I am self-righteous...

I am a self-righteous one...

Today I spent time repudiating my self-righteousness before God, my Father.

I found that I've believed that I'm a good husband. That I think highly of myself because of time spent in Scripture and in prayer. That I think I deserve something because I sometimes do a good job in ministry. That I think that I'm not guilty because I've not cheated on anyone. That I think I'm okay because I don't lie, cheat or steal - even though I covet and am discontent and rarely give thanks.

I found today that I am a Pharisee. I am self-righteous. I try to earn salvation before God by my works.

But I came upon this in my reading: "...but if, by the Spirit of God, you kill the actions of your sinful body, you will live eternally. The reason you'll live forever if you do that is this: all of the ones who are led along by the Spirit of God are children of God." (Rom. 8:13-14; my dynamic equivalence translation)

Obedience comes from already being made a child; it doesn't make me one. That same Spirit in me that cries to God 'Father!' because of what Jesus did - HE leads me in obedience and gives me eternal life.