This phrase is used alot on this forum, but I dare say, the majority of those who use it don't have any idea what it means.
The short definition is this...
Self-righteousness is the belief that you are right because you do right.
I wrote the following a couple of years ago to explain this more fully...
God is right, man is wrong!
Man did not know he was wrong.
God gave the Law to show man he is wrong.
The Law did not make man wrong.
Man believed if he obeyed the Law, he would be right.
That was not why God gave man the Law.
God used a man that was not wrong to make man right.
The right man pointed out how wrong the wrong man is.
The wrong man still did not know he was wrong.
The wrong man cannot make himself right.
The right man took the wrong, so the wrong man could be right.
The wrong man is made right through the right man.
The wrong man will never be wrong again!
Some who are wrong refuse to be right and prefer to be wrong.
Some who are right think they are right because they do right.
They are wrong!
Some who are right tell others who are right they are wrong because they don't do right.
They are wrong!
All were wrong because, one was wrong
All who are right, are right because One is right.
Righteousness is a gift. Men are right because God makes them right. It is the condition of someone who is in Christ.
The self-righteous believe that they are right because they read their bibles, or pray, or share the gospel, or go to church, or don't speed, or steal, or lie, or murder etc. They are filled with pride because they put their confidence in the flesh, and do not walk by faith.
Christians are right, because of the work of Jesus, not their own works.
