Some Characteristics of the Self-Righteous

 October 12, 2024

Saturday

If you have read this blog, you know that I have said that self-righteous people can be as mean at they want to be. They are right and they can condemn anyone who is different and doesn't agree with them. But tonight as I was riding my bicycle home from church, I realized some other things about the self-righteous.

Self-righteous people do not know that they are self-righteous. In fact, it might not have even occurred to them. They might notice that they are looking down on others. They might even see themselves as humble servants of God. They look good on the outside but are full of hypocrisy on the inside.

Matthew 23:27 (ESV)²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

Self-righteous people do the right things but do not give grace to others.

Matthew 23:23 (ESV)²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Self-righteous people do the work of Satan in the name of God.

John 11:47–53 (ESV)⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. ⁵⁰ Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” ⁵¹ He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

Self-righteous people actively seek people who are exactly like them. They want others to join them in their crusades of self-righteousness.

Matthew 23:15 (ESV)¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Self-righteous people seek the praise of men rather than humility.

Matthew 23:1–7 (ESV)¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ² “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, ³ so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ⁶ and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues ⁷ and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

The real problem isn't the self-righteous people. The problem is that any of us can become self-righteous. We all have blind eyes on our sins. We all want some praise from men. We all think that doing what is right will make us righteous. At least, we think that in the flesh. So, we must diligently watch to see our self-righteousness. We will notice it when we are confronted by someone who disagrees with us. We will not listen and we will oppose that person. We may even say that we are doing it for God. We won't give grace. 

Beware for self-righteousness may overcome you before you know it.

Matthew 23:12 (ESV)¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.