Category: self-righteousness

Not Thy Righteousness, But Their Wickedness #4

Monday, April 13, 2026

“Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5 KJV).

May we have the proper perspective of wickedness versus righteousness….

Re-read today’s Scripture, noting the reference to “the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Go all the way back to Genesis chapter 15, the LORD God deeding the Promised Land to Abraham centuries before Moses: “[13] And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; [14] And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. [15] And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. [16] But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”

Essentially, the LORD God informed Abraham, “One day, long after your death, your people will go away from this land of Canaan and I will bring them back here. Until then, I will keep tolerating the sins of the Gentiles in this land [the ‘wickedness of these nations’ of today’s Scripture!]. When judgment can no longer be withheld, those Gentiles will be violently evicted and destroyed as Israel comes in to occupy their land.” Approximately four centuries after this conversation with Abraham, the LORD commissioned Moses to lead the nation Israel out from Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land. Of course, Israel did not immediately settle the land under Moses because of their unbelief… and, so, another 40 years passed, which brings us up to Deuteronomy (today’s Scripture).

Moses wanted to make sure his people knew the nature of their entrance into Canaan. Like the Gentiles, the Israelites were equally sinners, but God had made promises to the Israelites out of His goodness….

Not Thy Righteousness, But Their Wickedness #3

Sunday, April 12, 2026

“Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5 KJV).

May we have the proper perspective of wickedness versus righteousness….

Listening to certain “Christians” (?), you would think they deserved Heaven—and, even if you do not think it, they certainly believe so! Another way to describe their outlook is this: they suppose Heaven will undergo a major improvement once they get there! I call to mind how one such woman, nearly a century old (!), bragged about how she raised four small children as a single mother after her young husband died in an accident. She believed that that was sufficient to make God smile upon her and usher her into His presence. Rejecting the Gospel message I and others shared with her, she died less than five years later—just as smug in her “religious goodness” as ever. The likelihood that she is burning in Hell’s fires right now is astronomically high. If that is the case, she has no one to blame for her willfulness but herself.

In today’s Scripture, there is an assumption that human goodness merits favor with the God of the Bible. However, if you scan the context, assorted uncomplimentary bits will stand out in bold relief. Moses had spent many, many decades with millions of people who loved self… and the LORD moved him to deliver a series of farewell comments to advise them. This counsel included having a clear understanding of why they would settle the Promised Land under Joshua’s command. It was surely not because of their goodness! Observe this excerpt: “…[F]or thou art a stiffnecked [haughty/proud and stubborn] people. Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place [40 years later!!], ye have been rebellious against the LORD” (Deuteronomy 9:6,7).

Yea, these sinners had no righteousness….

Zealously Affected #14

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

“They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you” (Galatians 4:17,18 KJV).

Let us see if we can identify and comprehend the dangers of relying on emotions….

“Buyer’s remorse” happens when the consumer regrets the purchase of a good or service. Perhaps it was cheaply made or poorly rendered, too expensive, or unnecessary. Emotions obscured the truth; to wit, that which is obvious to a thinking person is less clear to an emotional one. The salesperson made the customer feel happy, sad, or whatever, and, impulsively, the deal was closed. In hindsight, once emotions have subsided and rationality prevails, it is evident the transaction should have never taken place. What initially “felt good” is now a major disappointment, for expectations were not met! Again, emotions and feelings are fickle, and they are a primary reason for financial debt.

Something similar to “buyer’s remorse” is in the realm of religion. Deep down inside, everyone knows they have a sin problem, and each person copes differently with this realization. Some outright ignore it, pretending it is not there and deceiving themselves to the point of asserting they are “without sin.” Others hide behind “intellectualism” and “science,” natural-world phenomena and natural-man thinking—having no regard for anything supernatural and focusing exclusively on what can be seen, touched, heard, tasted, smelled, and reasoned via human intelligence.

The vast majority, however, will join this denomination, or that religion, or this cult, or that sect. Recognizing there is someone or something beyond themselves, they will experiment with a ceremony, ritual, or rite in an attempt to get in touch with the “spiritual realm.” All will learn, sooner or later, that religion is nothing more than man using his own feeble efforts to try to re-connect with God. They had hoped “church” would help them, make them joyful, give them peace, and bring them to Heaven. However, how many hundreds upon hundreds of millions have been sorely dissatisfied because Satan has “slipped them a counterfeit?!” They have religion, but they have no life in Christ. Yes, they are smug in their “goodness,” yet they are dead in their trespasses and sins. They sing about Heaven, but they are on their way to Hell….

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #11

Thursday, January 15, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

Keep reading about the Galatian Christians: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?” (Galatians 4:19-21). Like the vast majority of today’s church members, these Galatians were “spiritual kindergartners” or “Bible babies.” Instead of Christ being formed in them—being able to function as vessels of His life (under Grace)—they were demonstrations of Adamic living (under Law). Yea, their chief blunder was to crave the Law system (work/perform to gain the blessing), when God had already blessed them in Christ because of Christ’s finished crosswork (grace)!

Here are examples of spiritual losers and paupers by practice, wallowing in self-righteousness and languishing in darkness. “I can be just as good as Jesus. Give me rules and regulations and I will stop doing this evil work and start doing that good work. God will let me into Heaven if I just do my best.” “The Lord will forgive me if I confess sins according to a ‘short-account system,’ He will give me fellowship with Him if I am water baptized, He will reward me with physical wealth if I ‘tithe’ money to a church or denomination, He will favor me if I observe a religious calendar and fast and pray and cry out for mercy.” “I need to ‘hold out,’ ‘hold on,’ ‘pray through’ so God will answer my prayers as I want and spare me the curses.” Unfortunately, the so-called “Christian” sermons and commentaries of the last 20 centuries are replete with such teachings. (Without these practices, all those groups, cults, sects, and denominations would collapse because members would leave and funding would vanish!)

It is no secret that the old heresies of Galatians from 2,000 years ago have never left us….

A Life That Will Please

Sunday, January 4, 2026

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).

Today’s Scripture tells us who alone can live a life pleasing in God’s sight!

Everyone does “good” deeds. Yet, doing “good” is not necessarily good. For instance, people often do “good” just to receive praise/reward, make up for their wrongs, feel good, et cetera. Furthermore, despite our “good” deeds, we have plenty more bad ones! Pride, lying, evil thoughts, being a false witness, and being contentious are some of the things the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Mankind cannot even keep 10 simple rules from God. However, religion continues to urge us to keep seven sacraments, utter various prayers, give assorted offerings and “tithes,” attend numerous feasts and festivals, and perform sundry other tasks to “hopefully” please God and avoid hellfire. Whether we attempt to keep a church’s laws, our laws, or God’s laws, our flesh is far too weak to ever measure up. Just look at what God’s religion did to Israel—how much worse some man-made religion does to us!

As Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul was a Pharisee, a religious leader of Israel. He was a nitpicker concerning Law-keeping, and yet, after his soul salvation, he admitted that all of his religion was “but dung” compared to Jesus Christ’s righteousness (Philippians 3:3-11). Even for the Christian, to live a perfect life is impossible (read of Paul’s miserable existence in Romans chapter 7). Paul had to forsake his vain religion and learn today’s Scripture: the Christian life is NOT the performance of the Christian, but the Lord Jesus Christ living and working in the Christian, as the Christian walks in an intelligent understanding of God’s Word to him or her!

If we trust a Saviour who will save—the Lord Jesus Christ—and trust a Book that will teach—the King James Bible—we can redeem the year for the great God and our Saviour, “who loved [us], and gave himself for [us]!” 🙂

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #22

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Since Christ’s merits on Calvary have been imputed (reckoned) to their accounts, believers should not fear the penalty of sin (Hell and the Lake of Fire). Yet, if they fail to apply by faith the resources Father God gave them in Christ, they will be under the power of sin (not enjoying victorious Christian living). Such disruption of Christian growth and development is courtesy of false teachers, whose doctrine is worthless in God’s sight. The classic example of this is throwing away Grace and returning to the Law—as the Galatians.

Remember, the Law is an “all-or-nothing” system. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written [Deuteronomy 27:26], Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:10,11). “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). To introduce the Law system into the Grace life is to destroy the Grace life: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate [hinder] the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain [to no purpose]” (Galatians 2:20,21).

Teachers who place believers under Law today (when they are under Grace) emphasis human works (self-righteousness) at the expense of God’s righteousness: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Such false teachers, “whose end shall be according to their works,” will not “get away” from accountability before God….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #18

Saturday, September 27, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Definitely, those who have not trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour have grown accustomed to avoiding the righteousness of God in Christ. Positionally, they are “in Adam” when they need to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Tenaciously clinging to their “fig-leaf aprons” (Genesis 3:7), they are under the impression they can produce the same good works Christ can (or, generate what can come only from being “in Christ”—see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Unfortunately, those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as their personal Saviour, those “in Christ,” can also be deceived here (albeit, practically, or on a daily basis). Remember, a confused believer is just as unusable to God as a lost person is; an ignorant Christian is precisely as handy to Satan as a non-Christian is.

Human nature—the sin nature, the Adamic nature—has two extremes. On one side, there are asceticism (strict living, giving up pleasures for religious reasons), self-righteousness (man’s “fidelity”), philanthropy (desire to help people), and commandment-keeping (regulations, rites, rituals, and ceremonies)—the Galatians’ human “goodness.” On the other side, there are lasciviousness (wild, crazy, loose living), philosophy (man’s wisdom), malice (desire to harm people), and law-breaking (no respect for propriety or authority)—the Corinthians’ human evil. All lost people and most Christians wind up leaning toward either end, failing to realize the only life that will please Father God is that of Jesus Christ (true holiness, genuine righteousness, eternal life).

The Lord Jesus Christ’s life is neither human goodness nor human evil, but solely God’s goodness. Consequently, our trying to live the Christian life in our own strength is just as offensive to God as the lost person’s efforts to live the Christian life—it is flesh, rotten flesh, the Adamic nature or sin nature. Victorious Christian living, grace living, as found in the Book of Romans, is the standard (the standard from which the Corinthians and the Galatians deviated). Let us as believers not attempt to avoid God’s righteousness either….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #17

Friday, September 26, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Ephesians is an advanced form of the doctrine presented in Romans. Read chapter 2 of Ephesians: “[1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

“[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved; ) [6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The Christian life begins without “boasting” and without human work (verse 9). Unless believers in Christ firmly understand this, they will assume their Christian life operates on the basis of human effort. Here was the blunder of the Corinthians and the Galatians; they were members of the Body of Christ, but were still like lost people in that they depended on their resources in Adam. Neither group walked by faith in the grace principles of Romans chapter 6, so they fell into the trap of Romans chapter 7 (man’s flesh), needing the recovery of victorious Christian life in Romans chapter 8 (Holy Spirit power)….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #16

Thursday, September 25, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Each and every person is naturally aware of two facts: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:…” (Romans 1:20). They know there is a Creator God, and they know they will face Him in judgment one day. Consequently, they are in a panic—on a manic, frantic quest—to evade such inconvenient truths. Attempting to erase their sinful identity in Adam and/or compensate for its evil deeds, they brag about what “good” they have done. God, however, will have none of that!

Observe Romans 3:26-28: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Boasting is “excluded” (shut out or removed from consideration). If man wishes to work and brag, he must first never offend or disobey the Law in even the slightest degree. Since such sinlessness is impossible, he can never (!) boast while laboring under the Law/performance/works system!

Now go over to Romans 4:1-5: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory [boast]; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Since we are imperfect, we cannot approach God via the “works” way. It must only be the “by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone” way….

I Just Wanted to Get Away! #15

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

“And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:10 KJV).

Will sinners “get away” from accountability before God?

Turn now to Romans chapter 3: “[19] Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. [20] Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” With sinful man powerless to do enough to have a right standing before God, the Gospel (Good News) of God’s Grace comes in!

“[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation [fully-satisfying payment or sacrifice for sin] through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. [27] Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [28] Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Reminiscent of the animal sacrifices God offered for Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:21, that same God went to Calvary’s cruel cross to shed His sinless blood for us. Fig leaves (human works of the Law) are insufficient to deal with our sin problem. Instead of ignoring our sin or trying to fix it ourselves, we ought to be humble and come to Father God by simple faith in Christ while there is still time….