Self-righteousness Is Believing That You Are Right Within Yourself
Romans 2
Icebreaker: Can you remember a time when your first impressions of someone turned out to be wrong? Or when someone’s first impression of you changed?
A. The self-righteous fail to grant God’s kindness to others
Romans 2:1-3
1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?
1.How are we condemning ourselves when we judge someone else?
2. Can you remember a time when someone unjustly judged you? Have you been guilty of the same thing?
Romans 2:17-24
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 If you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
3. Who is Paul trying to teach in these passages? How do you know? (Romans 2:17,18)
4. What is Paul’s admonition in these passages?
5. What do you think is the hardest part of this for you to put into practice?
B. The desire for perfection will ruin you
Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
6. How is God’s kindness intended to lead us to repentance?
C. Forgiving others is the proof of the forgiven
Matthew 18:23-35
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
7. How much did the forgiven servant owe? Do you think he could have realistically paid the debt back?
8. How much did the unforgiven servant owe? How do the two debts compare, and why is the king so upset at his forgiven servant?
9. How is that example like us in our tendency to judge others? (Matthew 7:3-5)
Matthew 7:3–5 3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
10. How do we show contempt to God when living self-righteously? (Romans 2:4)
D. The root sin of unforgiveness is anger
The Prodigal Son: The younger son took his early inheritance from his father and fell into deep sin while on a wild spending spree. He lost everything, repented, and came humbly home. His father freely forgave him, and responded with great joy. His older brother, faithful all the time, resented it. (Ref: Luke 15:11-33)
Luke 15:28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
11. What do you think made the older brother angry?
12. How do you think the older brother should have responded?
13. How should that inform your idea of grace and forgiveness? (Jude 22,23)
Jude 22,23 22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.