Topical Encyclopedia Self-righteousness, a condition where individuals perceive themselves as morally superior or more virtuous than others, is a recurring theme in the Bible. This attitude is often criticized because human righteousness is inherently partial and flawed. The Scriptures emphasize that true righteousness comes from God alone, and any attempt to claim personal righteousness apart from Him is ultimately vain.Biblical Understanding of Righteousness The Bible consistently teaches that human righteousness is insufficient when compared to the perfect standard of God's holiness. Isaiah 64:6 states, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our sins sweep us away." This verse underscores the idea that even our best efforts are tainted by sin and fall short of God's glory. The Pharisees as an Example of Self-Righteousness The New Testament provides numerous examples of self-righteousness, particularly in the behavior of the Pharisees. Jesus frequently rebuked them for their outward displays of piety that masked an inner lack of true righteousness. In Matthew 23:27-28 , Jesus declares, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector In Luke 18:9-14 , Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector to illustrate the futility of self-righteousness. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I receive." In contrast, the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling to even lift his eyes to heaven, and prayed, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" Jesus concludes, "I tell you, this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." The Apostle Paul's Perspective The Apostle Paul, once a Pharisee himself, came to understand the futility of self-righteousness. In Philippians 3:8-9 , he writes, "More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God on the basis of faith." The Need for Divine Righteousness The Bible teaches that true righteousness is a gift from God, imputed to believers through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:21-22 affirms, "But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Conclusion The biblical narrative consistently reveals that self-righteousness is vain because human righteousness is partial and inadequate. True righteousness is found only in a humble reliance on God's grace and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Torrey's Topical Textbook Matthew 23:25Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Torrey's Topical Textbook Luke 11:44 Library A Blow at Self-Righteousness Satisfied from Self Saul Rejected Rest, Rest The Sermon on the Mount - the Kingdom of Christ and Rabbinic ... Epistle of Paul to the Philippians. The Pilgrim's Progress From the Close of the General Conference of 1808, to the ... Resources What does the Bible say about self-righteousness? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to pursue righteousness? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about self-hatred? | GotQuestions.org Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Self-Righteousness is Boastful Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: But External Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: But Partial Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: Ineffectual for Salvation Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: No Better than Filthy Rags Self-Righteousness is Vain Because Our Righteousness Is: Unprofitable Self-Righteousness: Church of Laodicea Self-Righteousness: Denunciation Against Self-Righteousness: General Scriptures Concerning Self-Righteousness: Hateful to God Self-Righteousness: Illustrated Self-Righteousness: Man is Prone To Self-Righteousness: Saints Renounce Self-Righteousness: The Laodicean Congregation Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to are Abominable Before God Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to are Pure in Their own Eyes Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Audaciously Approach God Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Condemn Others Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Consider Their own Way Right Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Despise Others Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Proclaim Their own Goodness Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Reject the Righteousness of God Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Seek to Justify Themselves Self-Righteousness: They Who are Given to Seek to Justify Themselves Before Men Self-Righteousness: Warning Against Supererogation: The Doctrine of Excessive and Meritorious Righteousness Related Terms |
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