The Sin of Self-Righteousness
I hear a lot of people talk these days about religion and how bad it is. The rally cry of modern Christianity since the Jesus People movement has been "It's not about religion, it's about a relationship." To a degree I agree with that sentiment. It's not religion that saves us, it's a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. But how do we get there? How can we have that relationship without someone pointing the way to the God who loves us?
That's where religion comes in. True religion is a means of grace, not the end. When the church claims that we need the church in order to be saved, then it stops being a religion and becomes a god unto itself. But that also doesn't mean that we don't belong in the Church. After all, it is the presence of the Body of Christ on earth, and as I am never tired of saying, you cannot be a part of the body if you are apart from the body.
Where did this anti-religious sentiment stem from? Well, a lot of well-meaning Christian scholars in the latter part of the 20th century began to look at how Jesus addressed the people. He would welcome sinners and stand at arm's length from the Pharisees - the religious folk. So it was assumed that Jesus was all about the people, not religion. Hence the mantra arose, It's not about religion, it's about a relationship.
Some of this may have come from 12-step programs as well. After all, since 1953 Narcotics Anonymous has claimed to be a "spiritual, not religious" program of recovery. Which means you must believe in a higher power, but any god will do, not a particular one. Today there are many who claim to be spiritual but not religious, even those who have nothing to do with 12-step programs.
Which brings me back to my original theme. The problem Jesus had with the religious folk was not that they were religious, but that they saw their religion as a necessary means to salvation. In other words, they relied upon obeying man-made rules (not the rules of God, which are clearly stated in the Scriptures) to demonstrate how worthy they are of God's love. They used their religion to work their way to God.
But God never wanted the works; he wanted obedience that stems from love. Jesus himself addressed it when those religious folks accused him of hanging out with sinners. He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)
Jesus said he didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners. But doesn't the Bible tell us that none are righteous (Romans 3:10), that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)? Since Genesis chapter 3, mankind has been in a fallen state. We have separated ourselves from God through our sin and disobedience. So who are these righteous that Jesus is talking about?
It might be better to understand by saying it is the self-righteous that he is talking about. The Pharisees look to their works and obedience for salvation, not to the God who calls them to repentance and faith. Paul tells us in Romans that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3, citing Genesis 15:6). We are justified by faith alone and not by works of righteousness. And those Pharisees looked to those works and used it as a point to boast, to feel superior to others, to look down on those sinners and Jesus who dared to associate with them.
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul tells us that we are saved by grace through faith, which doesn't come from ourselves but is a gift of God. It's not by works, because if it were we could boast in our works and not give the glory to God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; paraphrased). The Pharisees were boasting in their works, taking glory for themselves instead of giving glory to a merciful and gracious God who forgives iniquity and pardons all unrighteousness.
The sinners were looking to Jesus. The Pharisees were looking to themselves.
If you think that by your goodness you can earn your way to heaven, I'm afraid you are mistaken. Isaiah, speaking for God, said that all our righteousness is filthy rags compared to the holiness of God (Isaiah 64:6). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It's not about what we do, but what He has already done for us in the cross of Jesus Christ. Look to him and not yourself. Abandon the sin of self-righteousness, humble yourself, and come to Jesus.
That's where religion comes in. True religion is a means of grace, not the end. When the church claims that we need the church in order to be saved, then it stops being a religion and becomes a god unto itself. But that also doesn't mean that we don't belong in the Church. After all, it is the presence of the Body of Christ on earth, and as I am never tired of saying, you cannot be a part of the body if you are apart from the body.
Where did this anti-religious sentiment stem from? Well, a lot of well-meaning Christian scholars in the latter part of the 20th century began to look at how Jesus addressed the people. He would welcome sinners and stand at arm's length from the Pharisees - the religious folk. So it was assumed that Jesus was all about the people, not religion. Hence the mantra arose, It's not about religion, it's about a relationship.
Some of this may have come from 12-step programs as well. After all, since 1953 Narcotics Anonymous has claimed to be a "spiritual, not religious" program of recovery. Which means you must believe in a higher power, but any god will do, not a particular one. Today there are many who claim to be spiritual but not religious, even those who have nothing to do with 12-step programs.
Which brings me back to my original theme. The problem Jesus had with the religious folk was not that they were religious, but that they saw their religion as a necessary means to salvation. In other words, they relied upon obeying man-made rules (not the rules of God, which are clearly stated in the Scriptures) to demonstrate how worthy they are of God's love. They used their religion to work their way to God.
But God never wanted the works; he wanted obedience that stems from love. Jesus himself addressed it when those religious folks accused him of hanging out with sinners. He said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13)
Jesus said he didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners. But doesn't the Bible tell us that none are righteous (Romans 3:10), that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)? Since Genesis chapter 3, mankind has been in a fallen state. We have separated ourselves from God through our sin and disobedience. So who are these righteous that Jesus is talking about?
It might be better to understand by saying it is the self-righteous that he is talking about. The Pharisees look to their works and obedience for salvation, not to the God who calls them to repentance and faith. Paul tells us in Romans that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3, citing Genesis 15:6). We are justified by faith alone and not by works of righteousness. And those Pharisees looked to those works and used it as a point to boast, to feel superior to others, to look down on those sinners and Jesus who dared to associate with them.
In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul tells us that we are saved by grace through faith, which doesn't come from ourselves but is a gift of God. It's not by works, because if it were we could boast in our works and not give the glory to God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; paraphrased). The Pharisees were boasting in their works, taking glory for themselves instead of giving glory to a merciful and gracious God who forgives iniquity and pardons all unrighteousness.
The sinners were looking to Jesus. The Pharisees were looking to themselves.
If you think that by your goodness you can earn your way to heaven, I'm afraid you are mistaken. Isaiah, speaking for God, said that all our righteousness is filthy rags compared to the holiness of God (Isaiah 64:6). We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It's not about what we do, but what He has already done for us in the cross of Jesus Christ. Look to him and not yourself. Abandon the sin of self-righteousness, humble yourself, and come to Jesus.