9.12.2004
The Unrighteousness of Self-righteousness
Fred Peatross (who, alas, is no longer blogging)
Sep 12, 2004
It's all too common for Christians to be in God's family while stranger to his affections; to be heirs to his whole estate yet living lives "short-changed" of the riches of his grace. The younger son in Luke 15 could not experience his father's love until he realized the depth of his own unrighteousness. Conversely, the older son world never move out of the orphanage of his hard heart and onto the dance floor of his father's delight until he saw the ugliness of his self-righteousness.
There's little question—it's easier to be convinced of our unrighteousness than our self-righteousness. Unrighteousness is usually in direct opposition to Scripture or conscience; it's external, observable and often easy to define. But self-righteousness is more subtle. In reality there is no greater unrighteousness than self-righteousness. Jesus most scathing remarks were directed not at pagans and "sinners" but at religious people blind to their own graceless hearts.
I'll confess; I am no less capable of falling into either graceless pattern today. I've been both a prodigal and a Pharisee. I love the way Jerry Bridges says it, "Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
The older brother was so near, yet so far away—so "right," but so wrong. He stood on the premise of grace, but was a stranger to its promises. So much of his behavior seemed so commendable. But he had the heart of a grace-less beast.
Until we learn to identify and despise our own self-righteousness, we remain strangers to the music and the dance of the gospel. The only righteousness that meets God's requirement is the righteousness of Jesus.
Fred Peatross (who, alas, is no longer blogging)
Sep 12, 2004
It's all too common for Christians to be in God's family while stranger to his affections; to be heirs to his whole estate yet living lives "short-changed" of the riches of his grace. The younger son in Luke 15 could not experience his father's love until he realized the depth of his own unrighteousness. Conversely, the older son world never move out of the orphanage of his hard heart and onto the dance floor of his father's delight until he saw the ugliness of his self-righteousness.
There's little question—it's easier to be convinced of our unrighteousness than our self-righteousness. Unrighteousness is usually in direct opposition to Scripture or conscience; it's external, observable and often easy to define. But self-righteousness is more subtle. In reality there is no greater unrighteousness than self-righteousness. Jesus most scathing remarks were directed not at pagans and "sinners" but at religious people blind to their own graceless hearts.
I'll confess; I am no less capable of falling into either graceless pattern today. I've been both a prodigal and a Pharisee. I love the way Jerry Bridges says it, "Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
The older brother was so near, yet so far away—so "right," but so wrong. He stood on the premise of grace, but was a stranger to its promises. So much of his behavior seemed so commendable. But he had the heart of a grace-less beast.
Until we learn to identify and despise our own self-righteousness, we remain strangers to the music and the dance of the gospel. The only righteousness that meets God's requirement is the righteousness of Jesus.
