgive those who have wronged me. I choose to bless and not curse. I ask You to cleanse my heart and renew a right spirit within me.
Write Your law on my heart. Guard my thoughts, my eyes, my words. Produce in me a heart-deep righteousness that truly honors the King. Let my life be living evidence that the righteousness of Christ is at work within me.
I yield myself to You—spirit, soul, and body. Let Your kingdom rule increase in every part of my inner life. I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.
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