Tag: Purity and Righteousness

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The Kingdom Demand for Integrity

Summary of my sermon, based on Luke 16:14-18. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on Good Friday – April 26, 2026.

In the preceding verses of Luke 16, Jesus teaches His disciples about the proper way to steward resources, culminating in a definitive truth: “You cannot serve God and money.” This absolute statement immediately triggers a confrontation with the religious establishment, setting the stage for a devastating critique on what it means to have true integrity as a redeemed people.

The Root of the Ridicule
Luke 16:14 states, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.” This gives us direct insight into why the Pharisees constantly bumped up against Jesus. The word used for “ridiculed” is severe; it is the exact same word translated as “scoffed” to describe the crowds mocking Jesus while He lay on the cross. The Pharisees were scoffing because they were trying to “have their cake and eat it too”—they wanted to serve God while holding onto their desire for money.

The Devastating Reality of Pretend Righteousness
Jesus’s response to their scoffing is absolutely devastating, yet He does not even mention money. Instead, He addresses the wider issue of kingdom integrity: “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts” (Luke 16:15).

The main problem of the Pharisees is that they are attempting to appear more righteous than they really are in front of the people around them. As Jesus declares in Matthew 23, they are like “whitewashed tombs.” Just as a cemetery might look beautiful on the outside—with neatly cut grass and clean tombstones—underneath the surface, it is full of dead flesh and decomposing bones. The Pharisees looked beautiful on the outside, but God saw the rotten decay at their core.

They performed this pretend righteousness solely to receive the praise of the people around them. Jesus calls this purpose “an abomination in the sight of God.” An abomination is not just a minor misstep; it is the complete opposite of what is acceptable to God. Saying and doing the right things in public is not enough if the heart remains untouched.

A New Era of Salvation
In verses 16 and 17, Jesus outlines a shift in God’s story of salvation: “The law and the prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.”

Since the very beginning of the need for salvation in Genesis 3 (the protoevangelium), God promised a Savior. Jesus’s arrival marks the fulfillment of that promise. The phrase “everyone forces his way into it” conveys the active acceptance required to enter the kingdom. It is a decision so radical—turning away from the things the world values, like money and public praise—that it requires forceful, decisive action.

However, this new era does not negate the moral law. Jesus clarifies, “It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void.” The moral components of the law continue to reflect God’s holy character.

The Standard of Integrity
To prove His point that the moral law remains, Jesus makes what seems like a weird right turn by providing an example regarding divorce (verse 18). While this is not a comprehensive teaching on the subject—Matthew 19 expands on biblical exceptions such as sexual immorality, alongside other justified reasons like abuse or abandonment—He uses it to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God does not lower its moral expectations.

The Kingdom demand for integrity moves us past simple black-and-white, rule-based concepts. For instance, the New Testament standard for giving shifts from a strict 10% tithe to genuine generosity. The standard for morality aligns with Philippians 4:8: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, and commendable.

Because our hearts are naturally “rotten to the core,” this standard is unattainable on our own. True righteousness is only possible through a transformation of the heart—a heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh—accomplished entirely through the saving work of Christ on the cross.

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The Practice of Purity & Righteousness

Summary of my sermon, based on 1 John 2:27-3:10. Preached at Greenhills Christian Fellowship Toronto on February 19, 2023.

Movies have a way of capturing our imagination and sometimes even offering valuable lessons. One film that left a lasting impression on me was “Midway.” It depicted the historic Battle of Midway, which took place from June 3 to 6, 1942, during World War II. The battle marked a turning point as Japan suffered a significant defeat, losing four aircraft carriers and numerous skilled pilots. Some argue that this defeat sealed Japan’s fate, leading to their ultimate surrender on September 2, 1945. But why is this history lesson relevant to us today? Well, in our passage from the Bible, the Apostle John revisits the moral test, one of the three tests he previously discussed: the Moral Test, the Social Test, and the Belief Test. By exploring the concept of the “Already but Not Yet,” John helps us understand the tension surrounding sin and its implications for our lives.

Already but Not Yet

The Battle of Midway serves as a powerful illustration of the “Already but Not Yet” concept in Christian theology. Although the United States effectively won the war in the Pacific, the Japanese didn’t surrender immediately. They had to continue fighting until their eventual defeat. Similarly, Jesus’ death and resurrection marked His victory over sin, as Ephesians 1:7-10 beautifully articulates. We are set free from sin and death through Christ’s sacrifice, but it doesn’t mean we are instantly made perfect and sinless. We live in the tension of the “Already” and the “Not yet.”

Prepare for Jesus’ Second Coming

In 1 John 2:28–3:3, John emphasizes the importance of purity and righteousness to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ second coming. When He appears again, we will face either shame or confidence. Psalm 14:1-3 reminds us that those who operate as if there is no God, practicing unrighteousness, will face condemnation. However, through the Gospel, we are made pure. Romans 3:23–25 assures us that we are justified by God’s grace through the redemption found in Christ Jesus. Our hope in Jesus leads us to purify ourselves as He is pure (1 John 3:3).

We Become Children of God

John also highlights that practicing righteousness is the consequence of being God’s children. In 1 John 2:29–3:1, he reminds us that we have been called children of God. As His children, we have received the Spirit of adoption, crying out to Him as our loving Father (Romans 8:15–17). Although we are God’s children now, what we will become has not yet appeared. Our hope lies in the future, when Jesus returns, and we will be transformed to be like Him (1 John 3:2). This assurance motivates us to practice righteousness, forsaking sin and living in accordance with God’s commands.

The Practice of Sinning and Righteousness: 1 John 3:4–10 draws a clear distinction between those who practice sinning and those who practice righteousness. The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil, and those born of God cannot keep on sinning because they have been transformed by His grace. Hebrews 2:14–15 affirms that Jesus’ death defeated the power of death and delivered us from lifelong slavery to sin. Galatians 5:19–21 outlines the works of the flesh, warning us that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Conversely, Galatians 5:22–24 describes the fruit of the Spirit, which characterizes those who belong to Christ Jesus. As we walk in the Spirit, we crucify the desires of the flesh and exhibit the righteousness that comes from God.

Although we continue to wrestle with sin in our lives, we can take comfort in the hope of the Gospel. Philippians 2:12–13 encourages us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in us. We are being sanctified and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our whole being—spirit, soul, and body—can be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24). We can trust in God’s faithfulness as He completes the work He began in us.

Righteousness is the Consequence of Being God’s Children

Living in the tension of the “Already but Not Yet” requires us to embrace the reality of our salvation while actively pursuing righteousness. The Battle of Midway serves as a reminder that victory doesn’t always mean an immediate end to the struggle. Likewise, Jesus’ victory over sin and death doesn’t eradicate sin’s presence in our lives. However, through faith in Him, we are made pure and have the assurance of our future transformation. As God’s children, we are called to practice righteousness, forsaking sin and walking in the Spirit. May we find encouragement in the hope of the Gospel as we navigate the tension of the “Already but Not Yet” in our journey of faith.