Christians have an identity; it is what God has made us to be in Christ, and a purpose to live out what we are. Matthew 5:13-14 declares us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As salt, we are to preserve the truth of God's Word, and as light, we are to give the light of understanding to the world. We do these good works by God working in us. God says that our righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees. It is to be a new kind of righteousness, a spiritual righteousness given and sustained by the Holy Spirit. This is in contrast to that of the Pharisees whose righteousness was only external.