The Dangers of Self-Righteousness
Don’t Miss This: Week #2
The Dangers of Self-Righteousness
Unfortunately, Christians are known more for their lectures than their love
- Self-righteousness will sabotage our influence in the world.
There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. Job 1:1
One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. 7 “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” 8 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Job 1:6-8
He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 22 In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. Job 1:21-22
When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. 12 When they saw Job from a distance, they scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over their heads to show their grief. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. Job 2:11-13
At last Job spoke, and he cursed the day of his birth. 2 He said: 3 “Let the day of my birth be erased, and the night I was conceived. Job 3:1-3
3 THINGS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS DOES:
1. Self-righteousness points a finger rather than lending a hand.
Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope? 7 “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? 8 My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same. Job 4:6-8
But evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. 7 People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire. Job 5:6-7
2. Self-righteousness always lacks compassion
Your children must have sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, 6 and if you are pure and live with integrity, he will surely rise up and restore your happy home. Job 8:4-6
- Self-righteousness often causes us to completely misjudge somebody because they’re not living up to our standards
3. Self-righteousness delights in false humility
God is powerful and dreadful. He enforces peace in the heavens. 3 Who is able to count his heavenly army? Doesn’t his light shine on all the earth? 4 How can a mortal be innocent before God? Can anyone born of a woman be pure? 5 God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars. 6 In comparison, people are maggots; we mortals are mere worms.” Job 25:1-6
After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer. Job 42:7-9
TWO HELPFUL PRAYERS FOR US ALL:
1. Jesus help me to see the self-righteousness in me
- Self-righteousness will cripple the church
2. Jesus heal the hurt the self-righteous have inflicted on me