God’s Judgment And The Law
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.24 For, as it is written, The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
Concluding Prayer For Humility
Living in a world that celebrates putting yourself first can make it hard to not carry a self-righteous attitude around with us. However, as we have learned, self-righteousness never pays and always results in Gods disappointment over our actions.
Humility is what we should seek every day, humbly thanking God for the gifts He has given us that we dont deserve or have earned, and spreading that love and grace to those around us.
As we conclude, here is a prayer of humility to keep in mind as you go about your day:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You so much for the sacrifice of Your son, Jesus, so we could be freed from the bondage of sin and set on a new path as part of Your wonderful plan. We pray today that we walk with humility in everything that we do and with everyone we interact with, knowing that we are following in the footsteps of our humble Savior. We pray that all self-righteousness we encounter, from either ourselves or from others, will be stopped instantly as we come to You in humility. Let us not forget what You have done for us and the love You give us when we are at our worst, but think we are at our best.
In Jesuss name, I pray,
Amen.
Sermon Notes For The Danger Of Self
The title of this mornings sermon is, The Danger of Self-Righteousness.
Please stand with me for the reading of Gods Word
Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth for the Lord has spoken: Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its masters crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. 4 Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. 5a Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel?
Now this is the part for this morning
Isaiah 1:5b The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.
You may be seated. Lets pray.
On Sunday mornings were working our way through Lukes gospel verse by verse, but this morning we are going to continue from last Sundays sermon. If I wouldve preached two hours last week this wouldve been the second half.
So let me briefly remind you what we talked about
Luke 5:31 Jesus , Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
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How Does Bible Reading Make People Self
November 21, 2018Paul Sadler
If you want to avoid becoming self-righteous, you need to read the Bible through two lenses.
Its a sobering thought to consider that Jesus was crucified by people who were immersed in the Scriptures. But Jesus repeatedly told them that there was a problem with how they read the Bible. Their approach to the Bible actually contributed to their self-righteousness.
On one occasion, Jesus told His detractors, You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life . Many Christians realize that the Bible points to Jesus but forget this when they read and in so doing miss out on the life that Jesus wants to communicate through His Word. An example will help.
Only one descendant of Saul can be found, a young man named Mephibosheth, whose legs had become disabled through a childhood accident. He is living outside of the Promised Land, partly in fear and partly in shame. He likely feels he has no right and no standing in Israel anymore. And with his physical disability, he is doubly powerless to change his circumstances. As Mephibosheth approaches the king, David calms his fears, offers him the full inheritance of his father Saul and gives him a seat of honour at the royal table. It is an unparalleled act of generosity.
In awe of Him,
You Cannot Save Yourself You Need The Savior
Heres the truth: no matter how good you are according to the worlds moral standards, you will never be good enough.
You are a sinner. We all are .
No matter if we follow most of the rules and keep most of the commandments, its impossible to qualify for heaven on our own.
Paul David Tripp writes, Since sin is deeper than bad behavior, trying to do better isnt a solution. Only grace that changes the heart can rescue us. There is a difference between a person in whom disappointment leads to self-reformation and someone in whom grief leads to heartfelt confession. The first person believes in personal strength and the possibility of self-rescue, while the second has given up on his own righteousness and cries out for the help of another.
Thats why God sent His son, Jesus.
God knew we couldnt do it on our own.
The penalty for our sin is death. Thankfully, Jesus, who never sinned, came to earth to die for our sin on the cross.
Its only because of His blood shed for our sins that we are forgiven .
Acknowledge and confess your sin to any party you injured and to the Lord. Begin with any self-righteousness in your heart. Believe Jesus died on the cross for your sin and place your faith in him as your Savior and Lord.
For those who already are Christians, confess and repent of any self-righteousness in your life, and dont just confess that to God. Confess it to anyone youve been self-righteous toward.
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The Subtle Sin Of Self
I have often caught myself thinking ill of another believers actions, and then the Holy Spirit makes me aware of my own glaring flaws. Can you relate? Every seasoned believer has experienced the sin of self-righteousness. Our expectations of others remain high, our condemning attitudes flourish-even to the point of justifying our own merciless treatment of people-but there is a tree growing in our own eye!
Prayer Of The Pharisee
First, the Pharisee went to the temple to pray. He must be seeking the Lord, and he seems to be a prayerful man, right? Not only that, the Pharisee thanked God for the good things he had done. Thats good, too. The Pharisee didnt take credit for his own good deeds. He said: God, I thank you!
So whats the problem? The self-righteousness that seeps out from this mans actions and words is evident in the other aspects of his prayer.
- He was standing in the temple, probably in front of others, to be seen by them.
- He expresses gratitude to God but not because God is so awesome and holy, but because he sees himself as set apart from others. The Pharisee may not be self-aware, but he sure is aware of the people around him. He isnt truly looking up to God in prayer because he is looking down on the people next to him. Were he truly aware of the awesome majesty of God, he would see himself on the same level as the tax collectora lowly sinner in need of mercy.
- The Pharisee mentions his fasting practices and his tithing.
- Note the repetition of I throughout the prayer. The Pharisee may be praying to God, but he is praying about himself.
If someone had accused the Pharisee of being self-righteous in that moment, how do you think he would have responded? He would have denied the charge. He would not have recognized that attitude in himself. See how easy it is to be deceived?
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Three Right One Wrong
Verse 9 begins by recording how Moses obeyed the Lord. Although he later disobeyed the Lord, Moses was on the right track. Moses did three right things before his glooming mistake . But this is where Moses stepped too far. He struck the Rock two times rather than speaking to it . Moses had faith that water would gush forth, and so, it did. But there was a problem with how he accomplished this marvelous miracle out in the barren wilderness before the eyes of Gods people. Lets further explore Moses one disobedience.
- He took his rod.
- He rebuked them.
How Do We Humble Ourselves
As James 4:10 states, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. This is the most authentic way to remember that we are not better than anyone else. We must constantly look at ourselves with humility so that we dont think we are better than those around us. We must strive and work in prayer to see ourselves accurately as the fallen sinners we are by nature, in need of Christ, the Redeemer of mankind.
We have to accept that we make mistakes and stumble. This was the mistake of Sanhedrin and Peter. They did not accept that they could stumble, and ultimately that was their downfall, but the truth is that they could indeed stumble and have faults.
We must accept that we are merely humans and need God to lead us to the path of righteousness. It is not our own mind or being that makes us holy, but only God and God alone will defend us from the sins of this world.
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Study Questions On The Pride Of The Self
The Sin Of Justifying Yourself
The self tacked on to righteousness is the problem. When you start justifying self, you get into trouble.
For example, those who are self-righteous are quick to point out the sins in others to justify their own shortcomings, insecurities, and sinful behavior.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye. Matthew 7:3-5
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Bible Verses About Self Righteous
Bible verses related to Self Righteous from the King James Version by Relevance
Matthew 7:1-5 – Judge not, that ye be not judged. Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Luke 18:9-14 – And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Romans 3:10 – As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:Matthew 7:1-2 – Judge not, that ye be not judged. Romans 14:10-13 – But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Timothy 3:2 – For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
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Search the King James Version for more references about Self Righteous…
Making Room For The Self
Matthew 7:1-5, Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 15:11-32, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 2:1-11, Romans 3:9-23
BY Claire Gibson
As a teenager I was a pretty lousy prodigal. The youngest of three daughters, I had the benefit of watching my sisters rebellious moments backfire, and so I learned quickly that the best way to stay in my parents good graces was to toe the line. Add to that the fact that we lived at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, surrounded by structure, discipline, and people who knew how to do things right. Early on, I decided I wanted to be like them. While good leaders might make honest mistakes, they usually dont blow a bunch of cash partying. They go to college, get good grades, and become generals and senators.
I applied that same logic to my young Christian faith. I thought if I lived rightly, all my dreams would go just as Id planned. I even claimed Scripture to back me up! Instead, my self-righteousness grew like a cancer, slow and undetected, hidden by a life focused on pleasing others.
Self-righteousness blocks our ability to find joy in the redemption of others. When Im being self-righteous, Im far better at calling other people names than I am at naming my own sin. Reading the parable of the prodigal son has never been fun for me because I know Im the older brotherheart hardened and locked up tightand I would much rather be the younger brother, who knows hes in desperate need of forgiveness.
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Bible Verses About Self
Although self-righteousness is not specifically stated in the Bible, there are verses about pride, hypocrisy, and being a lover of self that express exactly what self-righteousness looks like in people. Here are some verses to consider about self-righteousness:
1 John 4:20 – If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Matthew 6:1 – Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
– He answered and said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
Romans 10:3 – For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
Galatians 6:3 – For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
Characteristics Of The Self
1. They do not see their walk with God as a community project.
2. They do not work well with others.
3. They consistently believe they are right and know best.
4. They are resistant to change.
5. They do not respond well when reminded they need to change.
6. They do not desire others exhortation or admonition, even getting angry at times.
7. They are not patient with those who mess up, struggle with sin or have lost their way.
8. They do not deal well with opposition or accusations.
9. They will consistently wonder why God has singled them out for difficulty.
10. They do not see a need to admit or confess their sin.
11. They consistently point out the sin of others with an air of superiority.
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Family Worship Guide For The Danger Of Self
Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: