During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made a statement concerning the righteousness of those that want to go to Heaven.  Matthew 5:20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."  The scribes and Pharisees were keepers/teachers of the Holy Law! 

 

They strictly obeyed all of the law and taught in the synagogues that, that is what was required.  I have heard that the Jewish Law has over 600 type laws that must be followed to the letter, a feat that would be impossible to accomplish.  This practice of trying to keep all of the ancient Jewish laws borders on, works by man, in order to be saved.  Jesus seemed to be fighting an uphill battle with them in teaching just the opposite.  Christ is denouncing the legalistic righteousness of those religious leaders in their dependence upon their own works of the law.  They were driven by their own zeal and enthusiasm in thinking they could find favor with God through their obeying and keeping all of the Law.

 

In Romans 10:3, For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  Their zeal was sorely misdirected.   What we found out in Romans is that the Law is good in the sense that it sends us to Jesus to be Justified.  Romans 10:4, For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." 

 

The Scribes and Pharisees measure their righteousness by their works in keeping the law, and that measurement would never create the righteousness to enter the kingdom of Heaven.  So we are finding that throughout the Bible are many verses that will let a person know that they can have the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ.    Galations 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." 

 

When a person is born again, accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, their sins are washed away; they have the Righteousness of Christ in them.  Through faith and His righteousness we are counted Holy and Blameless before God, and that is the righteousness required to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  It is only by Faith and God’s Grace, which will than produce Good Works in us to help and bless others.   That is the ‘works’ that God wants out of his children, not the works of trying to keep every letter of the law.