The Danger of Self Righteousness and the Cure- Sunday Sermon

They say, 'Keep to yourself, don't come near me, for I am too holy for you!' These practices are smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day long. Isaiah 65:5

Drunkenness and swearing are sin in rags, but self-righteousness is sin in a respectable black coat. It is an aristocratic sin, and does not like to be put down with the common Tuck; and if we call it sin, yet many will plead that it is only so in a very refined sense. But God does not think so; He classes it with the very worst, and He does so because it is one of the worst. For a man to be self-righteous is in itself a sin of sins. For, first, it is blasphemy. God is holy. Here comes this base impostor and boasts, "And I am holy too. Is not that a ludicrous and contemptible form of blasphemy? It is profanity in its very essence. More, this self-righteousness is idolatry, for the man who counts himself to be righteous by his own works worships himself. Practically, the object of his adoration is his own dear, delectable, excellent self.
Those who have high thoughts of themselves do not walk according to God's commandments, but according to their own notions. If any man thinketh himself to be righteous in himself, he has never derived that idea from God's law, and certainly not from the Gospel, for the Gospel knows no man after the flesh as righteous, but it regards all men as sinners, and comes to them with pardon; it treats men as lost and comes to save them. Self-righteous people are not much inclined to search the Scriptures, they do not read them with an understanding heart, so as to get the meaning; they rather make the Bible say their own meaning, and twist it to support their own pleasing dream.
We cannot be saved unless we become truly holy, but no man ever becomes truly holy who is content with a false holiness. Self-righteousness prevents repentance. You will never believe in Jesus Christ while you believe in yourself. What is the remedy for all this? God saith, "Behold Me"; that is to say, He bids thee cease from doting upon thine own fancied beauties and worshipping thine own foolish image. Look first to the holy God and tremble. Canst thou, of thyself, ever be like Him, pure, spotless, glorious? Look to Him and despair. Then comes the second, "Behold Me. See Jesus Christ on the cross dying, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God. As thou seest Him dying thy self-righteousness will die.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)

The Cure for Self-Righteousness

The true cure for self-righteousness is self-knowledge. Once let the eyes of our understanding be opened by the Spirit, and we shall talk no more of our own goodness. Once let us see what there is in our own hearts, and what the holy law of God requires, and self-conceit will die. We shall lay our hand on our mouths, and cry with the leper, “Unclean, unclean.” (Lev. 13:45)

~ J.C. Ryle

A critical spirit.... something I struggle with.

I realize that my eyes can either be fixed on Jesus or fixed on others.

In order to receive God's mercy His Word says that I have to show mercy to others.

I believe I need to spend more time thanking the Lord for all He has forgiven ME for. I don't deserve forgiveness and if it wasn't for the GRACE of God I would be just like those I find myself criticizing.

Lord, help me to have a humble and meek spirit; not a spirit of pride or self-righteousness. You resist the proud. Help me to take every thought captive and to be able to resist the schemes of satan. Help me to give grace, mercy, and forgiveness to those who dont deserve it and to remember that I to don't deserve anything good, yet you have blessed be abundantly. Help me to pray for those that are weak spiritually and not to forget that apart from You I can do nothing.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful; for they will obtain mercy.