FOURTHLY – Unless you are righteous inwardly and outwardly, exceeding righteousness, you cannot enter.
“I tell you the truth, unless your righteousness is greater than the Pharisees and teachers of religious law, under no circumstances will you enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20).”
The Pharisees were the strictest sect of Jews. These people were zealously religious, even to the point of giving God a tenth of all their herbs. It was the Pharisee who stood and prayed with himself, “I thank you God that I am not like the others… for I fast twice in the week and give a tenth of all my possessions.” It was the Pharisees who had Jesus arrested and turned Him over to Pilate to be crucified – all the while thinking they were doing the right thing. Before meeting the Lord Jesus, the Pharisaic Saul, led a fanatical persecution against Christians thinking he was doing his duty to God. He had said he was “blameless” insofar as the Law was concerned.
It is amazing to see how many people, even today, try to please God in their own strength with outward works. They wear themselves out with church attendance, ministry, and giving. Unconsciously or not, they believe God will bless them because of their works. While what they are doing outwardly is good, there is an exceeding righteousness that is demanded from them. That is why only few are able to follow this Way. How can you have a righteousness that exceeds a Pharisee without turning into a Pharisee? What a dilemma!
FIFTHLY – Apart from much tribulation, you cannot enter.
“[Paul and Barnabas] strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation.” (Acts 14:22).
This does not sound like something which would strengthen and encourage folks. Our idea of overcoming is to avoid tribulation, not pass through it. We certainly do not connect entering the Kingdom with going through much tribulation. We think having the victory means eliminating all tribulation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In order to enter the Kingdom there must be an increase of Christ and a decrease of self. There are some who want the full-knowledge of Christ and want to advance along the narrow path. But they resist the dealings of God, which are meant to push them farther along and deeper into Christ. They find fault with their circumstances, murmur, complain, and resist every contrary thing. After ten, twenty, or thirty years of being dealt with, they are still as stubborn and headstrong as ever, filling up most of the Church’s pews. Paul calls the trials or tribulations of his life “light afflictions.”
SIXTHLY – Unbelief and disobedience is enough to disqualify you.
“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief… some will enter that rest, but they to whom it was first preached did not enter in because of their disobedience.” (Hebrews 3:19; 4:6).
Most of the Hebrews died in the wilderness between Egypt, (representing the bondage of sin) and the Promised Land (representing the Kingdom of God). In First Corinthians 10:1-11, Paul says that they were ALL delivered, they ALL passed through the sea, they ALL ate the manna and ate the meat and drank the water from the Rock, Who is Christ. In spite of this, they were not pleasing to God and they were destroyed in the wilderness. Twice we are told these things happened as an example to us. They were destroyed because of disobedience. They never lived out of all God had for them. They missed His fullness. Upon hearing this message are you really concerned about your relationship with God? Do you want to “just” go to heaven when you die, or you want the preeminence of Christ to be expressed in “Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth [in my life and circumstances right now] JUST AS IT IS in heaven?”
