Self Righteousness
Proverbs 20:6, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"
A. Man is Prone to be Self-Righteous.
Proverbs 20:6, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"
B. Self-Righteousness is Hateful To God.
Luke 16:15, "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."
C. Many of God's people are even Self-Righteous --- Israel, after going in to possess the land.
Deuteronomy 9:4, "Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee."
I. Self-Righteousness Is Vain As Far As Christian Service Is Concerned.
A. Moses thought that he could lead his people out of Egyptian bondage but he Failed.
B. Job knew the Folly of Self-Righteousness.
Job 9:20, "If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse."
C. God Warns us against Self-Righteousness.
Proverbs 26:12, "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him."
D. Those Who Are Given To Self-Rightousness:
1. Seek to Justify Themselves --- and Proclaim Their Own Goodness.
Luke 10:29, "But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"
Proverbs 20:6, "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"
Proverbs 27:2, "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."
Galatians 6:3, "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."
2. Condemn Others.
Matthew 9:11, "And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?"
Luke 7:39, "Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner."
3. Despise Others.
Isaiah 65:5, "Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day."
Luke 18:9, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"
E. They are an Abomination Before God.
Isaiah 65:5, "... These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day."
F. The Church at Laodicea.
Revelation 3:16-17, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
II. Self-Righteousness Is Vain As Far As Salvation Is Concerned.
A. Your Righteousness, as a sinner, is but External.
Matthew 23:25-28, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
B. Your Righteousness is only in Part.
Luke 11:42, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
C. Your Righteousness, as a sinner, is No Better Than Filthy Rags.
Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
D. Your Righteousness Is Unprofitable.
Isaiah 57:12, "I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee."
E. Your Righteousness Is Ineffectual For Salvation.
Job 9:30-31, "If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me."
Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
F. They Who Are Given To Self-Righteousness:
1. Approach God with False Confidence.
Luke 18:11, "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."
Matthew 7:22-23, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Matthew 22:12-13, "And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
2. Seek To Justify Themselves Before Men.
Luke 16:15, "And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God."
3. Consider Their Own Way Right --- Stubbornness.
Proverbs 21:2, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts."
4. Are Pure in Their Own Eyes.
Proverbs 30:12, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness."
5. Reject the Righteousness of God.
Romans 10:3, "For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."
G. Notice --- The Pharisee and the Publican.
Luke 18:9-14, "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 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. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 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. 14 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."
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