Being Smug and Self-Righteous Comes Naturally
It’s easy to be smug. Being self-righteous seems to be so easy and natural.
God is clear about the type of attitude He seeks; humility.
Let’s hear from God word on this issue. And for those of you new to the Bible, Pharisee’s were priests and religious teachers considered by the Jewish people to be most righteous. Tax collectors on the other hand were considered no better than common thieves because as they collected taxes from their own people, they often collected more than was due for their own personal gain.
Luke 18:9-14, About Pharisee’s and Tax Collectors
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (ESV)
God Wants Humble, Not Self-Righteous Followers
Summary of Luke 18:9-14: It’s better to be a humble sinner, than to think of yourself as better than anyone else. If you think highly of yourself and have a big ego, you will eventually be corrected and humbled by God. If you realize your actual situation is that of a sinner, unworthy of God’s approval through your own efforts, you will be exalted by God. If you recognize your own sinful nature and do not pretend to be better in God’s eyes (or any man’s eyes), you show yourself to be the type of person that God truly approves of.
King David in the Old Testament was “a man after God’s own heart”, even though he was a murderer and adulterer. Why? Because he recognized his sinful ways. He confessed openly to God about his own depravity.
My Confession
I too have been tempted to glorify myself and think I’m better than other people
Now, here is my own confession. I need to hear this over and over again. I too have been tempted to glorify myself and think I’m better than other people. This of course is not true. I am like everyone else; no better. The Holy Spirit has convicted me that maintaining a haughty attitude is a destructive path.
I seek God’s glory, not my own. I seek God’s approval, not the approval of men. Luke 18:9-14 is exactly what I need to hear. I need correction anytime I start to think of myself as better than others. I expect the Holy Spirit to correct me every time.
My Prayer
God, be merciful to me, a sinner! As I do your work, please help me to do it in your power and for your glory…not my own. Lord, increase my humility and shield me from the evil one. Father God, protect me from evil and selfish desires, and the sinful desires of my own ego. I confess I don’t always think as you think on these issues. God, renew my mind and help me to daily be more like Jesus Christ in my attitudes and behaviors.
I will trust in you alone God and humble myself so you don’t have to. I will put away my self-righteous attitude. God, I will seek your glory and approval, and reject the approval of men. Amen!
Complications complications We who are in Christ are a new creation. One not given to sin At least sinning is not to be the norm for us. And yet to humble ourselves it seems best to Yell with the Publican “God be Merciful to me a sinner!”. We; I say we are not to be given to the old nature. That is because Jesus Christ is to be Living through us. and He never sins. and Yet He is and was and will be The Humblest Man ever ( Without confessing that he is was or will be a sinner. But sure we tend to naturally live by the old nature. And can easily be in need of Saying “God Be merciful to me a sinner.”. Is that good or bad. We have died to sin and the sin nature Jesus said “I know Him and if I say I know Him Not then I would be a liar like you.” Was he talking of His born again saints today? “Let God be true and every man a Liar.”. –====== My conclusion is That when we find ourselves sinning. we are To yell “God be Merciful to me a sinner! Humbling our selves and repenting to Christ; we are to return. We are not to play games, saying “I will always be a sinner!” But then we are Not to be in denial —– === We are not to be Smug and self Righteous . We are to remember we Have no true Righteousness apart from Continually receiving it from God and so with all the virtues. We receive these as a Gift from God! Through Christ and the Holy Spirit.Nothing to brag about.====== LOVE is a gift from God and It can be rightfully humbling. Even to those Who are not sinning. “If not for the Grace of God There in go I” In a way Paul said That we are no better than the damned he had just talked about. Our Goodness is not of ourselves it is a Gift and Nothing in our nature or anything we own is from ourselves It all has been received in some way we have no bragging rights Yet we are to Rejoice and enjoy gloring in the LORD We are to glorify Him in all things ====We a sinner? Not in Christ.!!!! If we need we are to set our face Like a flint Straight ahead In Repentance. God bless
And whenever our society tries to change, too often Christians become self-righteous and less adaptive to change. They get too hung up on their beliefs thinking that anyone that is not Christians is sinful and bad. I’ve seen Christians like that. They always convince you that anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs are sinful and bad even when they may be not.
I love you Lisa with agape Love Which I hope will grow in me for you and all for as long as it can grow till death or beyond. And I will say; I have been presumptuous in my past and I fear some in my future. Though I hope it be less and less. see (Psalm. 19) . I pray if you have been presumptuous that with me and the Saints Who want to Walk In Holiness That we all may be free From That blindness. And may rejoice in Christ’s Loving Perfection. —————-Yours in Christ With hope and Love : Wade Trombatore
I spoke wrong concerning “presumptuous sin” as seen in scripture. In Psa. 19:9-14 Here is Psa. 19:9-14 : “Psa 19:9-14 KJV The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (11) Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. ” ========May God Keep us from secret Faults. Blessings to God’s Righteous ! Amen
I’ am a damn sinner. I’ve been a sinner in every possible way. All through I was thinking I’ am right/correct and that I have a good heart and that God, Jesus Christ will forgive me and kept on doing the bad, wrong things over and over again. I have stolen, have been a sex addict, have hurt many many hearts who loved me, have degraded my lovely parents, have given myself to Satan in all the possible ways, have been a drug addict, have abused all sort of drugs, have abused my parents love towards me, have lost all, I mean all my relatives, my neighbors, my family’s love and respect. I totally deserve to be dead 100 thousands of time by now considering the amount of sins I’ve committed,. Yet, I always am angry at other’s sinful nature. I have a big super fucking Ego which acts like God in my head and gives me all the wrong advice, it makes me think that I’ am the only superior and that I’ am close to God than others, that I will be forgiven for anything I do, that I deserve everything. Ohh my God, now I know the reasons that I’ am dragged down to ground, now I know the reason behind people ill treating me, disrespecting me, judging me in and out. I’ am a bad person, I bloody humble me, I’ am no better than anyone. Infact I’ am the worse, ugly mind and heart. Please Jesus, please help me get better person. Please make me human. I’ am sorry for everything. I’ am bloody wrong and I admit it with all my heart, mind and soul. I really really need this life, please help me God 🙁
I have sinned In that I miss represented Psa. 19 …When I indicated That the righteous go about repenting in degrees doing less and less sin, “of the sin nature”, when instead we are to depend on God getting us free and we repent as soon as possible. To say I fear some (sin) in the future, that just makes true repentance “blocked” by presumptuous sin which is the very thing I hoped to be free from. I Apologize.==== Here is part of Psa 19 Where I erred. “Psa 19:7-14 KJV The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. (8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (11) Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults. (13) Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. (14) Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Look, you are only seeing one side of it. True we always think we are right…but righteousness does not only depend on being right. It’s being morally correct. And is there really a way we can be morally correct while being wrong? Especially when you are putting a person’s feelings out there and considering how they would feel while you, make a decision. People can manipulate words of the Bible. That’s the greatest danger. But it’s not only one paragraph that highlights Gods word. It’s that whole section.