You seem to take this in the sense of "I must perform more good works than the Pharisees." Christ understood it in this way:
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luk 18:11-14)
The contrast here is between the Pharisees who glory in their works, in their tithes, their refusal to commit adultery, and their loyalty to the Jewish people, and with the Publican, a tax collector, who does not even think Himself worthy enough to look up to heaven when he prays, but smotes his breast, symbolical of his smashing of his own pride and self-righteousness. The Publican goes down "justified" not because he performs more good works than the Pharisee, or even that his sins were less heinous, but because he recognized himself as a sinner in need of a savior. This is the essence of the Gospel, that a sinner, who cannot be justified by his works, is instead justified by his faith.
As for your objections against Paul's verse. You have not demonstrated how we ought to understand it, but have only pointed us to look at the Gospels, as if there is something there to contradict it. Presumably, Paul's verse cannot contradict something in the Gospel. So, then, can you provide a reading of Paul, using his words, that show he does not believe that the works of the law, so far as receiving justification is concerned, are irrelevant to our salvation?
I was just about to sit down and answer e-s’s comment when I saw your reply.
I won’t bother since you did such a good job.
>> You seem to take this in the sense of “I must perform more good works than the Pharisees.”
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No!
As usual you impart to me your misinterpretation.
The point is that the Pharisees were totally violators of Torah, even to the extent of writing their own laws to avoid the letter and the spirit of Torah.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 plainly states the conclusion of the whole matter is that the keeping of Torah is the entirety of Man.
In Matthew 5, Yeshua affirms this fact, and states that it is to be so as long as the Earth and heaven exist. Theologians, all being separate from the elect of Yehova, always seek any false excuse to dismiss Torah. They are all “workers of Iniquity.”
To try to turn any of Paul’s declarations into a dismissal of Torah can be seen as a false interpretation on its face. Paul stated plainly in Romans 2 that only doers of the law will be justified.
That doesn’t say that anyone will be justified BY doing the law, but nevertheless only those that do the law will be justified.
All of the apostles state this same opinion, and John in particular takes it to us in stern detail in his first epistle.
Buffoons attempt to twist this fact out of the gospel.