Self-righteousness is an obstacle to the gospel, which insists that true righteousness can only be found in Jesus Christ.
The real issue of righteousness
Job 9:2 See also 1 Samuel 6:20; Job 4:17, Job 15:14, Job 32:2 Although Elihu had misjudged Job, his main point, that only God was righteous, was correct; Job 40:8; Psalm 130:3
“Yes, I know that it is so, but how can a mortal be righteous before God?
True righteousness is not the result of human effort
Romans 3:20 Even though God's law tells people what God requires, human beings cannot keep it because of the weakness of their sinful human natures. See also Romans 9:31; Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:11; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5; 1 John 2:16
Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
Self-righteousness is a contradiction in terms
2 Chronicles 6:36; Isaiah 64:6 See also Ezra 9:15; Psalm 14:3; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Daniel 9:7; Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23
When they sin against You— for there is no one who does not sin— and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near,
Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.
God calls people from their pretended self-righteousness
Isaiah 2:22 See also Psalm 75:2–4; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 5:20
Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
True righteouness
It comes from God
Romans 10:3 See also Psalm 98:2; Isaiah 46:13, Isaiah 51:5; Jeremiah 9:23–24; Romans 1:17
Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
It is grounded in Jesus Christ
Acts 13:39 See also 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
It comes about by faith
Romans 5:1 See also Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 2:8
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
It is received in humility
Luke 18:13–14 See also Romans 3:27, Romans 4:2; 1 Corinthians 1:31, 1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 11:30, 2 Corinthians 12:9; Galatians 6:13–14; Ephesians 2:9; Philippians 3:7–9
But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.