Matthew 6:1–8, Matthew 6:16–18
God the Son came to do the Father’s will in all things. He perfectly obeyed God in terms of his actions and motives. When he fasted, he did so in keeping with the demands of the law and from a desire to honour God. When he prayed, he never sought to manipulate the Father but spoke to him simply and also in private. When he gave to help those in need, he did not advertise his giving to be seen by others.
Since Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed God in all things and did not sin, he was able to serve as the substitute for God’s people. Through his death on the cross, he paid the penalty for the sins of those who have false motives, those who do good works so that they can be seen by men. The death we deserve for our failure to perfectly obey God was paid for by Jesus Christ so that we can be forgiven our sin.
As a result of Jesus’ work, those who believe in him have the right to become children of God. Through union with Christ, the perfect works he did to merit life in God’s presence can be imputed to us so that we can be confident of God’s love and favour.
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.