ESCHEW SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 20, 2023.

SUBJECT : ESCHEW SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS! 

Memory verse: "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth, a stranger, and not your own lips." (Proverbs 27 vs 2.)

READ: Luke 18 vs 10 - 14:

18:10: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.

18:11: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You, that I am not as other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

18:12: I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

18:13: And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.’

18:14: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

INTIMATION:

Self-righteousness is being overly confident that one acts properly (especially in comparison with others). It’s being overly virtuous. Self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride, causes a person to despise others, and prevents him or her from learning anything from God. One should not glory in order to emphasize his own abilities to perform. He should glory in the basis that he or she is in the Lord and thus, it is the Lord working through him or her. When we boast in order to bring glory to Jesus, then we know that our lives are about Jesus, not ourselves. Jesus said, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.” (John 8 vs 54.) One should live a godly life that manifests praise to God, and not give praise to himself. 

The Scripture says, “But He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord. For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he ‘whom the Lord commends.” (Second Corinthians 10 vs 17 - 18). God cannot be placed in debt to either save or glorify on the basis for human performance. Those who glorify themselves before God on the basis of their performance are establishing their own standards, and thus, they are arrogantly asking God to accept their standards as payment for their salvation. 

In comparison to the righteousness of the good God, there is no righteous person. No man can stand righteous before God on the merit of his own works of law or good deeds. Therefore, we cannot establish our own standards of performance, and then, measure ourselves righteous or good before God on the basis of our standards. One can boast only insofar as the grace of God has worked in his or her life to move him or her to respond to the will of God.

In the passage we read today, the Pharisee boasted concerning his obedience to his self-imposed religious codes and traditions. He checked off his list of righteous deeds that he did and evil deeds that he did not do. He thus trusted in himself, feeling self-confident that his performance of law should satisfy God, and thus, put God in debt to save him. The Pharisee did not go to the temple to pray to God but to announce to all within earshot how good he was. 

The tax collector went recognizing his sin and begging for mercy. I guessed he stood far from the Pharisee because he was judged unrighteous by the Pharisee. However, he stood close to God because he approached God on the basis of his spiritual inadequacies. Because he recognized his spiritual poverty, he trusted in God’s grace for his salvation. He was justified by his faith in God’s grace, not by his perfect law-keeping or performance of good deeds. Those who have self-righteously exalted themselves will be brought down. 

Self-righteous people pride themselves in their self-acclaimed quality of being right or just. Pride is inordinate self-esteem or conceit. It’s the inner voice that whispers, “My way is best.” Whenever you find yourself looking down on other people, you are being pulled by pride. Pride indicates that a person is self-centered, and thus he will fall over himself as he deals with people. Only when you eliminate pride can God help you become all He meant you to be. God cuts off the pride from His grace. Pride cripples us in our quest for a proper relationship with God. Only God must be exalted is the first step toward developing that relationship with Him. 

The Scripture says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5 vs 3.) Happy are those who are not proud, conceited or arrogant, especially concerning their spiritual relationship with God. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God. Those with such an attitude of mind will submit to the kingdom reign of God, therefore, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The tax collector’s prayer should be our prayer because we all need God’s mercy every day. Don’t let pride in your achievements cut you off from God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, take away any spirit of pride and self-righteousness in me. Everyday of my life I will humble myself before You as a sinner that needs your mercy. Let Your humble spirit dwell in me richly, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!