Wouldn't you like to know today the standard by which you will be judged in eternity tomorrow? That is exactly what Jesus does in the greatest sermon ever told, The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus said, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven," (Mt 5:20). This "opener" provides the basis for His sermon which spans three chapters in Matthew. In it, Jesus provides for us a comparison between two kingdoms: the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of self. In His sermon, Jesus gives us all insight into what a true Christian looks like, acts like, sounds like, and even thinks like. The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the law and their traditions. Jesus makes it clear to them and to us in this sermon, that adherence to the law will not count for eternity. Only by clothing oneself in Christ's righteousness can one hope for eternal life.
The world and even the Church at times, attempts to redefine a Christian in a way that "cheapens" Christianity to make it more palatable and pleasing to the un-believer. Pastor and Martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer called this "cheap grace." But the true Christian will not be measured by the world's or even the church's standards. Each and every person will stand before a righteous Judge, and be made to give an account for his or her life according to God's Word.
This book is a line-by-line explanation of Christ's expectations for every person who professes to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. In essence, it is a manual to help us all to understand what it means to be a Christian.
