Main Ref: Luke 18:9–14
Christianity is not about proving that we are better than others; it is about becoming more like Christ. “When being right becomes more important than being like Christ.”
Luke 18:9 introduces the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, which Jesus told to people who trusted in their own righteousness and despised others.
CAN A CHRISTIAN BECOME SELF-RIGHTEOUS?
When we hear the word self-righteous, we usually think about someone who is proud, judgmental, and religious. But Jesus gives us a surprising example of a Pharisee and a tax collector in Luke 18, where two men go to the temple to pray.
The Pharisee proudly thanks God for his moral conduct and religious practices like fasting and tithing. In contrast, the tax collector stands at a distance, humbly beats his breast, and asks God for mercy as a sinner. Here, the Pharisee trusted in himself, but the tax collector trusted in God’s mercy.
As self-righteous Christians, we can do religious things while becoming spiritually proud. We can know the Bible but not know humility. We can attend church but look down on people. We can serve God but secretly worship ourselves.
WHAT IS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS?
Self-righteousness is trusting in our own goodness and religious performance instead of depending on God’s grace.
Look at the Pharisee’s prayer in Luke 18:11, 12: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men . . .” “I am not like them.” “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”
There is nothing inherently wrong with fasting or giving. But the Pharisee prays proudly in the temple, thanking God that he is morally superior to others and listing his strict religious habits.
Self-righteousness says: “Look at what I have done” and “I am not like them.” Whereas humility says: “I am not like them” and “Without Jesus, I am nothing.”
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS ALWAYS COMPARES
The Pharisee needed someone to compare himself with. He looked at the tax collector and thought: “At least I’m not like him.” Sometimes our Christianity becomes a comparison game. “I pray more than him.” “I know more about the Bible than her.” “I have been a Christian longer.” “I serve in ministry.”
And slowly we stop asking, “Am I becoming like Jesus?” and start asking, “Am I better than them?”
In Galatians 6:4, Paul says, “Let each one test his own work…” The Christian life is not a competition. We don’t measure ourselves against another Christian. We look at Christ.
Eg: Imagine two people standing in front of a mirror. One looks at himself and says, “I need to change.” The other looks in a mirror and says, “Look how dirty everyone else is.” That’s what self-righteousness does. It makes us experts at seeing other people’s problems while becoming blind to our own.
Jesus said: “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?” — Matthew 7:3. Jesus isn’t saying we should ignore sin. He is saying: Deal with your own heart first.
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS FORGETS GRACE
The tax collector stood far away. He wouldn’t even lift his eyes towards heaven. He simply prayed: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” — Luke 18:13.
The Pharisee says: “Look what I’ve done,” and presents his achievements.
The tax collector says: “Lord, I need mercy,” and presents his brokenness.
Why did Jesus say the tax collector went home justified?
Because salvation has never been something we earn by becoming impressive enough for God.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23 and: “For by grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8
TRUTH WITHOUT LOVE CAN BECOME SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Humility does not mean saying sin doesn’t matter. Grace does not mean abandoning truth. Jesus never compromised God’s truth. There is an important balance here. Jesus never compromised God’s truth. But he also never used truth as an excuse to treat broken people without compassion. Galatians 6:1 says: “…restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” This means not to destroy or celebrate someone’s failure.
Eg: Imagine someone falling into a ditch. One person stands above them and says: “How foolish you are!” Another person reaches down and says: “Give me your hand.” Both see the problem. But only one is trying to restore the person. That’s what Christian correction should look like. Truth tells us where the problem is. Love helps us walk out of it.
RELIGIOUS PERFORMANCE IS NOT THE SAME AS SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION
Religious performances like teaching, fasting, attending church, serving, or reading scripture would not be considered as spiritual transformation if we have pride, bitterness, greed, jealousy, anger, and unforgivingness.
Jesus warned about people who looked religious on the outside while their hearts were far from God: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” — Matthew 15:8
So we need to ask ourselves:
Is my Christianity changing my heart? “Am I becoming more loving?”
“How much of the Bible do I know?” “Am I obeying what I know?”
“How much do I serve?” “Do I serve with humility?”
WHAT SHOULD REPLACE SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS?
1. Replace comparison with compassion.
Instead of asking “Why are they like that?” ask “How can I help them?”
2. Replace condemnation with restoration.
Instead of enjoying someone’s failure: Pray for their restoration.
3. Replace pride with gratitude.
Instead of saying, “Look how good I am,” say: “Thank You, Jesus, for Your grace.”
4. Replace judgment with self-examination.
Before asking: “What’s wrong with them?” he asked: “Lord, what’s wrong with me?”
David prayed: “Search for me, O God, and know my heart . . .” — Psalm 139:23. That is a dangerous prayer for a proud heart—but a beautiful prayer for a disciple.
THE CROSS — THE CURE FOR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
The cross destroys our boasting. Why? Because the cross tells us: I could not save myself. Jesus had to save me. Ephesians 2:8–9 says salvation is: “the gift of God… not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” When we remember the cross, we cannot stand before another sinner and say: “I’m better than you.” We can only say: “I am saved by grace.” The ground is level at the cross. We don’t come to Jesus because we were good enough. We come because He is good.
The goal of Christianity is not: “Look how righteous I am.”
The goal is: “Look what Jesus has done to me.”
When someone falls, don’t celebrate, rather ‘pray’ for them.
When someone sins, don’t forget your own need for grace rather than ‘restore’
And every morning, remember: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Because the closer we come to the cross, the less we boast about ourselves, and the more we thank Jesus for His grace.
