Self-Justification

INTRO: Police reportedly arrest suspect, investigate crime scene at Lambeau Field The investigation in Green Bay is ongoing following a multiple-car collision.

Lambeau Field was a crime scene. According to Jeff Bollier of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, police arrested a suspect at Lambeau Field after he chased his former co-worker and caused a multiple-car collision in the parking lot. 

Citing Green Bay Police Chief Andrew Smith, the Press-Gazette reported that the suspect, 20, was fired from a food service job at Lambeau Field on Dec. 3 after an altercation with a co-worker. On Friday, the suspect went to the police to make a report. According to Smith, the suspect then went to Lambeau Field. He proceeded to crash his car into his former co-worker's car before pursuing the victim in his car as the victim ran away on foot, Smith said.

When arraigned, he told the judge that when he saw the former coworker involved in his firing , “he just lost it”.

What's your justification for not obeying God. There is no excuse that we can give God that would please Him. We must repent of all our excuses, and ask God to create in us a clean heart, and renew a right perspective in each one of us.

(((2 Chronicles 7:14 - “If My people which are called by My name…”))) That’s all of us who have been called to be a part of the Body of Christ in the Church of God. He says, (((“…shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land))).

BENEFIT STATEMENT: That’s a wonderful promise given in the Word of God not only for us as individuals, to always walk humbly with our God, to seek God’s face, to receive His healing hand in many areas of our lives but certainly our nation is in a very critical time right now, and this would be a very wonderful thing if our nation would adhere, with fear and understanding of the Word of God, and humble themselves instead of walking in arrogance and pride.

It’s an interesting analysis for us to look at. Looking at ourselves. Remember, the BIBLE says it’s like a mirror. You look into the mirror and it reads you, and it reflects back, and that’s what God wants us to look and consider.

SPS: We’ll see that not only is self-justification our go-to way of thinking, but that only God can actually justify, and we must stop the process in us of SELF-Justification

BODY:

1. Self justification is humans “go-to” approach

What Is “Justification”?

The words justification, justify, justified and just are found numerous times in both the Old and New Testaments. Both the Hebrew tsadaq and the Greek dikaiosis refer to justification, meaning “made righteous.”

• Justification means to be made righteous in God’s sight.
• Righteousness is being like God and having the same character as our holy, righteous God.
• Why is justification so important in God’s sight?

Paul encouraged us to understand the importance of being justified or made righteous before God, because it has a lot to do with our precious calling and being part of His family.

Romans 8:30-32, emphasis added “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified: and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”.

It is clear from the Scriptures that being justified or made righteous is an important part of our personal salvation.

Mother Eve, used basically the following terms that we’ve all heard. The devil made me do it. The truth of the matter is the devil can’t make you do anything. The devil is restricted. He is limited to temptation, and seducing, befuddling the mind but the action is on the part of the individual. God will not allow an individual to be taken in that direction by Satan. He puts a barrier there. It’s the person who then gets seduced, and does what? Complies with the temptation, or the thought that Satan is putting forth.

Adam not only blamed the woman but he blamed God (Gen 3.12) , …the woman that you gave me. It should have never happen. God has given responsibility to the man, and it was his responsibility to watch over Eve, which he did not do.

            [Moses vs. Abraham]

Jesus dealt with this very subject of excuses, and He told His disciples who asked Him the question. “Well, why do you speak to them in parables?  When you speak to us you’re right straight forward; you just tell it like it is.”

He said, “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. To them it is none given,” meaning at that time. Everyone will have a time and a chance by God’s decree.

Luke 14:15 - And when one of them came and sat at meat with him (Jesus) heard these things, “He said unto him, Blessed is he that eats bread in the kingdom of God.” Now, who is the Bread of Life? Jesus Christ.

The more we understand our relationship with Jesus Christ and eat His words in the vernacular, just like you would eat physical food, the more you embrace those words, the more you will be able to understand how to function in service in God’s kingdom in the future. So, He gives a parable.

V. 16 -   …A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

(He invited a lot of people to come.) Now, remember, many are called, and few are chosen. And we are all brought into this wonderful relationship, a calling that comes from God, and we must be prepared for the kingdom of God. We can’t just float into it. We have to be prepared for it.

And what is it? What are we talking about today? What’s your justification for not obeying the word of God? The world is filled with excuses, and people love these excuses, and they follow these excuses, and they justify why they will not obey the word of God “because everyone else is going this way.” Well, Jesus put it this way, “The broad way leads to destruction.” We have to go the straight and narrow path; stay right on course with the word of God. So, He goes on and He says,

V. 17 - And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that are bid to come, Come; for all things are now ready. V. 18 - And they came with one consent,….

They came with self-justifications, and He used the parable to show the people then that they were making excuses.

V. 18 - And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground,… …”I pray that you will excuse me.”

Well who cares about that? You can buy a piece of ground anytime. Right now is the feast, the great supper. God has given to us the call to come.  … and I must needs go and see it:…

V. 19 - And another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused .”

V. 20 - Still another said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

Because God must come first and foremost in our thinking then we have priorities from God or from ourselves.

Then our loved ones come in next, and then our friendships with our spiritual brothers and sisters, and then with all mankind.

We have to learn to love everyone in the process.

God says, “I need to be first place in your heart.”  

We have a heart, Jeremiah 17:9 that is not a good heart. We like to think our heart is better than it is, but it’s not. It is a heart that is poisoned. It has been violated by sin, and because of that we have to constantly fight it, and we have to realize that without the help of God and His Spirit, and the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us of all sin then we can’t extricate ourselves from this problem.

Modern man justifies his sinful behavior. He believes his self-justifications for his sinful behavior.

For example, some excuse themselves by saying the following:

…“I can’t help it.”; “You can’t help what?”

…“It’s just the way I am.” …“What do you mean, just the way you are?”

…“I was born this way.” … Born what way? The way that the BIBLE condemns? You say God allowed you to be born that way?”  - Then it’s God’s fault because I was born that way. And this is how many justify some very, very unsavory behavior according to the BIBLE

…”I just lost it” …lost what? Your mind, your self-control, and should society just let that go on with you? Should God?

1. Self-Justification is Impossible. It’s ONLY from and WITH God

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NKJV) 9  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

What makes a person unrighteous? One who is not striving to live by the commandments and the laws of God. A person just lives his or her own way.

James 1:19-26 (NKJV) 19  So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20  for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21  Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26  If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

We actually lie to our own heart by putting into it untrue “alternate facts” about WHY we did something wrong, and our deceitful, deceived heart feeds back all that self-justification as truth.

We are saying, “I hear, but I don’t do.”

Romans 12:2 (NKJV) 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

You see, our minds have to be changed, and God’s Spirit is what works in, through, and WITH us to allow us to have the mind of Christ so that we can what is acceptable. It’s based on what God says to us as men and women.

All of us need to, again, hear the Word of the Lord. That’s what the scriptures constantly refer to. Don’t dismiss it. Hear it, and listen carefully. Now that’s a struggle because there’s a lot of interference today.

Our own self-justifications are part of the static we may allow into our daily life …BUT no excuse …

Romans 1:20 (NKJV) 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Romans 2:1 (NKJV) 1  Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

 You’re doing the same thing somebody else is doing, and yet you’re pointing the finger at them.

Romans 2:4 (NKJV) 4  Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

The master Himself feels angry when people refuse the invitation to accept  Jesus Christ as their Lord, and Savior, and Deliverer.

What is our relationship with the Son of God? Do we hunger and thirst? Do we want the same mind that’s in Jesus Christ. It’s something I think we should consider it because the BIBLE makes it very plain. There is no excuse for sin. That’s why God is going to punish a sinful world for its sinful behavior.

James admonished us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only”

(James 1:22 (NKJV) 22  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.).

God expects evidence of the fruits of His Holy Spirit in our lives. We are new creatures in Christ. We should be like beacons in a dark world. How are we doing?

When Jesus said to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33), He gave the first and foremost goal for all mankind. The search and goal includes the obligations we have to family, friends, careers and ourselves. It is one package. Some have made the mistake of thinking they can be hermits and only look out for themselves.

We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving our fellow man means wanting all men to be saved - to have eternal life. A BIG reason to LOVE God! THIS is HIS Plan! “Many brought to glory” …

Jesus Christ’s blood was given (John 3:16), and that is the aim and purpose God has ever before Him to include His human Creations is His Family (1 Timothy 2:4 (NKJV) 4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.). He agreed!

BUT …The priorities should be God first including His Church, followed by family, career or work, involvement with friends, and personal goals like hobbies, etc.

1. Real Justification (being made Righteous) happens when we align with God granting us His overt Guidance through unearned Grace.

The problem of people being confused about how they can be justified or made righteous before God was something Paul had to deal with.

On the one hand, he had some Jewish people in the Church being proud and boasting of their law keeping. Apparently they felt God owed it to them to give them salvation, thus abusing the proper use of the law.

Romans 2:17 (NKJV) 17  Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,

Romans 3:27 (NKJV) 27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.

On the other hand, he had to correct the Gentiles in the Church who were also proud of their newfound knowledge and spiritual gifts and felt that God was somehow indebted to them to reward them with salvation:

1 Corinthians 4:7 (NKJV) 7  For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Paul answered the extremism of both camps when he said:

Romans 11:34-35 (NKJV) 34  "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor?" 35  "Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?"

It is a common fault of us as mankind to think that by the good things we do, God owes us salvation.

{“No second death” – Google+ …self-justification for sinning while saying we are approved of God. (Rev 2.11; Rev 20.6, 14; Rev 21.8)} [Religious self-justification]

How Can We Become Justified in God’s Sight?

Understand that we don’t earn righteousness by self-righteously keeping God’s laws and then claiming that we are righteous before God. It’s about keeping God’s Way WITH HIS approach.

Paul explained what we need to understand – Overt, Conscious, Active Faith …CAUSES GODLY (Selfless) Works which are the process of justification.

Galatians 2:16 (NKJV) 16  knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

The apostle James clarified this point by saying:

James 2:24 (NKJV) 24  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

There is a right sequence to becoming righteous in God’s sight.

That sequence begins when we come to believe and have faith in the “true God” (1 John 5:20 (NKJV) 20  And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.).

Secondly, when we grow in faith, we see our sins, our wrong thinking, wrong words, wrong actions and our need to repent.

Our faith in God drives us to repent of our sins and be baptized. At this point we are forgiven by God’s grace (free unmerited pardon) and are considered righteous before God.

Thirdly, we continue to remain righteous in God’s sight when we lovingly obey and live by His laws and don’t practice sin any more, having left the false ways of the world behind (1 John 3:3-4 (NKJV) 3  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 4  Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ).

We continue the process of becoming converted to the mind and conduct of Christ

(Philippians 2:5 (NKJV) 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,).

Once we set our course God’s way, by conscious, overt, active Godly Guided faith in Him, and by repentance from our sins, we are to follow Him and live by His laws and right way of life …not ours.

If we slip, we should exercise faith and repentance immediately and follow God’s laws.

Daily in our prayers and lives, we should put to death the old man or old woman, just as Paul admonished us, and be renewed in our minds daily, with God’s Holy Spirit by the gift of God.

(Ephesians 4:22-24 (NKJV) 22  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23  and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24  and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.).

It is then, through daily conscious, overt contact with God through Study, Prayer, Fasting, Meditation, therefore active, Godly-Guided faith, repentance and loving obedience, that we will be considered justified or righteous in God’s sight.

WHAT is the motivation to DO this? GETTING the Kingdom, or Supporting ALL giving in the Kingdom

Titus 1:2 (NKJV) 2  in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,

This is the reason you and I were created—to have an unending relationship with God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and ALL those whom They would eventually bring to a glorified state …

(Hebrews 2:10 (NKJV) 10  For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.).

1 John 3:1-2 says: (“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! … Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”)

This would happen on a minute by minute basis in an overt consious awareness of God intervening in directing their lives as they voluntarily follow His unearned direction …from an ungodly lifestyle and commit to obeying God’s holy laws.

It would further involve help to continue in obedience, great blessings in this life and future reward in God’s Kingdom.

2 Timothy 1:9 (NKJV) 9  who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,

We cannot, on our own, justify ourselves therefore …earn the reward of eternal life. It is only through God’s grace that we can accomplish it. That unearned direction from God that we overtly and consciously follow is justification. (Romans 6:23 (NKJV) 23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)

CONCLUSION: God is not a respecter of persons, and this vast multitude of human beings can at last have the “veil” of deception removed which kept them blinded from God’s spiritual truths during their lifetime in this age (Isaiah 25:7). They will then have God’s Holy Spirit and finally understand and keep God’s precious laws that pave the way for true salvation AND Righteousness (Justification).

• Self justification is humans “go-to” approach
• Self-Justification is Impossible. It’s ONLY from and WITH God
• Real Justification (being made Righteous) happens when we align with God granting us His overt Guidance through unearned Grace.

CLOSE: God’s gift of eternal life, His grace and the hidden brilliance and wisdom of His plan for the salvation of mankind were established for all of us to one day choose and enjoy.

BEING justified by God through our cooperation with His overt intervention in our lives. That is unearned Grace from God. To KNOW you are being Guided by God overtly as He guides your Sacrificing Life is to participate in TRUE justification from and WITH God.

(((Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV) 28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29  For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30  Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.))))

Titus 3:7 (NKJV) 7  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.