Romans 10 Self-Righteousness

Romans 10

Self-Righteousness

We obey Christ because we love Him

The only right is right relationship with God

The teachers of the law were always debating the application of the law

And the greater laws

The one who is right with God has a heart to please God

In a way that is beyond appeasing the law

It is a terrible thing to break the law

But it is more terrible to break the heart of the One who fulfilled the law for you

It is a good feeling to do good

But it feels better to be in an honest loving relationship with Jesus

Let’s make all this simple

Which is more important to you, your righteousness or God’s righteousness

Do you know the righteousness that comes from God?

Here is a big clue

It starts with a relationship with Jesus

It is not about the things of God, it is about Him

 

 

Self-Righteousness

 

Everyone loves to be right.

 

Or, wants others to think they are right.

 

There is some kind of adrenaline rush in being right.

 

I love auctions, I like to buy mystery lockers.

 

I once bought a small locker online

that I saw two boxes for depth finders that listed in the store for $1000 each

and what looked like a gun box.

 

I got into a bidding war. Up to that time, I had never bid

such a high amount on a locker

and one that was a couple hours away.

 

 

 

When my son, Marty, and I got to the locker

we were nervously excited.

 

We opened the door and the first thing I did

was open the depth finder boxes.

 

 They did not have the depth finders in them.

 

I opened the gun box and it was empty.

 

At that point, I thought I was wrong about this locker.

 

Marty and I began to remove some

of the clothing and found a Gibson Guitar.

 

 I ended up selling the guitar for $6000.

 

The locker had over 25 guns in it,

 many new in the box, and vintage drums.

 

I scored and it felt so good to be right.

 

Our grandchildren have loved playing table tennis

at a cabin we have rented in the past.

 

So Sandy and I wanted to get a

nice table tennis for our basement.

 

One came up in an online auction.

 

It was new, but a store return.

 

The auction company used a picture from the internet

and it looked like it was a $1000 table.

 

I got the high bid and paid $500.

 

 A lot more than I wanted,

but it was a $1000 table.

 

When I picked it up,

 I found out it was a table

I could buy new for $350.

 

 To add to my wounds it was missing the net,

hardware to put it together and a leg lever.

 

It has been a while since my excitement

of winning the bid and I am still dealing

with my emotions of being wrong.

 

It was great to be right and a tough thing to be wrong.

 

I have watched and sad to say,

been in conversations that were not

about solving an issue, but being right.  

 

In all areas of life, we run the highs and lows

of the emotional ladder, over being right or wrong.

  

Romans 10 starts with the

description of high emotions.

 

Paul’s says he can testify about people

who are zealous for God…

 

But without Knowledge…

 

“Zeal not based on knowledge”

 

Zeal without knowledge.

 

How many times do we get in conversations

that we don’t know what we are talking about?

 

How many times do we speak

without doing the research?

  

All of us have inside of us

a thing we call Self-Righteousness.

 

We hear one side of the story

and we have made a decision.

 

Without full knowledge

we jump to conclusions.

 

We can be quick to shoot down others

just because their idea is not be what we want.

 

All of us, even atheists, believe in a right and wrong.

 

Look at the battles in politics or religion

and the line is drawn.

 

We divide our side by saying…

 

 You are on the right or left.

 

We all have set a standard for morality.

 

It may be based on emotions…

 

What feels right.

 

It may be based on tradition…

 

 That is the way we have always done it.

 

It may be based on pride…

 

Thinking we are the best and

know what is good for others.

 

It may be based on religion…

 

 Rules and laws.

 

We all know a lot about “righteousness” …

 

But where does our righteousness come from?

 

Look at what Romans 10:3 says…

 

Since they did not know the righteousness

that comes from God and sought to establish their own.

 

Every culture, nation, people group, family, gender,

 all of us seek out our own righteousness.

 

Seeking our own righteousness

keeps us from knowing the righteousness

that comes from God.

 

Be brave and ask yourself the question…

 

What is the righteousness of God?

 

How many times have you known God’s righteousness

and did not submit to it?

 

 “Sought to establish their own,

they did not submit to God's righteousness.”

 

Paul is talking about people who tried to live

by God’s law and were wrong in doing right.

 

Jesus said…

  

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses

that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,

you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20

 

Jesus goes on to say…

 

 Do not murder,

 but if you hate you may be subject to judgment.

 

Do not commit adultery,

but if you look lustfully on a woman is guilty of adultery.

 

Do not break your oath or your word,

beyond yes or no and

simple action is from the evil one.

 

We all love the law, we love to prove ourselves right

 by some outward action,

even if inwardly there is wrong feelings.

 

Romans 10:4 is profound and

so important for us to understand…

 

Christ is the end of the law so that there

 may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

  

Does the removal of the law set us all free?

 

NO!

 

It only shifts our focus.

 

The focus is to be on “believing”…

 

Not believing on what you call right.

 

But believing on Jesus,

who fulfilled the law,

 inwardly as well as outwardly.

 

We obey Christ because we love Him.

 

The only right is…

 

 Right relationship with God.

 

The teachers of the law were always debating

the application of the law and the greater laws.

 

The one who is right with God

has a heart to please God in a way

that is beyond appeasing the law.

 

It is a terrible thing to break the law.

 

But it is more terrible to break the heart

of the One who fulfilled the law for you.

 

It is a good feeling to do good.

 

 But it feels better

to be in an honest loving relationship with Jesus.

 

Let’s make all this simple.

 

Which is more important to you…

 

Your righteousness?

 

Or, God’s righteousness?

 

Do you know the righteousness

that comes from God?

 

Here is a big clue…

 

It starts with a relationship with Jesus.

 

It is not about the things of God.

 

It is about Him.

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 10:1-4 NIV

 

10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.   3 Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.