One of the common accusations I hear about Christians is that they are “Self Righteous”, always think they are right, or that they can determine right from wrong. Perhaps this is a symptom of cultural Christianity, legalism, or willful ignorance of the truth, but regardless it is the opposite of the truth. The first thing a person has to realize before coming to Christ is how broken and inadequate they are, how completely incompetent and utterly powerless they are in this world to judge anything correctly or come to any kind of correct decision, let alone pass judgement on other people. As even Paul, the most prolific contributor to the New Testament, clearly and repeatedly stated:
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15 King James Version
Jesus himself went to great lengths to discourage a judgmental attitude:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:1-3 King James Version
However, if you continue reading Matthew, you will find Jesus explaining that you can’t help your brother until you get yourself straightened out. So here’s the rub, if you continually hold the Holy Spirit in your heart and listen carefully to his discernments, love the Word of God and feed your mind with him regularly, and pray to Jesus for intercession on your behalf in Heaven, eventually Christ will conform you more closely to his image. At that point you may be able to make correct judgments, but you will not become arrogant because you know nothing good, nothing of value, ever came from yourself outside of the help you have received, undeserved, from the God of the Bible. You don’t have SELF confidence, you aren’t SELF righteous, and you won’t act arrogant or condescending. Instead, you will have FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ, confidence in the Holy Spirit’s pleadings within your heart, and you will know that God in heaven is RIGHTEOUS.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 King James Version
I saw an advertisement the other day for a movie about David, “Learn how he prepared to face the enemies of God!” It showed a picture of David practicing with his sling in preparation of battle. This is how the world sees things, it’s all about the person and his character and preparation for battle, his bravery and perseverance, perhaps even his luck. But what did David really have? FAITH. It wasn’t his skill with a sling or blind luck that brought him success, it was his unyielding faith in God and perhaps a measure of innocence that led him onto that battlefield with Goliath. How clear does God have to make it? The Bible even recounts how Saul tried to get him to put on armor and take up a sword:
And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
1 Samuel 17:38-43 King James Version
David knew the Lord had been with him when he slew both a lion and a bear to protect his flock, and he knew He would be with him when he faced Goliath. It’s not about self-confidence, it’s about faith in the Lord. It’s not about self-righteousness, it’s about the righteousness of God. Here’s another way to look at it, you can have complete and total faith in yourself, and that’s worth something, no doubt. But if you have faith as small as a mustard seed in the creator of the universe, that’s worth infinitely more.