Have you noticed how many people on social media are certain of the evil in those they oppose, and equally certain of their own goodness?
Hi, I’m Mark Daniels, and this is another short shot, a small dose of God’s Word.
Jesus has a message for the self-righteous: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)
This applies equally to self-righteous churchgoers, self-righteous atheists, self-righteous political conservatives, self-righteous political liberals, self-righteous anybody.
If you think of yourself as a good person, think again. None of us is any better than any other person; we just sin differently. And each of us fails, when we rely on our own willpower, or hearts, or intelligence, to love God completely or to love others as we love ourselves. That failure to love is what God calls sin or unrighteousness.
And whether it’s to be right with God or to be useful for any good and lasting purpose in this world, we all need the righteousness of Christ—the righteousness of God the Son, that is. Why? Because only Christ can cover those who receive God’s gifts of repentance (of turning from sin and death) and saving faith in Christ with His righteousness. God delivers these gifts–repentance and faith in Christ, Who died and rose for us--to us through God’s Word and the Sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. By these means, we are covered in Christ’s righteousness, Christ’s goodness, and no longer stand naked in our own sin and unrighteousness.
Jesus calls us each day: “Repent and believe.” (Mark 1:15) And the Bible tells us: “...the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law [that is, apart from the Ten Commandments and our pathetic efforts to obey them], although the Law and the Prophets [from Old Testament times] bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe…there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified [or made innocent or righteous] by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 3:21-24)
Jesus Christ died and rose to set you free from sin, death, and condemnation, to replace your unrighteousness with His righteousness, to replace your death sentence with eternity in His Kingdom, to save you not because you deserve it, but because He loves you.
He did the same thing for your neighbor, even the one whose posts on social media you detest. They need this good news that can bring people to saving faith in Christ as much as you do. They need to hear the Word of the crucified and risen Jesus: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to [God] the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
In Jesus Christ, all your sins are forgiven and you have life with God. By the power of God working in this Word, you can repent and believe in Jesus. It’s eternally better to live in His righteousness than to die in your own.
God bless you. See you next time.
