Psalm 118:8 - middle verse of the bible

"And He spake this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous." -Luke 18:9 [KJV]

Christ came into the world to save sinners from their sins into all holiness of heart and life. His gospel requires the strictest purity in walk and conversation. Those who have experienced its power, find their souls formed for this. But a self-righteous spirit is as odious to Christ, and as contrary to the genius of His gospel, as a profane swearer. Hence He spake this parable against such. 

See (1st.) who are here reproved. Every one who places his trust or confidence in any works of righteousness which he has done, or can do, to make himself righteous before God, or to justify himself, first or last, in whole or in part in God’s sight. Such are properly Pharisees, or self-righteous persons. Lord, keep our souls humble before Thee, that we fall not into this cursed pride and dangerous delusion. But such say, we do not trust in what we can do of ourselves, but what we are enabled to do by the grace of God. So this self-righteous Pharisee said, “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are.” 

Here lies the very essence of this delusion. For the holiest saint in Christ is yet a sinner in himself; and his nature is as wicked as other men’s are. The man, who does not see, and confess, as taught by Christ, Luke 17:10, (after all that he is by grace, and all that he has done by divine assistance) “Lord I am an unprofitable servant,” is blinded by self-righteousness—has never seen the purity and spirituality of the law of God—the abominable vileness of his own nature—the glory and perfection of Christ’s righteousness, and the necessity of his being found in it, and clothed with it, to be justified before God. Such have not been convinced of sin and of righteousness, by the Spirit of truth, the glorifier of Jesus. 

See (2d.) The evil of this spirit of self-righteousness. Such are Antinomians. They are against and make void the law: though they do not fulfil it, nor can be made righteous by it, yet they trust in themselves that they are righteous contrary to it. For it condemns them as sinners. They are enemies to justification by God’s grace through the righteousness of Christ. Like the Jews of old, they “have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, [that which the Son of God wrought out, which fulfilled the law of God, which He imputes to sinners, and by which He justifies sinners] and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:3.) Here is ignorance and unbelief; to which, is joined pride. They are of a different spirit to the humble Jesus. He loves sinners. “They despise others.” See Isaiah 65:5. “Not unto us, but Thee alone, Blest Lamb, be glory giv’n; Here shall Thy praises be begun, And carried on in heav’n.”

 

-preacher Wm. Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)