In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “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). The Pharisees had a reputation for being sticklers for the Law. So this may have seemed like a daunting challenge.
However, regardless of how the people viewed them, the Pharisees were fallible human beings. They were like the ones described by Paul, who sought to “establish their own [righteousness]” and “did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3). In other words, they created a standard that was not in harmony with God’s law.
Rather than following the man-made standard of the Pharisees, Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). If surpassing the Pharisees sounded daunting, being perfect as God is perfect surely sounded impossible.
However, the point of these verses is to make sure we are following the right example. If our goal is to be like others, our aim is not high enough. We need to strive to be like God.
So follow the right standard. God’s character, wisdom, and instructions are perfect. Therefore, we must seek to be like Him and do His will in all we do.