The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1947-10-23

1nE nAOn1 NOAD ID REAL
RIGHTEOUSNESS
Text: But say unto you, that
except your righteousness shall |
exceed the righteousness of the
Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall
IN no case enter the kingdom
of heaven" Matt $40.
We have in these words a timely
warning. A warning which is espec-
tally fitting our day and age. For. al
though we have come q long wav
since that memorable day when
Jesus warned His disciples. that, un-
less their righteousness should ex-
ceed that of the Scribes and Phar-
isees, they. would in no case enter
into the kingdom OF heaven, we have
not gotten much beyond the right
eousness of the Scribes and Pharisees
in the meantime. We do not need to
look far or long at present day liv-
ing, at society in general to come
to this conclusion. And there is no
hope of achieving a better state of
things, or any better types or spec
linens of human character than that
which we already have until we be-
gin to develop character which is
rendered unique and irresistible by
unbroken communion with the mind
and will of God.
What most individuals in life need
today in order to push their state of
righteousness beyond the mere leg
alism of the not do this or not do
that stage of the Pharisees is a
change of heart. Now in the first
place a genuine change of heart in
wolves repentance. Repentance i'm
plies a sense of sin. With many a
real sense of sin has yet to be born.
To understand the real meaning of
the word sin and the awfulnesS of it,
we must have an idea of the mean
ing of the term to be righteous in
the sense in which Jesus used the
term. Before we can ever hope to
have a better society, we must have
better men and women who make
up that society. They must have
characters which are unique, ire
sistable by unbroken communion
with the mind and will of the liv-
ing God.
Character consists in the ability
to hold an.ideal in consciousness and
to control every act of every day in
terms of this ideal" If we would
hold before our minds the ideal re-
vealed in the life and teachings OF
Jesus and act in accord with it in
every situation of life, it is hard for
us to conceive all the changes that
would be necessary in the lives OF
even the very best of men. This is
all true because then we would be
different men and women from what
we are.
One great truth which is so often
overlooked is that real and lasting
changes in society depend upon
some basic changes in the individu-
ais who compose society. Some seem
to think that all that is necessary is
to change to some new system, adopt
some new political philosophy ol
form of government, or some new
creed. They think that if you car
adopt some new scheme in conven
ton assembled, everything that i:
necessary to remake the world, anC
minds and hearts of men will there
by be taken care of. When the truth
is it never works that way, it never
has and it never will. We must be
gin by developing new character IL
individual persons. Without planting
the desires of improved living anC
moral standards in the hearts of mer
and women, nothing will ever bt
changed for the betterment of all
Without these changes in the hearts
of individuals we will forever lacl
the dynamic, the power from OF
high, which is necessary to. .motivatt
the changes that we desire in human
society. To this end an ideal higf
enough to capture the imagination
and strong enough to enlist and con
troll the heart and mind is necessary
Where can such an ideal be found
We have it in the life and teaching
of Jesus There is no greater ideal
For this reason there cannot be ;
finer type of character than rea
genuine Christian character. Th'
reason for Christ's criticism of th'
character of the Scribes and Phar
isees" was that it was inadequate
1t was upon a lower level than HI
demanded And on the same basi
of argument if the Christians idea
is higher than that of the Scribe
and Pharisees, his Righteousness
should exceed that of the Scribe
and Pharisees.
Let us consider the ideal we hav
in Christ 1t conceiVes of God as tn
Father and regards all men as Hi
children, and all men as brothers
Humanity is the family of God. CO.
loves His children, and He provide
and cares for them. They, if the
have adopted the proper ideal O
life. in turn love Him and love on
another. They show their love t
Him by obeying Him, and by show
ing deeds of love and sympathy to
wards their fellowman. The grea
aim in the true Christian life is t
become more and more like tn
Christ. They would be perfect eve
as He is perfect They show thei
love to one another, as brother
should, by being kind, thoughtft
and considerate of one another an
by being charitable in their treat
ment and judgment of each othe
And they come to see and never fol
get that every individual is precior
in the sight of God. God shows n
favoritism, and they therefore Wi
respect the differences in person
and will cooperate with one anothe
for each others good. If all Woul
adopt this program an ideal soclet
would come into existence. in Whlc
the will of God is done and the we
fare of humanity advanced.
This does not describe the ideal
its entirity, neither does it elimina
all the problems with which v