The Dangers of Righteousness

December, 2008

by: Chris Barksdale

• Hollywood Church

Nothing seems more dangerous than our righteousness. You say, “what do you mean? What is wrong with our righteousness?” As Christians we find ourselves repenting of sin in general but very rarely do you hear Christians confessing their own righteousness. This is primarily because we see ourselves as better than we really are. When we tend to see everyone else’s sin because it is put in front of us while our own sin is hidden behind our back away from our view. Thus we don’t think to repent of righteousness. We don’t think to repent of the arrogance that causes us to not marvel at the grace of God but at our own achievements and accolades.

Three events have captured my attention this week regarding this topic. First, I’ve been amazed to find that as I preach through the Gospel of John, I find Jesus on the attack against self-righteousness. Even when He defines the world in John 15-16, it is a religious world that is the main problem. He warns his disciples against those who are righteous in their own eyes. He says that it is the religious people who will persecute and shun you. Then I interacted with an LA Times writer over an article he wrote about a man who had right convictions against homosexuality but who “loathed” homosexuals and wanting to see them all beat up. Sadly, he called himself a Christian. Finally, I was speaking with a lady about the death of my father. She asked me if I became a pastor because of the sin of my father and if that pushed me into “religion.” I told her I became a Christian not because of my dad but because I was so much like my dad. I realize that if it were not for grace I’d be just like my dad, dead from drugs and alcohol.

This all brought about my own self-examination. I realized that I’ve failed to repent of my own righteousness so often. I also realized that many in the church don’t see the need for such repentance. They concentrate on repenting of individual commission sins but fail to see the need for grace on a daily basis. Paul David Tripp helped me see the joy of repenting of my own righteousness in the following quote from his devotional Whiter Than Snow:

Aren't you glad you're not like David? Such blazoned sin, how could he?

Aren't you glad you're not like Saul, Making up his own rules, what was he thinking?

Aren't you glad you're not like Cain? Violence against his own brother!

Aren't you glad you're not like Rebekah? Such planned deceit!

Aren't you glad you're not like the Israelites, so easily seduced by idols?

Aren't you glad you're not like Absalom? How could he be so jealous?

Aren't you glad you're not like Elijah? How could he forget God, and be so depressed?

Aren't you glad you're not like Nebuchadnezzar? How could he be so obsessed with power?

Aren't you glad you're not like Samson, How could he be so easily deceived?

Aren't you glad you're not like Jonah? How could he run from the Father's call?

Aren't you glad you're not like the Pharisees, so religiously right, yet spiritually wrong?

Aren't you glad you're not like Judas, Selling the Messiah for a little bit of silver?

Aren't you glad you're not like the Corinthians, So much better at division than at serving the Lord?

But wait.

You are like them, and so am I. There is simply no denying it. Their stories are a mirror into which we see ourselves.

We too are jealous and easily deceived. We too are proud and obsessed with power. We are better at division while we run from God. We too get angry and get seduced by idols. In sorrow we must say, We stand with David, And Saul, And Rebekah, And Jonah, And Elijah, And the rest. These stories are for us to look into and see us, so that we are not able to buy into the lie of our own righteousness. But instead, run to His mercy, hold onto His unfailing love, and finally rest, in His great compassion. Aren't you glad you can step out of the darkness of self-deceit, and admit who you are?