Being great in the Kingdom of God is part of His plan for every believer. But what does it mean to be great in God’s Kingdom? Matthew 5: 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. [1]
Jesus had just said that He came to fulfill the law. Now, He is teaching His followers that they, too, need to obey the law. They don’t realize it yet, but it is the disciples who will need to carry on Jesus’ ministry with their teaching.
Law or Grace?
As New Testament believers, we tend to focus on grace rather than the law. Paul frequently emphasized the concept of grace in many of his letters. Romans 6: 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. [2] As a result, many modern-day Christians focus only on the New Testament and ignore the Old.
Indeed, the sacrificial laws are no longer needed because Jesus was the all-sufficient sacrifice. Hebrews 10: 10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.[3] Although the sacrificial laws are no longer in effect, the moral laws of the Old Testament remain in place. Paul continues. Romans 6: 15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.[4]
A few chapters later, Paul places the Old Testament law in a New Testament perspective. Romans 13: 8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder, You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. [5]
Obedience Leads to Greatness
Paul focused on grace in his letters to the churches because false teachers came in and taught that salvation was earned by obeying the law. He had to counter that with the truth that Jesus won our salvation and gives it to us as a gift when we believe in Him. Our obedience to the law should now be motivated not by duty, but by love for a Savior who was willing to give His life for us.
Jesus had just taught about the need to be salt and light in the world, even in the face of persecution. Our actions matter and are on display for the world around us. As believers, we are responsible for carrying the message of Jesus to others. To do this, we must not take God’s word lightly but respect and obey God if we want to accomplish great things for Him. To learn more about being great in the Kingdom of God, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/called-to-be-salt-and-light
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.