Who is righteous among us? There is none – no not one! (Psalms 14, 53 and Romans 10) What makes us righteous? If you have been in the church for any amount of time you know the Sunday School answer is ‘Jesus.’ Yet we seek to create our own righteousness in the way we live.
This is an easy lie to believe. Maybe we have fallen back into that sin pattern again: raising voices at the kids, becoming frustrated with all that needs to be accomplished with ‘no’ help. You know what thoughts you think that breed clutching arms toward self-righteousness. Life is harder, some live in fear under the mask mandate, being cut off from the church body. Suicide is a frightening reality, more intense than I have seen in my life time. Fear, pressure, the unknown, all of these things bear down on us.
One thing that weary women turn to is jumping off the ‘righteousness in Christ’ train and boarding another train that seems to be easier. You may know of this train. This train has a boarding pass that says: “I can put you on the right track!” “I can help you put your world in order.” So you trust that you know what you’re doing – because you’ve told yourself this is after all the best way – you’ve Googled it, you’ve seen it on Pinterest, it’s been Tweeted and posted on FaceBook. Trusting in your lists, calendars and yoga (read: quiet time for me to ‘re-center’ myself) you are now ready to care for your family – “You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed….Except when you don’t.” (Oh the Places You’ll Go, Dr Seuss. (Random House: New York), 1990, (15-16).)
We were not designed to trust in ourselves. If you have placed your faith for your eternity in the shed blood of Christ, confessing your sinful tendencies and humbly submitted to his way of living, there is a better way! (Man is a sinner who cannot do anything for his own eternal heart, but God, rich in mercy provided his own Son as a substitution for us that we might be clean and able to stand before a righteous God at the time of death. We are presented clean and pure because of the work of another.)
We were not designed to trust in ourselves. We were designed to trust in another (Genesis 2). God created us that we might live life in trust and submission to him. Listen to these glorious words:
“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.“
Genesis 2:25
These are some of the most glorious words in Scripture. My husband is my best friend. I keep nothing from him, save an occasional surprise. We have worked very hard to get to this place of being naked and not ashamed. However, the principal that has driven me is that my desires for my marriage must be the same as God’s desires for my marriage. All of the techniques I listed above are filthy rags if there is no understanding of true righteousness.
Adam and Eve trusted God without any hindrance – they lived naked in body and spirit before him – until they decided to do things their own way (Genesis 3…the aftermath up to Revelation 20…then things will start getting back on the right rail).
So THAT’S bad news – here is what we have done with that bad news:
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. –James 3:13-16
Briefly, Proverbs 1:7 defines wisdom:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.“
In fear of God we must act in a society that is increasingly oppressive. In fear of Godwe must respond to our husbands or families or [put your social circle here]. That is wisdom. When we respond out of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition (look these words up in Webster’s 1828 dictionary online) we are fools. Further, the Scriptures say these patterns are earthly, unspiritual and demonic. There is no middle ground ladies. Look at this fruit and see if it is reflected in your life: there will be disorder and every vile practice.
Why do you keep those lists? Why do you make those plans? What do you fear…really? If there is fruit from these actions that leads to more disorder in your family confess and repent that before a holy God – whose arms are out-stretched ALWAYS.
HERE’S the good news. God has presented in his Word a plan for overcoming self-righteousness: Confession and Repentance. These can be defined by 2 well-known Scriptures:
- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness – 1 John 1:9
- Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ [read: I can stand on my own heritage of works] for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. – Matthew 3:8-9
This way of living puts us in a position to faithfully live out James 3:17-18:
But the wisdom from above is first pure (Psalm 19:8b), then peaceable (Philippians 4:8), gentle (Matthew 11:28-30), open to reason (Philippians 4:5-6), full of mercy (John 14) and good fruits (Galatians 5:22-23), impartial (James 2:4) and sincere (Romans 12:9). And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Overcoming self-righteousness in our hearts is not about removing our lists, but choosing to place God’s kingdom over our own. Do not keep peace which seeks to live life in your own righteousness and works. Rather, choose to make peace in your family by being driven by the fear of God and resting in his righteousness.
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions (James 4:1-10) and desires (James 1:14-15).”
Galatians 5:24