“Gospel Enemy: Self-Righteousness” Luke 18:9-14; 15:25-32; 7:36-48 Jerry Bridges November 15, 2009 Main Idea: Self-righteousness is like a virus; untreated, it can severely debilitate or kill our Christian life. Key Ideas: 1. The Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) – Two reasons why selfrighteousness is an enemy of the gospel a. First: Self-righteousness causes one the trust in him- or herself instead of the gospel. The Pharisee boasted of all his outward observances and considered these worthy of the favor of God. i. Non-believers expect to go to heaven because he or she has been good. Christians can do a similar thing. We can have consistent times in God’s word or in prayer and we consider ourselves worthy enough for God to bless us and to answer our prayers. We base favor with God on our works. b. Second: Self-righteousness causes us to look down contemptuously on other people. i. The Pharisee looked down on the tax collector for all the flagrant sins he did not do. Christians can do the same thing. We look at society (abortionists, homosexuals, murders, “sinners”, etc) or others in the church and we find something in ourselves that is superior. Consequently, we look down on those we have judged inferior and treat them with contempt. ii.
Self-righteousness denies that all that we are is a result of God’s grace.
2. The Parable of the Prodigal son - the self-righteousness of the elder brother (Luke 15:25-32) a. The older brother’s self-righteousness caused him to accuse his father (v. 29). This is another danger of self-righteousness – it can lead us to accuse God of unfairness. i. It’s the attitude in the midst of a trial that says, “After all I have done for God, this is the thanks I get”? ii.
It’s the woman whose father died when she was 18 and at age 50 said, “I’ve still got a bone to pick with God about the death of my father.”
b. We can accuse God of being unfair to us when we look to our own obedience and sacrificial service. “I have had faithful in my quiet times. I am faithful to come to church and to participate in care group. I give generously and serve sacrificially. Therefore, God owes me something.” i. When God doesn’t “deliver” on what we think He owes us, our selfrighteousness causes us to accuse God.