What kind of a person could claim to follow the Word of God and then take pride in himself? Only poor, miserable sinners like us could do something like that. The devil is waiting on the other side of our conversion to the true faith to tempt us in the same but different ways. He is so deceptive that he can find a way to bring out the Pharisee within each of our own hearts who trusts in himself, that he is righteous and accomplished that work himself. Jesus clearly teaches that such a person, though he wears all the trappings of a “holy” person, is not justified which means that he is condemned. It is one thing to strive after holiness and then give thanks and praise to God when it happens. It is another thing to pompously believe that you were able to do that yourself. It is then a whole other wicked thing when you dare to stand before God, who sacrificed His Son to atone for you, and try to prove to Him that you actually don’t require such a sacrifice because you have made yourself righteous by all your own good works. God loves the truth and hates all falsehood. He loves those who humbly acknowledge that there is nothing good in them to save them and ask that God do that which He most loves to do – make propitiation, atonement, for them. So let us not puff ourselves up with pride and imagine that we have made ourselves righteous. Rather, let us humbly stand before the Lord and seek from Him the most precious treasure that He has and loves to offer – the righteousness of His Son. I look forward to seeing you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer