Self-Righteousness is no Righteousness at all

I will never understand the love affair Christians have with this idea that somehow their righteousness in God's eyes is dependent on them doing the impossible. Honestly, it is a misunderstanding bordering on disrespect that proclaims that we have anything to do with our right standing. If someone were to ask you about righteousness, and how you get it, what would you say? Maybe it sounds something like the following responses:

"Righteousness means we strive "daily" for the will of God. We are not perfect and we already have the salvation of Jesus to take care of that but this is a responsibility that we have."

"Righteousness is the judgment that we are living a life that pleases God. It is being right and doing right as lead by the word of God."

"Righteousness = JESUS CHRIST...us + confession + repentance + JESUS CHRIST = JESUS CHRIST = Righteousness..."

"What's righteousness? Living by Gods Word.. What makes us righteous? Living by Gods Word."

"Too obey the word and to give up things that are not right through god. Helping others as much as possible also speaking the word to others. Fearing god when not doing right also fasting any praying always remembering god is a loving and forgiving God."

No, no, no, no and no! Our righteousness before God has nothing to do with striving daily, trying to live a life pleasing to God, formulas, living by God's Word or being obedient. Why do I say this? Because all of it revolves around the individual trying to find ways in which to live up to all these statements. The bottom line is that in order to do so each individual will have to submit themselves to some form of law in order to meet their objective. It also is clear evidence of the ignorance of their identity in Christ. It makes me wonder what Gospel they received? What Jesus Christ have they put faith in? There is no Gospel or Jesus that tells us to respond in a manner that makes us utter such general statements like the ones above. All they do is raise more questions than answers.

How do we strive daily to find the will of God?

What, exactly, is the evidence of living a life that is pleasing to God?

What do we confess? Our sins? What do we repent of? Our sins?

What part of God's Word do we live by?

All of these questions are meant to reveal how each answer to the question of righteousness in one way or another is tied to our behavior. Often times those who feel that righteousness is commingled with our behavior will define what needs to be done through the prism of religion. Nearly every denomination has a set of laws it imposes on its congregants that they believe will meet God's requirements. Yet, when I read the Bible I see a different message. Jesus said, "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20)." Jesus also said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)." How are you doing at these requirements?

Pharisees, by definition, emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic law in both its oral and written form. Jesus said that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees! And do we even need to begin to fathom the impossible command to be as perfect as God Himself? Instead of acting as though Jesus was encouraging us with these words, we should be asking the question, "How then can anyone be righteous in God's eyes if we don't strive, obey, confess and live out God's Word?" The answer is that a Christian lives by faith. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit...(1 Peter 3:18)." The only righteous person that ever walked this world was Jesus Christ.

Jesus' righteousness surpassed that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law because He fulfilled the law. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17)." He fulfilled the law by walking in perfect love. And He was as perfect as the Father in Heaven because He is God. "I and the Father are one (John 10:30)." Because Jesus is God and fulfilled the law on our behalf, we have been given His righteousness as a gift of our faith. There is nothing more to try and obtain as we live our lives. We already have it. If you don't know you are already righteous in God's eyes you have cursed yourself to living a life of self-righteousness based on your deeds. And self-righteousness is no righteousness at all. It is an attitude that says "look at me and what I have done." The righteousness that comes from faith in Christ is an attitude that says, "look at Jesus and all He has done for me." The first comes from pride while the second comes from humility. Which one do you want?