Day 42, Year 1

Different Paths of Righteousness

Jesus said to the priests and elders at one time, “For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.” (Matthew 21:32 NKJV)

Before Jesus Christ’s public ministry, there was a man named John the Baptist, who was Jesus’ cousin. He preached in the wilderness, calling people to repent and turn away from sins, and Baptized the convicted. Although John’s public ministry was short, Jesus regarded his message as a path of righteousness, as confession and repentance are always necessary steps for people to receive His salvation. In contrast to radical repentance, it is easy for us to downplay, water down, or condone our sins or choose to escape from facing or tackling our problems. But, we must deal with these wrong attitudes so as to truly repent in welcoming Jesus.

From this perspective, many religious beliefs and practices in this world serve as paths of righteousness and help us grow our faith in Jesus. For instance, piety and earnestness in prayers found in Islam; the emphasis on virtue, learning, and moral conduct in Confucianism; the focus on the law of cause and effect, and the call to detachment in Buddhism; the emphasis on honesty, kindness, and self-discipline in Hinduism; and the reverent observance of the Sabbath and other prudent rules in Judaism, they all demonstrate a reverence for God and could lead us to add value in Christian faith. These are just a few examples though, various elements of different beliefs and practices resonate with John’s message.

On the other hand, from a biblical perspective, each religion and philosophy has its shortcomings (more on this tomorrow). These limitations accentuate the supremacy and reliability of the faith in Jesus. However, we should not overlook the strengths of other religions and practices, as different paths of righteousness all require faith. The word “believe” in today’s verse has a deeper meaning, encompassing acceptance, obedience, and transformation—obeying John’s message and reflecting and changing ourselves. Jesus pointed out that the sinners at that time, e.g. tax collectors and harlots, believed in John, so “you,” i.e., the priests and elders should believe him too! This seems to indicate that the lives of sinners had indeed undergone some positive changes. Observing the positive changes that religious beliefs could bring about in believers is essential since those who claim to believe in Jesus could sometimes misbehave as well, or even worse than those unbelievers. Yet, doesn’t believing in Jesus make Christians better? Those who become worse after believing in Him are not sincere and pious in faith.

Reflection questions:

1) Are there any aspects of other religions and practices that are worth learning from? Why?

2) Have you ever been taught in another religion? If so, what did you learn from it that helped you follow Jesus in a better way?