exceeding

For some reason that last entry has been making me nervous. Maybe I just need to remind myself that following the person of Jesus (rather than just convictions/rules drawn from his teaching) can never be a justification for compromise or a less radical life. The opposite is true. Jesus himself made that clear:

"Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Mt 5.19-20)

Whenever he bent a moral rule, it was only to be more moral, not less. Not excusing himself from any ethical demand, but exercising a freedom to be more loving, more good.