Self-Righteousness Destroys

Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled...The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward...The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

“He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him. (Matthew 26:57-67)

While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” 

“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. (Matthew 27:19-26)

The Jewish leaders declared their own version of Messiah and Jesus did not measure up. They steadfastly believed they were right as they pursued Jesus’ arrest, hearings, and death. They elevated their opinions and view of themselves and refused to examine and yield to the truth. They failed to recognize Jesus’ wisdom and all He had done that revealed He had come from God.

In a similar way, pride and self-focus lead us down a dangerous path. Weaponizing the opinions we judge right is acceptable in today’s world. People who think they are right draw bold lines on social media, in news broadcasts, and even within churches. Even Christians who desire to hold up God’s truth can do so in an unloving and unkind way. 

The only way to truly be right is to pursue the One who is fully righteous: Jesus. Is there an area of your life in which you insist upon being right? How might God judge your heart as you relate to others? How will you give up human “rightness” to pursue righteousness in Jesus? 

(From Bible Study Fellowship International)