SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS

I Was Just Thinking About – SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The Holy Scriptures clearly state those things that are repugnant to the Holy and Eternal God. They are listed in various ways such as (Galatians 5:19-21), “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Elsewhere (Colossians 3:5-9), a similar list states: “Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. When you lived among them, you also used to walk in these ways. But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices”

One of the major sins that is committed by many professing Christians is the sin of comparison. It allows them to think and believe they are not as bad as those described in the above verses. They think of themselves as one who embraces some good works that outweigh the negatives that others practice. This type of thinking allows one to miss the indicting words spoken in Daniel 5:22,27: “But you, Belshazzar…have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this…You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.” It is too easy to avoid and evade the words of Romans 3:10, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” And, the words of Isaiah 64:6 (NLT), “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.” It is easy to pretend we have surpassed this assessment.

A devotional I read daily asks a series of convicting questions: “Would the worst of sinners feel loved by you, or would they sense that you are more likely to condemn and ostracize them? Has your goodness become a habit, or does it thrive as a response of love and gratitude for all that Jesus has done for you? Do you feel like you have been forgiven much? Why, or why not? Are you genuinely touched when you sing the words, “He saved a wretch like me,” or does it refer to someone else?”

Is righteousness a possibility for anyone at all? Yes! How can it be realized? In Jesus Christ alone! Is it achievable for someone like me? Yes! II Corinthians 5:15,21: “Jesus Christ died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again… God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.

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