Selective righteousness or obedience?
Genesis 20-21/Matthew 15-16
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OT
21:1-2 Now Abraham moved south to the Negev and settled for a while between Kadesh and Shur at a place called Gerar. Abraham told people there that his wife, Sarah, was his sister. So King Abimelech sent for her and had her brought to him at his palace.
NT
15:3 Jesus replied, ‘And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God?
:6-9 And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings.”
OT Flash Points
Pagans fear God more than Abraham?
God spoke to the people of Gerar (Philistia-Palestinians) and not to Abraham
Maybe he hadn’t been willing to listen to God’s perspective on that subject
NT Flash Points
Jesus’ priorities were firm but He was moved by faith
Especially in the face of such faithlessness among the Jews
Perspective
Don’t substitute your own contrived righteousness for obedience to God and loyalty to Jesus
Choosing a couple of the rules that you follow “pretty well” and saying, “I’m alright!”
God is looking for the gift of your heart