Artificial Righteousness

In Luke 16:18 Jesus declares, "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery." At first glance, this seems unrelated to His rebuke of the Pharisees, but it is in fact a powerful illustration of their hypocrisy.

The Pharisees had become masters at manipulating the Law to justify their desires. They cloaked greed with piety (Luke 16:14-15) and treated Moses' teaching on divorce as a loophole for discarding a spouse when convenient. By issuing a legal certificate of divorce, they could appear righteous before men while living in disobedience before God.

Jesus responds with uncompromising clarity: a divorce granted for trivial reasons does not justify the breaking of the marriage covenant. To remarry after such a dismissal is not lawful freedom but adultery. With this single statement, Jesus strips away the veneer of artificial righteousness and exposes the heart of hypocrisy–using God's Word to excuse sin rather than confront it.

This same danger persists today. Believers may not manipulate divorce law as the Pharisees did, but the temptation to "legalize" sin through technicalities or cultural redefinitions remains strong: - Finances: A Christian might justify greed by saying, "It's just being a good steward," while hoarding wealth and neglecting generosity. - Sexual Ethics: Others argue that living together before marriage is acceptable if there is "commitment," conveniently ignoring God's call to purity. - Worship & Service: Some excuse inconsistent discipleship with the reasoning, "At least I attend on Sundays," reducing faith to a box checked rather than a life surrendered.

The lesson is clear: righteousness is not manufactured by manipulating rules but received through genuine submission to God's will. Jesus calls us to a Kingdom life that goes beyond appearances and legal compliance to wholehearted obedience.

True holiness doesn't ask, "What can I get away with?" but rather, "How can I live fully for God?"