Two Types of Sinners; One Way of Salvation | Lord's Day Sermon | 2nd June, 2024 | Pastor Adeola Ogundele

Self righteousness is a pollutant; it pollutes the heart of the self righteous one and the ones it comes in contact with. It is driven by a spirit that trusts in itself as upstanding and able to meet by performance, the unattainable standards of a holy God. Jesus identified this kind of heart when He told a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector in Luke 18:9, 

"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:".

He told this parable to highlight the dangers of a heart that trusts in itself as righteous and the futility of such a venture. Self righteousness, as seen in the posture of the Pharisee, leads only to God's disapproval and eventual destruction. A contrite heart, as displayed by the tax collector, is one that God delights in. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. The one who considers their wretched state and finds no ability in themselves to fulfill the righteous demands of God is the one God lifts up and grants the gift of righteousness. Jesus came into the world to live the perfect life we could never live so that our righteousness is rooted only in him, not in ourselves. When we ascribe righteousness to our own deeds, we reject Christ and his sacrifice. 

In this sermon, pastor Adeola points to the dangers of self righteousness and the blessings of a humble heart.