As Christian women, we strive to live lives that reflect our faith, honoring God in our words, actions, and thoughts.
We read the Bible, attend church, and work to grow in our relationship with the Lord. But there’s a sneaky sin that can often go unnoticed in our hearts—the subtle sin of self-righteousness.
It’s the quiet belief that we are “good enough” because of our own efforts, or that our understanding of scripture makes us superior to others.
While it can seem harmless, self-righteousness has a way of creeping into our faith and blocking our ability to truly draw close to God.
Let’s unpack this tricky topic and explore how it shows up in our lives, how it distances us from God, and what we can do to tear down the idol of self-righteousness and approach God with humility.
(You can download a printable copy of this devotional at the very end of the page.)
What Is Self-Righteousness, Really?
When we talk about self-righteousness, we often picture someone who is overtly proud, maybe even smug about their morality or religious knowledge.
But self-righteousness isn’t always so obvious. In its subtler forms, it’s simply the attitude that our efforts, beliefs, or knowledge make us “better” or more worthy in God’s eyes.
It can be as simple as thinking we’ve “earned” God’s favor by doing all the right things, or quietly looking down on others who don’t share our same understanding of faith.
It’s so easy to fall into this trap, especially in Christian communities where we’re constantly growing in our knowledge of scripture and striving to live righteous lives.
The problem comes when our knowledge or behavior becomes a source of pride, making us feel as though we’re more “holy” or deserving of God’s love than others.
How Self-Righteousness Creeps into Our Lives
One of the hardest things about self-righteousness is how sneaky it is.
Most of us don’t set out to feel superior to others or to rely on our own righteousness instead of God’s grace. But here are a few ways it can slowly creep into our hearts:
Comparing Ourselves to Others
We’ve all been there. We see another Christian struggling with a sin or lifestyle choice, and inwardly, we think, “At least I’m not doing that. I’m stronger in my faith.”
Or maybe we feel a twinge of pride when we hear someone misquote scripture or misunderstand a biblical concept, thinking, “I would never make that mistake.”
This quiet comparison is a sign that self-righteousness is starting to take root.
Taking Pride in Our Own Spiritual Disciplines
When we’re disciplined in our prayer life, Bible study, or church attendance, it’s easy to start feeling like we’ve somehow “arrived” spiritually.
We may look at someone who struggles to maintain a daily quiet time and think, “If only they were as committed as I am, they’d be closer to God.”
What starts as a healthy discipline can turn into a source of pride that separates us from humility.
Judging Others’ Faith Journeys
Have you ever judged someone else’s faith journey because it doesn’t look like yours?
Maybe they’re new to the faith and don’t know as much scripture, or perhaps their lifestyle choices don’t align with your personal convictions.
It’s easy to start thinking that their lack of spiritual maturity makes them “less Christian” than you are.
But the truth is, we’re all on our own unique journey with God, and no one’s walk looks exactly the same.
Feeling Entitled to God’s Favor
Another way self-righteousness sneaks into our lives is when we start believing that our good works, our Bible knowledge, or our spiritual maturity entitles us to God’s favor.
We might even get frustrated when things don’t go our way, thinking, “But I’ve been doing everything right—why isn’t God blessing me?”
This reveals that we’re relying on our own righteousness instead of God’s grace.
How Self-Righteousness Blocks Us from God
At its core, self-righteousness is a heart issue that creates distance between us and God. Here’s how it can block us from truly experiencing His presence:
It Undermines Grace
When we rely on our own righteousness, we undermine the very foundation of our faith—grace.
We start thinking that God’s love or favor is something we can earn through our actions, but the Bible is clear:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV).
Self-righteousness keeps us from fully embracing God’s grace because we’re too focused on our own efforts.
It Builds Walls Between Us and Others
When we feel self-righteous, we tend to judge others more harshly.
Instead of loving people as Christ does—right where they are—we create a sense of separation based on our perceived moral or spiritual superiority.
This can hinder our ability to minister to others, share God’s love, and build authentic relationships.
Jesus constantly challenged the self-righteous Pharisees for this very reason, showing them that their judgmental hearts were far from God.
It Leads to Spiritual Pride
Self-righteousness often leads to spiritual pride, making us feel like we’re “better” than other Christians or even non-believers.
But God values humility over pride.
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6, NIV).
When we are filled with spiritual pride, we become less open to correction and less dependent on God’s guidance, which keeps us from growing in our faith.
Breaking Free from the Idol of Self-Righteousness
So, how do we break free from this subtle sin that creeps into our hearts?
Here are a few practical steps to help us tear down the idol of self-righteousness and cultivate humility before God:
Remember that We Are All in Need of Grace
None of us can earn God’s love or salvation—it is a gift freely given through Jesus.
When we start to feel self-righteous, we need to remind ourselves that we are all sinners saved by grace.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NIV).
There is no room for pride when we recognize that we are all equally in need of God’s grace.
Ask God to Reveal Areas of Self-Righteousness
Self-righteousness can be so sneaky that we may not even realize it’s present in our hearts.
Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas where you’ve allowed self-righteousness to take root. Psalm 139:23-24 is a great prayer for this:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (NIV).
Practice Humility
Humility is the antidote to self-righteousness.
Instead of focusing on how “good” or “right” we are, we need to humble ourselves before God and recognize that anything good in us comes from Him.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10, NIV).
True humility acknowledges our dependence on God for everything, including our righteousness.
Love Others as Christ Loves Us
When we focus on loving others as Christ loves us, there is no room for self-righteousness.
Jesus didn’t judge or condemn the people He encountered—He showed them compassion and grace.
As we follow His example, we can break down the walls of self-righteousness and extend love to those around us, regardless of their spiritual maturity or life choices.
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus, Not on Yourself
The more we focus on ourselves—our actions, our knowledge, our perceived “rightness”—the more we fall into the trap of self-righteousness.
But when we fix our eyes on Jesus and His example of humility, love, and grace, we are reminded that we are nothing without Him.
He is our righteousness. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV).
Self-righteousness is a subtle but dangerous sin that can creep into our faith without us even realizing it.
It distorts our view of grace, builds walls between us and others, and keeps us from truly drawing close to God.
But when we recognize its presence in our hearts and take steps to cultivate humility, we can break free from this idol and approach God with the love and grace He desires for us.
Let’s continually remind ourselves that it’s not our righteousness that saves us—it’s Jesus.
When we keep that truth at the center of our lives, we can tear down the walls of self-righteousness and walk in the true freedom of God’s grace.
Reflection:
- 1. In what ways have you noticed self-righteous attitudes or thoughts creeping into your walk with God, especially toward others who may be newer in their faith?
- 2. How do you react when someone disagrees with your understanding of scripture or a spiritual matter? Do you feel the need to prove your knowledge, or are you able to listen with humility?
- 3. Think of a recent situation where you felt “right.” How did you handle that moment? Did it lead you to love and grace, or to pride and judgment?
- 4. How can you practice humility in your interactions with others, particularly those who may be at different stages in their faith journey?
- 5. In what ways can you actively guard your heart from the trap of self-righteousness and instead focus on growing in love, compassion, and grace toward others?
You can download a printable version of this devotional (without images or ads) plus the reflection questions to keep handy in your study binder.
