This was a really good synopsis of the failure of works religion and its motivation. One thing I would be interested in, is for you to explain what you think Jesus did mean in the gospels when he talked about being perfect, etcetera. I thought that in the passages you quoted he was setting up the impossibility of any of us ever being righteous enough to get to God by ourselves, and this pointing us towards the cross that he would soon give his life upon. Interested in your thoughts on this.
C.S. Lewis has a great discussion of this in Mere Christianity. He says that Jesus means God is never finished with us. Of course we won't become perfect in this life but that God will keep "maturing" us. It seems clear that the whole purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to show us that we can never save ourselves by keeping the law. Thus, pointing to our need for a Savior.
This was a really good synopsis of the failure of works religion and its motivation. One thing I would be interested in, is for you to explain what you think Jesus did mean in the gospels when he talked about being perfect, etcetera. I thought that in the passages you quoted he was setting up the impossibility of any of us ever being righteous enough to get to God by ourselves, and this pointing us towards the cross that he would soon give his life upon. Interested in your thoughts on this.
C.S. Lewis has a great discussion of this in Mere Christianity. He says that Jesus means God is never finished with us. Of course we won't become perfect in this life but that God will keep "maturing" us. It seems clear that the whole purpose of the Sermon on the Mount is to show us that we can never save ourselves by keeping the law. Thus, pointing to our need for a Savior.
Harris George Martin Sandra Martinez Richard