World Changers Church started a new segment a few weeks ago called, 'No More Self Righteousness.' I wrote notes down from week 2 and 3 from Pastors Micheal Smith and Dr. Creflo Dollar.
Sermon: http://www.worldchangers.org/watch-and-listen/archived-services
I pray that this resource will be a great encouragement and motivation for you as you grow closer to our Abba Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Scripture quotations are taken from the (NASB)
Week 2 Notes 7.9.2017 'The Self-Righteous Mind'
Self-righteousness is rooted in comparison.
Luke 18:9-14
9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
A self-righteous mind is a disease that can't be healed because they don't think they're sinners or don't need Christ.
Luke 5:31-32
31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.
32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
1 Timothy 1:15
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
1 John 1:10
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.
James 2:10
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
We stay saved by realizing that Christ alone is righteous and that we will always need Him! All the way to the end.
Matthew 5:22
22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
Don't compare! Sin is sin and we have to recognize that Christ died for our sins personally.
There's NO hope without Jesus Christ and His blood.
Jesus wants us to recognize that we're saved by grace and continually need Him and to recognize that we're the righteousness of God in Christ and not ourselves.
He doesn't want us to continually confess our sins but to continually confess our need for His grace.
You can get saved on your deathbed by accepting Jesus as Lord because your spirit goes to heaven. The man on the cross next to Jesus was a sinner but went to heaven because he believed on the Lord. It didn't matter that he didn't live holy because it's not about what he could do to get into heaven but what Jesus was doing. Holiness is found in Jesus and not us.
We want to save people's soul and not their flesh. It's not about what people do or fail to do. Don't let the devil condemn you. God is good because He is good not because of our goodness. Good people don't go to heaven. Jesus is the only One good!
We're ignorant of the gospel when we want to perform works to cover our sins. (Romans 10)
Just accept that you're wrong and grateful for grace.
Self-righteous people won't go to heaven. The only ones going to heaven are those who recognize that they were sinners and need Jesus' holiness to be holy.
Luke 18:13
13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
Many people reject grace because they don't know how much God loves them or understand Jesus' teachings. He spoke in so many parables to get spiritually dead people to understand His righteousness vs. our self-righteousness. We need Him and He's the only One to help us.
He perfects what concerns us, we don't need to work for it because Jesus did it for us when He shed His blood and rose again.
When you sin recognize that you have grace. It's not a license to sin but it's favor for you to continue living blessed because Jesus loves you and has paid for your sins.
Week 3 Notes 7.16.2017 'No More Self-Righteousness Part 2'
Galatians 5:4
4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
Galatians 2:16-17
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
17 But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!
Characteristics of Self-Righteous
1- Judging others sins while overlooking their own
2- Justifies themselves and not patient with others by consistently pointing out their sins and exalt themselves above others.
3- xxx
What is Self-Righteousness?
When people strive to get right with God. Religion is the same as self-righteousness...it's man's pursuit to make himself right with God.
Get grace and stop trying to perfect yourself without Christ!
Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
John 8:3-11
3 The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
4 they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”
6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”]
There's no condemnation in Christ.
The only One able to judge others is God because He's flawless. Jesus had no sin so He was the only One who was able to condemn her but instead He showed compassion and grace towards this sinner. God's grace empowers us to go and sin no more. Whereas, the law influences us to sin. We can't judge anyone because we aren't perfect. Jesus is our greatest example. He didn't come to condemn the world but to save it!
Boldly Declare: "There's no condemnation because my heart is towards God. I have confidence in Him!"
1 John 3:20-22
20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Psalm 34:22
22 The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
Friends, this sermon has really blessed my life. We're all guilty of a self-righteous mindset at some point in our lives. We often compare our lives with others to make ourselves feel better. But in all reality, we all would go to hell if it wasn't for God sending Jesus Christ for our sins. All sin is equal. We've all sinned and fell short of the glory of God because of Adam. But praise God, Jesus covered everyone's sins! (Hebrews 10:12-14)
We can't compare our lives to anyone or judge anyone. We are to show God's love to others because we love Him and can never forget how He saved us. Before you and I got born-again, we were sinners and children of Satan. But thanks be to God that we've been made holy and righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ!
A Scripture on my heart reads,
Isaiah 53:11
"As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities."
There are going to be so many people in heaven! In fact, the Bible says that we won't even be able to count them all! Could it be that all those going to heaven have perfected the law, lived up to God's ideal and never sinned? Of course NOT! People go to heaven by being born-again alone by altogether confessing their sins to God, confessing Jesus as Lord and making Him their personal Savior.
So let's kill the self-righteous mindset... You aren't better than anyone and I'm not either. It's Christ in us who is worthy!
Life Application Study Bible Note: "My Servant, will justify the many" tells of the enormous family of believers who will become righteous, not by their own works, but by the Messiah's great work on the cross. They are justified because they have claimed Christ, the righteous servant, as their Savior and Lord (see Romans 10:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Their life of sin is stripped away, and they are clothed with Christ's goodness (Ephesians 4:22-24).
If these notes have blessed you as well, I want to encourage you to sow into the ministry. Whoever feeds you spiritually should be taken care of physically as done in the Bible. We're blessed to be a blessing.
Text 'WORLDCHANGERS' to 41444 to give.
Thank you!