Boasting in Self is a Bigger Problem than we Realize

"Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." (Romans 3:27–28)

It seems no matter how hard I try, I am predisposed to weighing my good works verses my bad works and believing I have something to boast in. Its a lie that I know is a lie but somehow, I find myself believing it all the time. If I am faced with a temptation on Monday and Tuesday and overcome it both days, my flesh is inclined to think that giving into it on Wednesday is not as big of a deal because, after all, I was a good boy the last two days. So in my evil mind I think that two days of success outweighs one day of failure and therefore I have a righteousness in which I can boast. This is one example of how works righteousness and self-justification creeps back into our thinking even after we have been drinking at the well of the gospel. One of the reasons works righteousness is so evil and useless is it leaves lots and lots of room for us to live in sin and believe we are doing just fine. The Pharisees and Sadducees in Jesus' day were masters of this craft. We can convince ourselves we are doing well as long as the good heap is taller than the bad heap. It seems no matter how many times I tell myself the gospel, I am inclined to think my dunghill of good deeds actually smells good enough and that its aroma is going to mask the smell of my other dunghill of bad deeds. But at the end of the day it all smells the same because its all flung-dung. (Phil. 3:8)

How can we grow in our ability to identify and neutralize this tendency we all have to rely on the righteousness of our flesh? Keep drinking! Telling yourself the gospel is not useless but is doing its work in your heart. What I mean is drink more deeply of it and never stop. Each time you do this you are eroding away your tendency to think highly of your personal righteousness. Keep confessing. Keep repenting. Keep preaching the gospel to your heart. Keep telling yourself the truth about the worthlessness of your righteousness and the priceless righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in the gospel. You will start to see all the ways you boast in your righteousness and also all the ways God has loved you in spite of your boasting and this revelation alone will change you. That's a sign you're growing in Christ!