Self-righteousness

Self-righteousness [NAVE]

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Num. 16:3; Deut. 9:4-6; 1 Sam. 2:9; Job 6:13; Job 11:4-6; Job 12:2; Job 13:3, 13, 15, 19; Job 16:17, 18; Job 18:2-4; Job 21:27-29; Job 22:2, 3; Job 32:1, 2; Job 33:8, 9; Job 35:2, 7, 8; Psa. 10:5, 6; Prov. 12:15; Prov. 14:12; Prov. 16:2; Prov. 20:6; Prov. 21:2; Prov. 25:14, 27; Prov. 26:12; Prov. 27:2, 21; Prov. 28:13, 26; Prov. 30:12, 13; Isa. 5:21; Isa. 28:17, 20; Isa. 47:7; Isa. 50:11; Isa. 64:6; Isa. 65:3-5; Jer. 2:13, 22, 23, 34, 35; Jer. 7:4; Jer. 8:8; Jer. 17:5; Jer. 49:4, 16; Ezek. 33:24-26; Hos. 12:8; Amos 6:13; Hab. 2:4; Zeph. 3:11; Matt. 7:22, 23; Matt. 9:10-13 Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30. Matt. 16:6 Mark 8:15. Matt. 19:16-22 Mark 10:17-22; Luke 18:18-23. Matt. 22:12, 13; Matt. 23:29-31; Luke 7:36-50; Luke 10:25-37; Luke 15:2, 25-32; Luke 16:14, 15; Luke 18:9-14; John 9:34, 39-41; Rom. 2:17-20; Rom. 3:27; Rom. 10:3; Rom. 11:19-21; 2 Cor. 1:9; 2 Cor. 10:17, 18; Gal. 6:3; Rev. 3:17, 18 See: Hypocrisy; Self-exaltation.
Instances of
Saul, 1 Sam. 15:13-31.
Young man, see above. Lawyer, see above. Pharisees, Luke 11:33-54; John 8:33-59; 9:28-34.
Israel, Rom. 10:3.
Church of Laodicea, Rev. 3:17.

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS [ISBE]

SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS - self-ri'-chus-nes: A term that has come to designate moral living as a way of salvation; or as a ground for neglecting the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The thought is present in the teaching of Jesus, who spoke one parable particularly to such as reckoned themselves to be righteous (Lk 18:9 ff). The Pharisees quite generally resented the idea of Jesus that all men needed repentance and they most of all. They regarded themselves as righteous and looked with contempt on "sinners." Paul in all his writings, especially Rom 3; Gal 3; Eph 2; Phil 3, contrasts the righteousness that is God's gift to men of faith in Jesus Christ, with righteousness that is "of the law" and "in the flesh." By this latter he means formal conformity to legal requirements in the strength of unregenerate human nature. He is careful to maintain (compare Rom 7) that the Law is never really kept by one's own power. On the other hand, in full agreement with Jesus, Paul looks to genuine righteousness in living as the demand and achievement of salvation based on faith. God's gift here consists in the capacity progressively to realize righteousness in life (compare Rom 8:1 ff).

See also SANCTIFICATION.

William Owen Carver