It\u2019s easy to criticize the Pharisees, but I think we have more in common with them than we realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pharisees built their sense of worth by trying to look \u201cgood.\u201d Speaking of them, Jesus said, \u201cEverything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside\u2026\u201d (Matthew 23:5, NLT).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These guys were so desperate to look \u201cgood\u201d that they literally wore supersized Bible verse boxes to show their respect for God\u2019s law. Unfortunately, this habit of parading their \u201cgoodness\u201d tricked them into missing out on Jesus. Who needs a Savior when you\u2019re already so good?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But are hyper-religious people the only ones who struggle with self-righteousness? Martin Luther didn\u2019t think so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We should realize that we all carry in our hearts a horrible religious fanatic\u2026”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEach one of us carries in our heart a horrible religious fanatic,\u201d he said. \u201cWe would all like to be able to do something so spectacular that we could boast, \u2018Look what I\u2019ve done! With all my prayers and good works, I\u2019ve done enough for God today that I can feel at peace\u2026.\u2019 This joy is impure because it isn\u2019t based on faith. It\u2019s the kind of happiness that can make your conscience confused. Consciences are delicate. We need to guard them against the sin of arrogance\u2026. We should realize that we all carry in our hearts a horrible religious fanatic, who will destroy our faith with foolish delusions of good works\u201d (Martin Luther, Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional, March 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Self-righteousness is a virus that infects our very best ideas and efforts\u2014our personal ideals, our good habits, our social activism, our generosity, our politics, our thoughts of what others or the church should do, etc. Like the Pharisees, we compare ourselves to others in countless ways, secretly hoping to end up ahead\u2014secretly trying to be \u201cgood enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God wants to protect us from these \u201cfoolish delusions of good works,\u201d because He knows that self-righteousness damages our faith and our ability to love others. So what\u2019s the solution to parading ourselves? Here\u2019s what Martin Luther says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Holy Spirit provides us with a way to counter this godless delusion. We need to hold tightly to what we have received through the grace of God. God\u2019s approval doesn\u2019t come to us by what we do. Rather, it comes through the holiness of Christ, who suffered for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n