Would you be surprised to learn that the deadliest of sins, self-righteousness is not as obvious as one may think? It’s curious and decadent wrapping makes it all the more dangerous. Having its roots in hypocrisy, it manifests in myriads of ways that are not often viewed for what they really are.
Examine the story of the blind man healed by Jesus in John 9. The Pharisees, critical of all Jesus’ works, sought occasion to accuse Him of breaking the Law of God. They did not see the fruit of His work in the confident, young man that stood before them eloquently sharing the testimony of how he had marvelously received his sight. Blind to their own sin, they accused the once blind man of “being altogether born in sins.” The fact that they were not physically blind like he had been, they held as proof that they themselves were not sinners. After all, only a sinner would deserve to be born blind, right?
Jesus made an interesting statement to the Pharisees after they asked the question: “Are we blind also?” He said that if they were blind, they would have no sin. Their blindness would excuse them. They, however, claimed NOT to be blind. As Pharisees and teachers of the law, they held themselves in high regard and harboured an unteachable and ungrateful spirit. Their sin therefore remained. They may not have been physically blind , but they refused to come out of their spiritual blindness.
Paul makes an interesting statement in 1 Cor 4:3-4. He says that the Gospel is hid to those that are lost. Satan, the god of this world, has blinded them in the hope that he would prevent them from truly partaking of the glorious light of the Gospel, which is the image of God. Hypocrisy and self-righteousness has that effect on people who are caught unawares in the deadly trap. They focus on what EVERYONE ELSE is supposedly doing wrong according to their own opinion, but never focus on themselves and their relationship with God. Sadly, hypocrisy and self-righteousness lurks in every church. There are people who are lost who are sitting in church. They come to the sanctuary under the pretense of worship, but really all they do is find fault with everything and everyone. Can one truly worship with that kind of spirit? Can you really worship if your eyes are open, trawling the crowd and looking for faults to report on and gossip about after Divine service? Is that a reverent attitude or are you being irreverent whilst accusing others of the very same sin?
It was the same in Jesus’ day. The Pharisees looked very “holy” in their long robes and phylacteries, judging others. However, what did Jesus have to say about them? The answer can be found in Matt 23:3-8. Jesus, in Matt 23:27, also called them “vipers”, “hypocrites” and “whited sepulchres which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness.” Be careful that you see the sin right in front of your nose, before you accuse your brother of sinning (Matt 7:1-5). In fact, you may have to look harder because it’s very hard to see the tip of your nose!
