"Self-righteousness turns grace on its head because it views the sinner as deserving God's blessings rather than as undeserving." p 43
This can happen in deceptive ways. When I consider how I am apt to turn grace on its head, I realized that when I am asking God to help me in some way, the thought that God is evaluating my actions affects how I act. As if God is evaluating my actions in order to decide whether or not to answer my request as I want. So, if I have asked God to give me favor in a conflict at work I may not stop at the store for a snack on the way home from work... as a way of showing God that I am denying myself. As if this will lean the scales in my favor. I may even stop from sinning in my attitude or action in order to show God how self-controlled I am. Having Gods "decision" in the back of my mind I am attempting to sway him. It is like I am showing God that even though my heart is bent towards evil, I have control and therefore deserve my favorable outcome. Or maybe I want him to know how impacting his word has been on my life... as if he does not see me giving into temptations when there is no "decision" at stake. Oh, how deceitful is my heart.
I have an unbelieving friend at work, and we discuss spiritual things every once in a while. Inevitably our discussion comes back to the justice of God. He thinks he is a pretty good guy, and that many people have a sincere desire to do good and know God but are rejected by him because they do not know about or believe in Jesus. In his view, their sincere desire should be enough for God to accept anyone, and he says that God must be very angry and unfair to make it impossible for those who do good, and whose only crime is not believing in Jesus to have eternal damnation.
How would you answer this accusation?
Both the saved and unsaved are affected by self righteousness. As a believer it can help us have a deeper love for Christ as we see how he loves us despite our sin.
How does self righteousness manifest itself in your life?
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