Blind Self Righteousness

II Cor.10:12 - For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

What does it mean to be surrendered to Christ? I can recall as an independent Baptist years ago that most of what defined a committed believer was what we did not do and what we were against. Cast your mind back to those days.

Many churches had anti-rock music ministries come in and do seminars. They had creative multi-media presentations that were designed to warn people of the dangers of rack music, and even present evidence that many of them were Satan worshipers. The well oiled presentations were filled with exposing Satanic lyrics, evil back masking, demonic appearances, and other documentations that suggested the influence of the demonic in rock music. Some even attempted to tie African beats with rock music which they suggested summoned demons. The rock musicians were portrayed as fire breathing, devil worshiping, and pentagram tattooed subversives who met regularly to upgrade their diabolical plan to defeat God. And at the end of the seminar, people were called to reject rock music and repent if they were presently listening to it, and many would come forward and rededicate themselves to Christ.

Of course, there were many young people who quickly reverted back to their original music preferences, and there were many who made public rejections of rock music who never picked up a Bible during the week. But the pageantry was moving and the sense of one’s spiritual depth was greatly elevated based upon the fact that we rejected rock music. And at the end of the spectacle, there was a plea for funds because rock music was stealing our youth and we must confront it!

Regardless of how you feel about rock music in general and the expressions within that genre, rock music itself is not evil or good. It’s just music. I remember watching several of the most reviled rock musicians being interviewed and who were also followed in reality based documentaries. I watched Alice Cooper becoming an avid golfer as well as being a regular on Hollywood Squares. I watched as one member of Slayer informed his band mate that the local grocery store was having a two-for-one on Cocoa Puffs. I saw Gene Simmons from Kiss, who does not drink or do drugs, live the life of a hedonist without a shred of devil worship. I heard a member of Black Sabbath recall how they saw a horror movie displayed on a movie theatre marquee, and they got the idea to write lyrics that suggested evil. And this was a conscious decision as an attempt to increase sales by being provocative.

The truth is that there are some rock musicians who do dabble in the occult, But for the most part they are just another class of deceived sinners, not unlike the church going hedonist. And listening to rock music is no more detrimental to your spiritual life than listening to soap operas, reality shows, or even worse, listening to the self righteous hatred spewed forth daily by talk show hosts from all camps. But the real issue is this: Believers still measure their spirituality by what they are against and what they don’t do. And when our lives are viewed through that prism, not only is that not an accurate revelation of a believer’s spiritual depth, but it is an accurate revelation of a believer’s self righteousness.

The parable of the prodigal son illustrates how God feels about the “elder son” spirit. That son not only enumerated his own works of righteousness, but he juxtaposed his life against the life of his prodigal brother and made the case that he did not engage in riotous living! That is exactly what many believers do as well. We nurse our own consciences by illuminating, researching, and almost reveling in the sin of others. This is especially true when that sin is one in which we do engage. That not only soothes our conscience and diminishes the seriousness of our own sin, but it creates a detour to our own spiritual journey. So instead of fasting and prayer and consuming God’s Word, we draw a subtle carnal pleasure because we love Jesus enough not to do these things. Oh? Do you love Jesus enough to obey the speed limit? Do you love Him enough not to lust? Do you love Him enough to live in material sacrifice? Do you love Him enough not to gossip? Do you love Him enough to fast and pray for more spiritual power in order to reach those who commit the sins from the disapproved list?

II Cor.10:12 - For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The parable of the publican and the Pharisee is another spiritual teaching that emphasizes humility rather than spiritual hubris. The Pharisee did not do what the publican did, and he was very proud of it. But the publican recognized his own sin and begged for mercy. Who went away justified? That filthy gay publican! (I added the gay part!) The point is that the western church has significantly downplayed, and even ignored, the absolute necessity of humility in the life of a believer. And make no mistake about it, true humility is a difficult and elusive expression in the believer’s life. In fact, since there is scant teaching and scant exhortation about humility, we have lost a spiritual comprehension of what spiritual humility is and what the fruits of humility look like.

But in a stroke of evil genius, the Devil has convinced the church that self righteousness is a spiritual fruit harvested by our own works! And not just works that are deeds, but works that are defined by not doing evil deeds. How in God’s dear name did we ever replace the complete work of Christ with our avoidance of evil deeds, when in fact, all of us sin every single day? So if I do not smoke or drink, or look at pornography, or use curse words, or have some views that some would describe as “liberal”, then I am righteous and surrendered to God? It is true that those who have been made righteous by faith in the complete work of Christ should avoid things that will compromise our testimony and render us powerless. But that can never be the basis for our righteousness.

The committed follower of Jesus Christ must dig deeper than just separating himself from those whose lifestyles are incongruent with the teachings of Christ. In fact, many Buddhists, Mormons, and orthodox Jews do the same without Christ. But we are called to a higher calling, one that seeks the very face of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The path that walks in His steps is one of sacrifice, humility, and an observable expression of the heart that says, "For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ" for the sake of the lost. We are called to a sacrificial life of constant prayer and the passionate pursuit of knowing Jesus in all His knowable glory. The do’s and don’t’s fall within that journey, but they are residual and not the substance. The substance is Christ. And so often we have defined and portrayed Christ as a moral arbiter and a crusader of moral causes, rather than a blood shedding Redeemer who calls to all sinners everywhere to believe in Him.

How can you count your own life as nothing when you can judge and condemn others? Have you arrived? Are you sinless? The elders have the calling of correction, but it seems as if many believers act as elders even when they are not. And their judgment comes without mercy and redemption. But the heart of the law is mercy. For every verse compelling us not to compromise, there are 50 that speak of self righteousness. We are so prone to judge and condemn others while covering our sins and shortcomings with God’s grace. And to add to that spirit, there are those who not only judge others publicly when they happen upon some who have stumbled, but some search for the stumbling of other believers.

I am not referring to confronting those who teach false doctrine, but I am dealing with those love to find and spread gossip. Let a preacher commit adultery in Jerk Water, USA, and you can find someone on the other side of the country publicly spreading that news based solely upon the reports of others because they have no first hand knowledge. And the carnal readers say “Amen” because they have been nourished by poisonous gossip and feel a sense of spiritual prowess because they have not committed such a sin at least in the physical. And we wonder why unbelievers recoil at such a false representation of God’s gospel?

And oh so subtly those believers begin to assess their own spiritual lives based not in small part by their “I do not sin like those” attitude.

II Cor.10:12 - For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

That is what is has crept into the church and is now fully embraced by our practical expressions of Christ. We deem it entirely appropriate to lambaste the liberal politician, or the woman having an abortion, or the promiscuous Hollywood starlet, or the entire gay community, all without a redemptive spirit and a broken heart. In fact, we have become oblivious to our own sin while at the same time have a Hubble telescope trained on the sinners around us. And when we identify the grievous sins of others, we are quite comfortable with an immobilized spiritual life that gives a tacit nod to prayer and the Scriptures, but genuflects to the hedonism all around. The life of the average western believer can only be distinguished from the average unbeliever by what he says he believes and not by the conspicuous and remarkable lifestyle he lives.

But remember, we do not do the things that others do. That must count for something. You want to consider that as the spiritual litmus test? Well then, the Buddhists shame all of us. But if we really seek to deepen our spiritual lives then we must seek Christ with our whole heart. But, sadly, not only has that gone out of vogue, but we no longer know what that means. But at least we are not like those liberals and gays. That must count for something.

No, it does not.