How can we be Righteous?

Ballard Campus 5-01-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll

Tags: Justification

Luke 18:9-14

How can we be righteous?

God only can declare a sinner righteous, can justify him

How Humans pursue righteousness: Works or Gift

Works Righteousness

The Parable: the Pharisee wants to be declared righteous by God because he acts well so God will love him

The Modern Options to become righteous:

I assume that I am good enough to be decalred righteous

My life has been hard so God sort of owes me so I'll be favored by God

I have supported good causes: I am a good person because I do _________

You are not as good as me because you don't support my cause

I have high self esteem, despite low morality

Leo Tolstoy said: I have not found a man who is my moral equal

We are loved by God because we perform well so God as the judge likes us

Works righteousness is unrighteous

Eight reasons why Works righteousness is stupid:

1. It is man centered - the pharisee used the pronoun "I" six times, God exists to be impressed with him

2. It compares himself to someone other than Jesus, thanks that I don't suck as bad as the tax collector or adulterers

3. Our performances establishes our worth, God keeps score for our fantastic life

4. The Focus is on the external not the internal, trusting in myself instead of trusting in God, they are the only judge of their righteousness

5. People are our judge, not God - That's why he prays out loud

6. Leads to pride - the sin that is pregnant with all the other sins

7. Causes contempt, not compassion - harted of a type of person

8. Offends God - We are to come empty handed, not with our filthy "good" deeds

Isaiah 64 & Philippians 3 - Works righteousness is a pile or filthy menstral rags

God says that this man is not justified when he leaves the temple

Gift Righteousness

Everyone who humbles himself will be exalted

This man is a monster who destroys people

He talks about his own sin, he keeps his voice low, he is asking for a gift, he is justified in the sights of God

How to become righteous:

1. Compare yourself to Jesus and Scripture to see your sin

2. Despise and do not excuse, tolerate, or manage you sin

3. HUmbly repents to God

4. Recieve Grace and place your faith in Jesus

5. Recieve the righteous of Jesus and be Justified

6. Be sanctified by the Spirit of God to do your good works

We are Saved to our Good Works, not by our Good Works

It is done for us by Jesus

Works Righteouness leads to Religion where we make rules about the rules about the rules about hoe be becom righteous until we murder God

Theology: How can a man be righteous in the sight of God?

2 Cor 5:21 - the Great Exchange, God made Jesus who knew no sin to

Double imputation - Jesus takes my unrighteousness and I recieve Jesus; righteousness

God is not impressed with you, but he loves you

I do not have any righteousness, but Jesus will gladly give you his

We do not change so that God will love us or accept us, we change because we get to respond

We change so that people will be impressed with the work of Jesus

We don't change to feel better about ourselves, but to glorify God

Thank you Lord for showing me how much like the religious man I am like and that you have taken my unrighteousness