Holier than thou

This is a study of those who are proud and self-righteous, and have a tendency to look down on those less perfect. God hates this attitude, and is very angry at those who presume to be holier than thou.

1. HOLIER THAN THOU
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Isaiah 65:5 5who say, 'Keep away; don't come near
me, for I am too sacred for you!' Such people are
smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.
KJ21
who say, ‘Stand by thyself; come not near to me, for I
am holier than thou!’ These are a smoke in My nose, a
fire that burneth all the day.
ASV
that say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I
am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a
fire that burneth all the day.

The phrase “Holier than thou” is applied to a self-righteous person. God
Himself is speaking in this verse and referring to people who rebel against
Him. Those who are blashphemous and do profane things. God condemns
these people in this scripture.

What does it mean to have a holier-than-thou attitude?

2. Answer: A holier-than-thou attitude is pride displayed through words or
actions when people consider themselves more righteous or moral than other
people, based upon their own standards of judgment.

Question: "What does it mean to have a holier-than-thou attitude?"

Answer: A holier-than-thou attitude is pride displayed through words or
actions when people consider themselves more righteous or moral than other
people, based upon their own standards of judgment. When someone has
adopted a particular lifestyle or been convicted about certain behaviors that
are not necessarily shared by other Christians, they may begin to think of
themselves as better than those who differ from them. A holier-than-thou
attitude is a slippery trap that can easily ensnare.

God often gives us specific personal convictions as we grow in our faith. But
when we wear those convictions like a crown and openly criticize those who
don’t share them, we are expressing a holier-than-thou attitude. For example,
a Christian may become convicted about attending movies shown in theaters.
Because of the evil movies usually shown there, this person believes it is wrong
for him to financially support the theater. According to Romans 14:14, it
would be wrong for him to violate this conviction and attend a movie.
However, this conviction is nowhere commanded in the Bible, so, if this
Christian begins to condemn other Christians who do attend clean movies in
theaters, he has developed a holier-than-thou attitude.

Many people with a holier-than-thou attitude also fall into the trap of
legalism. Legalists think that their keeping of rules will curry favor with God,
and so they tend to put more emphasis on outward behaviors than inward
heart motivations. This is the opposite of God’s priorities (1 Samuel 16:7;
Luke 16:15). The legalistic Pharisees of Jesus’ day had holier-than-thou

3. attitudes. They considered themselves expert keepers of God’s Law and thus
closer to God than other people, but Jesus pointed out that they had missed
the whole point of the Law. In Matthew 23:23, Jesus said, “Woe to you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your
spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important
matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have
practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

When we adopt a holier-than-thou attitude, it means we have begun
comparing ourselves with other people instead of keeping our eyes on Jesus as
our example (2 Corinthians 10:12). Those who enjoy their holier-than-thou
attitude often gravitate toward those with whom they can compare themselves
favorably. They keep this attitude thriving by thinking, “At least I’m not like
So-and-So.” We see this attitude demonstrated on social media. Some people
post photos of their open Bibles with a verse for the day, only to later make
rude or demeaning comments on other posts. Holier-than-thou people don’t
respectfully engage in discussions about ideas; they belittle, sermonize, and
grow angry when challenged. They demand respect but rarely give it. They
speak in absolutes even when the Bible doesn’t. And they often twist a Bible
verse or two to prove that their opinion applies to everyone, even though the
whole of Scripture does not support their idea.

While we should never compromise on the basic fundamentals of salvation,
grace, and the divinity of Jesus, other issues not clearly addressed in Scripture
can be the foundation for developing a holier-than-thou attitude. God defines
sin; we don’t. Whether a woman wears makeup, jewelry, or bright colors is
never addressed in Scripture, so such choices are between her and God. We
tend to judge each other about everything from how children are schooled to
whether or not one drinks wine in moderation. When we go beyond
expressing our thoughts as personal conviction and present them as rules for
everyone else, we can develop a holier-than-thou attitude. When we begin to
think of ourselves as better than other people because we don’t struggle with a

4. particular temptation or because we maintain a high standard in one area of
conduct, we are already acting holier-than-thou.

We should not confuse the prideful holier-than-thou attitude with a godly
scriptural stance. For example, it has become fashionable, even among
professing Christians, to champion homosexuality as acceptable to God. Those
who oppose this thinking on scriptural grounds (Genesis 19:1–13; Leviticus
18:22; 20:13; Romans 1:26–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Jude 1:7) are often accused
of having holier-than-thou attitudes. However, it is not prideful to lovingly
show others what God’s Word says about a subject. It is in the way we declare
that truth that can mark the difference between confidence in God’s Word
and a holier-than-thou attitude.

Paul dealt with how to avoid a holier-than-thou attitude in Romans 14. In his
day, the hot-button issues were eating meat offered to idols and which days to
consider holy days. Paul instructs his readers to “stop passing judgment on
one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or
obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (verse 13). Rather than develop a
holier-than-thou attitude toward those who do not share our personal
convictions about non-essential issues, we should look for ways we can limit
our own freedoms in order not to offend a weaker brother (verse 15).
Humility, not pride, should characterize the life of a believer.
https://www.gotquestions.org/holier-than-thou.html


Why do Christians have a Holier Than Thou complex?
A “holier-than-thou” Christian always thinks he is better than others because
of his religious beliefs or superior attitude. He likes to compare himself with
other Christians, often thinking that he is somewhat more religious, more
anointed, more well-versed in the Bible than others.

5. A “HOLIER-THAN-THOU” CHRISTIAN
Have you come across “holier-than-thou” Christians? We all have. In fact, it
is very easy to spot them on the Lord’s Day. “Holier-than-thou” Christians
think they are spiritually better than other Christians.
John is a devout Christian. He never misses church. He is well-versed in the
Bible. He teaches the Word well. He is also mission-minded and gives
generously to missions. No one could match his track record of faithfulness in
the church. But sadly, John is found to be a self-righteous, egoistic man. He
always relied on “what he had done” as a measurement of how good he is, and
that led him to think of himself more highly than he ought to think (Romans
12:3).
Jesus compares such a person who is full of confidence in his own
righteousness with the Pharisee going to the temple to pray. The Pharisee
boasted in his self-righteousness (Luke 18:9). He had an unrealistic sense of
self-worth. He prayed, “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are,
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the
week, I give tithes of all that I possess” (Luke 18:11). The use of the five “I”
pronouns by him revealed how egoistic he is. Instead of thanking God for
what He has done for him, he arrogantly brags to God about his own moral
purity and religious piety.
However, the prayer of the tax collector was full of contrition. Because of
shame, he would not even dare to lift up his eyes to heaven but beat his breast,
which is a sign of sorrow and contrition, and pleaded with God for mercy.
Such an attitude God would not despise (Psalm 51:17).
Which of these men went home with God’s approval? Jesus said, “…for every
one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall
be exalted” (Luke 18:14; James 4:10; Proverbs 18:12; 15:33; 16:18).
Characteristics of a “Holier-Than-Thou” Christian

6. Many people turn away from Christianity because of a self-righteous, egoistic
attitude some Christians portray. A “holier-than-thou” Christian possesses
certain distinct characteristics.
1. A “holier-than-thou” Christian always thinks he is better than others
because of his religious beliefs or superior attitude. He likes to compare
himself with other Christians, often thinking that he is somewhat more
religious, more anointed, more well-versed in the Bible than others. He says
to himself, “I am a full-bloomed Calvinist. I know my theology well. I am a
widely read person. There is nothing that I do not know.”
2. A “holier-than-thou” Christian always thinks highly of himself (Romans
12:3). He is quick to point out every flaw in others but never really look at
himself as flawed. Because he thinks that he knows more than others, he
always speaks condescendingly, arrogantly, sarcastically or harshly to people.
He behaves as if he has higher morals than other people. Such a Christian
lacks good character and attitude.
3. A “holier-than-thou” Christian is unreasonable. He feels he is always
right and everyone else is wrong. Nobody can help him to see the difference
because he refuses to listen to anyone since he feels his way is superior over
others.
4. A “holier-than-thou” Christian lacks humility. He says to himself, “I am
a good example of a Christian. No one can perform his or her holy duties and
obligations as often or as well as I do. Moreover, I have a higher
understanding of God than him or her.”
5. A “holier-than-thou” Christian lacks compassion. He does not have any
sympathy or empathy for people who are weakened by sin. He is not aware
that he himself is as afflicted as the weak brother or sister because of his
pride.
6. A “holier-than-thou” Christian is at times angry and bitter with life. He
always sees things negatively. He can never look at the bright side of things.
He is usually pessimistic. Things are always wrong to him. He seems to
always pronounce judgment on things that don’t agree with him.

7. 7. A “holier-than-thou” Christian likes to falsely accuse people who do not
agree with him. He will not take the trouble to check the facts or give the
person who disagrees with him the benefit of the doubt. He would rather
believe lies about a person he is in conflict with.
8. A “holier-than-thou” Christian is a religious supremacist. He has the
attitude that his denomination is the only true one on earth. He is proud of it.
He is a sectarian (Mark 9:38-40).
9. A “holier-than-thou” Christian is dogmatic and intolerant. He is a
militant Christian. He does not entertain other theological views on non-
essential issues of the Bible. He strongly believes what he believes is the only
view and there are no other acceptable views.
The term “holier-than-thou” is not only used to talk about religion or a
person’s degree of piousness. It also implies much more today. For example,
exhibiting an attitude of superior virtue or self-righteous piety. The term is
used derisively or mockingly against someone who is overly self- important or
thinks of himself as great for some personal reason, like having a string of
degrees, a lot of wealth, a company of VIP friends or something that makes
them feel great.
A “holier-than-thou” attitude drives people away. How can I know that I
have a holier than thou attitude? How can I fortify myself against a “holier-
than-thou” attitude? A “holier-than-thou” attitude can be seen in the way we
share, the way we testify for God and the way we talk to people. Therefore,
you and I need to pay close attention to how we share, testify and talk to
people lest we fall into a self-righteous, holier than thou attitude. That’s not
what genuine Christianity is all about! Amen. —Lovingly in Christ, Pastor
Colin


Holy versus Holier Than Thou
February 25, 2009 by Sallie Anderson

8. Our pastor spoke to us on a recent Sunday morning on the difference between
“holiness” and “holier than thou”. Doctor Hadley gave several verses to point
out specifically what holiness is but spent a great portion of the sermon on the
latter issue, the sin of being holier than thou. Our main portion of scripture
studied was Mark 7: 1-23.
I’ve studied this portion of scripture before but there are always new things to
learn each time you read scripture. God reveals a new lesson to you at the
appropriate time, I believe. It wasn’t that the lesson wasn’t there before, or
that the scripture meaning changed because God doesn’t change (He is the
same yesterday, today, and forever) but perhaps you just didn’t pick up on it
the first (or second, or third, or fourth time you read that particular passage).
Does that make sense?
A specific message I picked up on during Sundays sermon was the recognition
of who is usally holier than thou. Like the pharisees that Christ called
hypocrites, it is the person/s who have overcome an obstacle (or become so
ritualistic) in their lives that usually have no patience for that same obstacle in
other peoples lives.
I had to laugh as a recent experience with my mom popped into my head
during the sermon as an example for this. My mother used to be a chain
smoker and, after several failed attempts, finally kicked the habit with the
Lord’s help. She, however, is terrible now at pointing out folks who smoke at
church and can’t wait to get home for a smoke (though, actually, I can’t ever
recall her smoking at church). I wouldn’t say my mom is holier than thou in
general but in this instance she is. She thinks “If I could quit smoking after all
those years, you should be able to also.” Lest my mom thinks I am picking on
her, I’M NOT!! I can name several areas in my own life that I have had to
particularly focus on as well but our conversation from Christmas-time just
happened to be the one that popped into my mind at the moment.
The major issue with being holier than thou is that we lack mercy for others.
Our only comparison for our own life should be that of Jesus Christ. It
shouldn’t be compared to a brother, a sister, a friend, an enemy, the Jone’s,
some faceless/nameless person in a newspaper article or on a blog/website, or

9. anyone else known or unknown to us. We should line our lives up next to
Christ and only then will we see exactly how much mercy WE have been
given. Hopefully, we can then try to extend that same amount of mercy to
those around us. Unfortunately, this isn’t the standard fare in many
situations. It is much easier to become HYPER-critical and point out to others
exactly how poor a sinner they are (aren’t we all poor sinners, though?). At
this point, you might be tempted to pull a proverb out of your pocket to give a
“but” excuse. Specifically, I am speaking of Proverbs 27:17 which says “Iron
sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (the Hebrew says ” one man
sharpens the face of another”). Yes, by all means, sharpen each other, but you
MUST do it with mercy, grace, and love or you are not behaving in a holy
fashion, but as a holier than thou hypocrite. When we focus our attention on
pointing out sins of others in the latter format, even if we are too prideful to
recognize that is what we are doing, we are still sinning. God does not put a
level on the degree of sin but considers all sin equally wrong. Therefore,
shouldn’t we all truly understand that you can be right in the position you
hold but wrong in the disposition in which you hold it?! The following passage
of scripture found in I Corinthians 13 verses 1-8a should be a strong and
constant reminder for all of us:
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can
fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor
and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is
not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of
wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails . . .”
Is there an area in your life that you struggle with being holier than thou? Do
you have folks you need to ask forgiveness from because of it? Why not seek
that forgiveness this week? Sometimes it seems like it is too late to garner
forgiveness for our sins from fellow human beings, even Christians, because
human nature tends to be short on forgiveness and long on memory. It’s never
too late to garner forgiveness from God, though, and its so very important to

10. be right with Him. Seek forgiveness first, but then diligently seek to change
yourself so that you may become more holy rather than holier than thou.
https://sbcvoices.com/holy-versus-holier-than-thou/


Holier Than Thou?
We often hear people talk about a person who has a “holier than thou
attitude.” Now if there is anything that we hate it is a holier than thou
attitude. But there probably is one thing that we hate even more and that is a
holier than thou fact; in other words, often we totally forget that there are
people who are in actual fact holier than we are.
Justification admits of no degrees whatsoever—there is no one in this world
who is more justified than I am, because I am completely and totally justified.
I am totally pardoned from all of my sins and accepted as righteous before
God. But unlike justification, which admits of no degrees, sanctification does
admit of degrees and is greater in one than in another.
So there are indeed in just about any church at any given time people who are
at all levels of spiritual growth and sanctification. People who are at all levels
of holiness; and if there is one thing that makes many people uncomfortable, it
is to be in the presence of someone that is markedly and notably more holy
than they are because it is a silent condemnation of their ungodliness and of
the remnants of wickedness and worldliness that still cling to their lives. That
is why the world sometimes will hate us. May God give us the grace to walk in
holiness and to aspire to be more holy.
Holy Father, we wish to be more holy and for Your image to be seen more
clearly in us. Grant us to walk in humility and holiness. Let us seek our
friendship with those who are holier than we are…
https://www.djameskennedy.org/devotional-detail/20190809-holier-than-thou

11. Not Holier Than Thou
Dec 14
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By John Thiel, Seeking to Please God Series, mp3, pdf
Scripture reading: Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the
blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to
do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

12. We are continuing our series to examine ourselves according to the counsel of
God’s word applicable to the time of the judgment, which tells us to afflict our
souls.
We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while
the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to
afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest
they be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who would have
their names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remaining days
of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true
repentance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. {GC 489.3}
This is what we are doing as we pass through each subject of this series on
seeking to please God. We are seeking to afflict our souls in this day of
judgment so that we will please God. In Hebrews 13 God says that He will
make us perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which
is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the avenue
through which we are to examine ourselves. As we saw previously, the first
thing we have to examine is whether Jesus is in me; because without Jesus in
me I will not see myself as I really am. And then, through Jesus Christ, we will
be brought to receive His working, working in us that which is well-pleasing
In His sight.
Close Self-Examination
What shall I say to arouse the remnant people of God? . . . I warn all who
profess the name of Christ to closely examine themselves and make full and
thorough confession of all their wrongs, that they may go beforehand to
judgment, and that the recording angel may write pardon opposite their
names. {Mar 57.2}
So this is the practical present truth. We are to do this work of examining our
souls closely, and make full confession of all our wrongs so that they will go
beforehand to judgment and so that the recording angel may write pardon
opposite our names.

13. The Bible is very explicit in reference to this hour of God’s judgment for
God’s people. People often think that, God’s people don’t need to have the
judgment; only the wicked will have the judgment. But it says it plainly in the
following scripture:
1 Timothy 5:24 Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to
judgment; and some [men] they follow after.
It is upon God’s people that the judgment commences. These “some men” are
the people of God whose sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment.
So we are spending these meditations to search where our sins are, so that we
will send them beforehand to judgment by confession, so that they can be
open and confessed and erased from the books of record.
Inspecting the Pattern
By carefully and closely searching His word we shall obey the injunction of
Christ, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and
they are they which testify of Me.” This search enables the student to observe
closely the divine Model, for they testify of Christ. {CSW 17.1}
We are to search out the Scriptures to explore the divine Model.
The Pattern must be inspected often and closely in order to imitate it. As one
becomes acquainted with the history of the Redeemer, he discovers in himself
defects of character; his unlikeness to Christ is so great that he sees he cannot
be a follower without a very great change in his life. {Ibid.}
This is what we are to do—searching the Scriptures and searching our hearts.
And by beholding the Model, by being illuminated, our experience is similar
to when you let the sun shine through a window. At first you think the window
is quite clear, but when the sun shines on it, all of a sudden you discover all
the murk on it. So it is when the Sun of righteousness shines into our soul;
when we are wrapped up with Jesus, then all the spots and imperfections are
revealed. Our unlikeness to Christ is so great that we see we cannot be
followers of Him without a very great change in our life. But instead of saying,
Ugh, I’m so terrible;

14. Still he studies, with a desire to be like his great Exemplar; {Ibid.}
He doesn’t give up;
…he catches the looks, the spirit, of his beloved Master; by beholding he
becomes changed. “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”
{Ibid.}
So we will continue to look at Jesus and through Him realise what needs to be
corrected in our life as we proceed through these series. But we will not do
this without a relationship with Jesus. If we have not this relationship, we will
keep on searching for the details. But keep on studying. And the more we see,
the more we will feel we are unworthy. Our comeliness will be turned in us
into corruption; but we will keep on studying so that we may be changed into
that image by the studying.
Jesus is the Word, and the Word was made flesh. As we search through the
Word, let the Word be made flesh in us; let the Word produce what Jesus
came in His person to reveal.
What is our search today? What is the subject matter that we are to examine
in the Word so that we may discover whether or not there is some spot or
blemish that needs to be opened up before us so that we can confess it and it
can be pardoned, as we confess it to the Lord?
A Smoke in God’s Nostrils
Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of [them that] asked not [for me]; I am found of [them
that] sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation [that] was
not called by my name. 2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a
rebellious people, which walketh in a way [that was] not good, after their own
thoughts;
We are looking for God’s ways which are higher than men’s ways; and here is
a direct reference to this—a people that are walking in a way that was not
God’s way, a way that was not the good way; it was a way of their own
thoughts. God says, My thoughts are not your thoughts; but they were
following their thoughts. Then He makes reference to these people which are a

15. rebellious people, walking in a way that was not good, after their own
thoughts, and says of them:
Isaiah 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier
than thou.
This is the description of a people that are there before Him.
Isaiah 66:5 …These [are] a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
In the books of heaven the character of these people is written. God has a
perfect photograph of every man’s character; and it is a smoke in His nose; it
is not pleasing to Him.
Isaiah 65:6 Behold, [it is] written before me: I will not keep silence, but will
recompense, even recompense into their bosom,
So if this sin is not erased, as it is written before Him, then there is a
recompense; then probation is closed, and their doom is set. Here we are now,
our sins that are a smoke before Him must be erased from those books. It is
something that is not pleasing Him. So as we read that, we may think, He was
writing about the Hebrews, the Israelites. But is not this exactly what the
Laodicean message is? The people of Laodicea, who think they are quite
alright, say, Stand back; I am the chosen people of God; we are the people of
the judgment. This is the meaning of Laodicea. They know it all so well; and
they are doing exactly what is written here in Isaiah.
The True Witness here writes to the angel of the church of Laodicea, to the
ministry:
Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;
These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
It is a similar term to the smoke up His nostrils; it makes Him sick. Why?

16. Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing;
That mentality is the same as saying, We are God’s people; stand back, we are
holier than thou.
Revelation 3:17 …and [thou] knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Can you see the parallel between Isaiah 65 and the Laodicean people? This is
the same description. “I am holier than thou; I am alright; I am following
what I know is written in the Bible (but according to my thoughts).” This is
what I have seen in the ministry time and time again—people reading the
word of God from their own perspective, not from God’s perspective.
Therefore Jesus says, You say you are rich and increased with goods, but you
don’t know… and I am trying to open up to you something you don’t know.
This is what He is saying so that they would repent, because He is a loving
God; He doesn’t want them to be destroyed.
Is This Me?
How is this condition of “holier than thou” portrayed, so we can examine
ourselves? Does this refer to me in any way? We are examining our hearts.
Closely examine your own heart as in the light of eternity. Hide nothing from
your examination. Search, oh! search, as for your life, and condemn yourself,
pass judgment upon yourself, and then by faith claim the cleansing blood of
Christ to remove the stains from your Christian character. Do not flatter or
excuse yourself. Deal truly with your own soul. And then as you view yourself
a sinner, fall, all broken, at the foot of the cross. Jesus will receive you, all
polluted as you are, and will wash you in His blood, and cleanse you from all
pollution, and make you fit for the society of heavenly angels, in a pure,
harmonious heaven. There is no jar, no discord, there. All is health,
happiness, and joy. {Mar 57.4}
Here is an encouraging message. We are to examine ourselves; and as we do
so, being honest with ourselves, and falling all broken at the foot of the cross,
Jesus will receive us. And did you notice? It says I am to examine myself, and

17. to not flatter and excuse myself as I search out this particular point. Am I at
all affected by a holier-than-thou mentality? As Seventh-day Adventists, as
the people of the judgment, with all our knowledge of what is right and
proper, as revealed in God’s word, how easy it is to fall into this danger of
“holier than thou”.
All who claim to be Sabbath-keeping Adventists, and yet continue in sin, are
liars in God’s sight. Their sinful course is counterworking the work of God.
They are leading others into sin. The word comes from God to every member
of our churches, “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is
lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. …” [Hebrews
12:13-17]. {19MR 177.1}
Will the churches heed the Laodicean message? Will they repent, or will they,
notwithstanding that the most solemn message of truth–the third angel’s
message–is being proclaimed to the world, go on in sin? This is the last
message of mercy, the last warning to a fallen world. If the church of God
becomes lukewarm, it does not stand in favor with God any more than do the
churches that are represented as having fallen and become the habitation of
devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and
hateful bird. Those who have had opportunities to hear and receive the truth
and who have united with the Seventh-day Adventist church, calling
themselves the commandment-keeping people of God, and yet possess no more
vitality and consecration to God than do the nominal churches, will receive of
the plagues of God just as verily as the churches who oppose the law of God.
Only those that are sanctified through the truth will compose the royal family
in the heavenly mansions Christ has gone to prepare for those that love Him
and keep His commandments. {19MR 176.1}
The Laodicean people preach about the fallen Babylon around them. They
repeat the message, “Babylon is fallen”, the message of the second angel. The
message is that all the other churches are Babylon; and it says that they will
be rejected of God. But, as we read it here, with that thinking that “they are
all fallen, and we are God’s church”, there is here a mentality that is as bad as
that of fallen Babylon. So with this idea of applying God’s word to myself to
say that I am God’s people, but not applying God’s word to show me how

18. sinful I am, I am no better than those that are Babylon. This is a serious thing.
In other words, what Adventists (and us if we are not careful) are prone to do,
is taking the word that suits me and judging others by the word that tells them
where they are wrong; but not applying it to myself. So as I am searching my
heart, there is a particular condition that I need to search out, that is, whether
or not I have this attitude that is Laodicean, this mentality that says, “I am
alright; I have all these wonderful messages; I have a distinctive condition; I
am holier than everybody else.” And everything I read, I read to let the other
people know that they are not right; but I am right. Can you see what this
condition of mind is? This is the most serious danger affecting all Seventh-day
Adventists and reforming Seventh-day Adventists alike.
It is a mentality that makes us use the distinctive messages that we have and
think of someone else instead of me. We come across a powerful correction, a
powerful rebuke, and we think, Wow, this applies exactly to this person. And
then another statement comes to us, and we think, Oh! That really belongs to
this person. Then we come to church with a mind that is interested to hear
what God’s word says; but the moment something is being made obvious to
my mind, I think, Oh yeah, I‘ve seen it in that person; etc. This is a mentality
that we are in grave danger of harbouring. It is a mentality that we need to
watch very closely, because this is a smoke in God’s nose.
Am I Doing That?
Especially as reformers, we are searching the word of God and the Spirit of
Prophecy, and we read all the minute details that Sister White has been
commissioned to communicate.
In a view given me about twenty years ago [1871], “I was then directed to
bring out general principles, in speaking and in writing, and at the same time
specify the dangers, errors, and sins of some individuals, that all might be
warned, reproved, and counseled. I saw that all should search their own
hearts and lives closely to see if they had not made the same mistakes for
which others were corrected and if the warnings given for others did not
apply to their own cases. If so, they should feel that the counsel and reproofs

19. were given especially for them and should make as practical an application of
them as though they were especially addressed to themselves. {CCh 91.5}
Can you see a problem when we read Sister White’s writings? The problem is
that if we have this aptitude to read something and say, Wow, what she is
writing there I can really see it applying to that person; then we are already
on the wrong track, because it was not written for me to do that. It was
written for me to examine myself to see whether it was not something she was
writing about me. And this is what I have experienced in the ranks of
reformers and Seventh-day Adventists; they use Sister White’s writings to
hammer other people and point out to them where they are wrong, and they
cannot see that it really applies to themselves. This is what we need to examine
closely. Am I doing that? Am I reading Sister White’s writings to hear what
she is saying about others, instead of seeing whether or not she is writing that
to me? How easy it is; I’ve seen this time and time again—using Sister White’s
writings to tell other people where they are wrong, instead of realising it
applies to me.
God’s Testing
God designs to test the faith of all who claim to be followers of Christ. He will
test the sincerity of the prayers of all those who claim to earnestly desire to
know their duty. He will make duty plain. He will give all an ample
opportunity to develop what is in their hearts. {CCh 91.6}
Through the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy that we are exposed to as
Seventh-day Adventists reformers, God is writing things regarding which we
are in danger of thinking, “Oh, that was that person’s problem;” and “the
people I see are exactly like that; it’s a description of the problems I see
around me.” And I miss the point of reading it about myself. My heart is
saying, I am holier than thou.
Doing Satan’s Work
Remember, we are seeking to please God; but
The Lord is not pleased with His people when they neglect to criticize their
own soul, criticizing others instead. This is Satan’s work. When you do this

20. work, remember that the enemy is using you as a means of tempting others, in
order that those who should be united in harmony and joy, building up one
another in the most holy faith, shall be warring and complaining because
some one else is sinning. {OHC 233.3}
Can you see what this is doing? Haven’t we experienced just this? We are not
pleasing God when we neglect to criticise ourselves, when we neglect to read
God’s word to apply it to ourselves and we apply it to others and criticise
others instead. This is Satan’s work. And what happens when you do this
work? The enemy is using you as a means of tempting others, in order that
those who should be united in harmony and joy, building up one another in
the most holy faith, shall be warring and complaining because someone else is
sinning.
Christ has not made you a sin bearer. You cannot even bear your own sin.
Therefore be very careful not to take up any reproach against your neighbor.
{Ibid.}
It means just this, that we take the correction that is meant to go for me and
we apply it to someone else that I can see is doing the same thing that I am
doing; but I am not recognising that I am doing it, because that is what the
Laodicean mentality is. I don’t see that I am wretched, miserable, poor, blind,
and naked; but I can see it in the others. This is a terrible sin that creates
disruption of beautiful harmony and joy among God’s church. Can we see
what we need to confess? We should be building up one another, not
criticising the other person. Because this is what we are doing. As I talk about
other people in the church who are faulty, and who are not doing what we
know is written, I am actually creating a rift within the church. I am doing
this.
Christ has not made you a sin bearer. You cannot even bear your own sin.
Therefore be very careful not to take up any reproach against your neighbor.
God wants His people to be free. . . . Shall we not remember that by the words
we speak we may either wound or heal? Shall we not remember that as we
judge, so we shall be judged, we who perhaps have had many more
opportunities than those whom we judge? {Ibid.}

21. Our hearts must be melted into tenderness and love for one another. We may
criticize ourselves just as severely as we please. The one who criticizes another
gives evidence that he is the very one who needs to criticize himself. {OHC
233.4}
Take that on board. The one who notes the faults of another, who uses Sister
White’s writings to illuminate the other’s faults, as he criticises another he
gives evidence that he is the very one who is to criticise himself. You really let
this sink in, and you will realise, Oops… This stops all discussion about other
people. It stops it when you let that sink in.
Pray God to show you what you must remove from yourselves in order that
you may see the kingdom of God…. {Ibid.}
Here is something we are to examine ourselves on, because it is written there,
and it is a smoke in His nose; it is not pleasing to Him. We are to cease that, as
we see it so beautifully expressed in the quote above. It would cease creating
rifts in the church when we would cease doing that, when we would confess
that.
Taking Care of Our Own Garden
Those who take it upon themselves to watch their neighbor’s garden instead
of weeding their own plot of ground will surely find their own gardens so
grown up to weeds that every precious plant will be crowded out. {5T 285.2}
Are we watching other people’s gardens? Are we watching other people’s
characters? Are we using Sister White’s writings as is typically done in the
ranks of so many Adventists, and then shattered experiences take place and
people blame the Spirit of Prophecy for it? This has happened in my
experience time and time again. People find that E. G. White’s writings are so
condemning and they cause so many problems in the church that they turn
away from the Spirit of Prophecy, when it is really their mistake that they are
applying it to others instead of applying it to themselves. This is a serious
problem, and we are to examine whether or not I am doing that, and to
confess that, and let it be removed so that it is not a smoke in God’s nostrils

22. anymore; so that what is written before Him is confessed and eradicated—
blotted out. This is the message for this hour.
As we proceed into the detailed search of all that is to follow in this series, not
for one moment are we to fall into the trap that what the brother is sharing
now applies to this and that person. Let us get rid of that entirely as we
proceed, because we are going to search deeply every other truth of the Bible
that we are to examine ourselves by; and if I am doing this, I am immediately
falling into the trap of Satan. And I don’t want to go any further in this series
if we are going to be in the danger of falling into that. We are to concentrate
on that fact that what we are doing is searching our own hearts, not the heart
of another person; we are criticising our own selves as we discover what is
being revealed to me; and I just try to uplift my brothers and sisters, and I
enrich their experience by my confession and my testimony of what the Lord
is doing for me, concentrating on Jesus and I, my personal Saviour. It is a
personal Saviour that I am looking to; and as I look to Him personally, He
reveals to me my sins, not the other people’s. And as I confess them to Him
and He touches me with His mercy, I am able to uplift others. This is how this
works.
So we are not to fall into the trap of the typical reformer mentality. You know
what you call that mentality? Bigotry. To be a bigot is to be someone who
judges other people around him by all the high standards that he believes he
should tell them about; standing in such a manner towards people that it
makes them shrivel, because you let them know how wrong they are, and how
right you are. This is what this subject is about. And as we learn to do what is
right, we are to concentrate on confessing our own sins, criticising ourselves,
and refusing to criticise others.
God grant us this, that we will truly be released from this terrible danger.
Amen https://sabbathsermons.com/2018/12/14/2-not-holier-than-thou/


Self-righteous Christians Defined: Is This the Norm?

23. by Rich Deem
Introduction
Self-Righteousness?
Although many who claim to be Christians act as if they are better than
everybody else, such a "holier-than-thou" attitude is antithetical to biblical
Christianity. Jesus said that we should not practice our righteousness before
others to get noticed, and the apostle Paul clearly stated that we should not
boast in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Rich Deem
Christians seem to like to tell other people how to behave and act as if they
never do anything wrong. They also tend to focus only upon a few moral
issues - namely abortion and gay marriage - seemingly to the exclusion of
more important issues, such as justice and care for the poor. Is this the kind of
behavior the Bible commends or are these people acting against what biblical
Christianity actually stands for?
What is being self-righteous?
To begin the discussion, it would be good to know what the words "self-
righteous" really mean. Here is the definition from the The American
Heritage Dictionary1:
self-right�eous (sělf'rī'chəs)
adjective
Piously sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic.
Exhibiting pious self-assurance: self-righteous remarks.
So, a self-righteous person is one who acts as if he is morally superior to
everyone else.
Righteousness and the Christian

24. If there is anything that is antithetical to Christianity, it is a person who
thinks that they can be righteous by their own good works. The Bible says that
all people are sinners and that none can meet God's standard for
righteousness.2 Both the Old Testament3 and New Testament4 say that
righteousness comes from God alone. Righteousness for human beings is on
the basis of faith in God's promises. Accordingly, the Old Testament says that
God would send the Messiah as the source through whom righteousness would
come to mankind.5 The New Testament says that Jesus of Nazareth is that
Messiah and that righteousness comes only through faith in Him.6 So, a
person is declared righteous based upon faith in the sacrifice of Jesus.7 The
Old Testament even indicates that Abraham was considered righteous
because He believed God.8 The New Testament indicates that one does not
become righteous by obeying God's law,9 but by the mercy of God through
the sacrifice of His Son.10 So, righteousness for a Christian is something that
is imputed by God and one can never be "self-righteous."
Acting better than others
Since righteousness is not from what we do, but the result of what God has
done for us,11 the Christian should never act morally superior to other
people. Paul tells that we should never boast "except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ."12 Jesus said that we should not act like we are morally
superior to be noticed by others, and even indicated that doing such behavior
would remove one's reward in heaven:
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them;
otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew
6:1)
Ultimately, we do not attain righteousness until we die and are rewarded with
righteousness in heaven.13
Telling others what to do
Even though we cannot attain the righteousness of God through our own
behavior, Christians are commanded to live godly lives.14 It is all fine and
well that religious people want to live their lives with their own version of

25. morality. However, why do Christians insist on telling others how they should
live? It turns out that the Bible actually tells believers (both Jews and
Christians) to warn others if their behavior does not meet God's standards.15
If we fail to warn the wicked, God will require their blood by our hands.16
However, if the wicked person turns from their sin, then even the evil they
have committed in the past will be forgiven and forgotten by God.17 So, a
Christian's motivation for telling others how they should behave is not one of
self-righteousness, but one of concern for the fate of the other person's soul.
Conclusion
Christians who act as if they are better than everyone else are certainly not
living by the creeds of Christianity, and may not even be Christians at all.
Christianity says that all people are sinners, and none can be righteous on the
basis of their own behavior. Jesus said that we should not act like we are
better than others just to get noticed. Such a "holier-than-thou" attitude is
strongly condemned in the Bible. When Christians tell others that their
behavior does not meet God's standards, it is not to try to be superior, but
rather to warn them of the peril to their soul in light of their actions.

Related Pages
Why are Christians So Intolerant? Wasn't Jesus All Accepting?
Why are Christians So Judgmental? Doesn't the Bible Say, "Do Not Judge"
Why Do Christians Lie So Much? Truth and Christianity
Hypocrites Defined: What About Hypocrisy in the Christian Church?
Sexism in the Bible: Is Christianity Sexist?
What About Atrocities That Have Been Done in the Name of Religion
Are Atheists and Theists Morally Equivalent?

References

26. self-righteous. (n.d.). The American Heritage� Dictionary of the English
Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved November 06, 2007, from
Dictionary.com.
The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men To see if there
are any who understand, Who seek after God. They have all turned aside,
together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even
one. (Psalm 14:2-3)
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds
are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities,
like the wind, take us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one;" (Romans 3:10)
"They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.'
Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
(Isaiah 45:24)
"I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not
delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, And My glory for Israel. (Isaiah
46:13)
"My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will
judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait for Me, And for My arm they will
wait expectantly. (Isaiah 51:5)
"Lift up your eyes to the sky, Then look to the earth beneath; For the sky will
vanish like smoke, And the earth will wear out like a garment And its
inhabitants will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My
righteousness will not wane. (Isaiah 51:6)
"For the moth will eat them like a garment, And the grub will eat them like
wool. But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation to all
generations." (Isaiah 51:8)

27. and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments
of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Romans
6:13)
Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a
law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would
indeed have been based on law. (Galatians 3:21)
For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
(Galatians 5:5)
and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in
righteousness and holiness of the truth. (Ephesians 4:24)
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)
Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have
received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and
Savior, Jesus Christ: (2 Peter 1:1)
For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their
own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (Romans
10:3)
And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one
to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His
righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a
helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for
clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isaiah 59:16-17)
The nations will see your righteousness, And all kings your glory; And you
will be called by a new name Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.
(Isaiah 62:2)
"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "When I will raise up for
David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do
justice and righteousness in the land. "In His days Judah will be saved, And

28. Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called,
'The LORD our righteousness.' (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
'In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to
spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. 'In
those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is
the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness.'
(Jeremiah 33:15-16)
"Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to
finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for
iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy
and to anoint the most holy place. (Daniel 9:24)
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who
believe; for there is no distinction; (Romans 3:22)
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God
He passed over the sins previously committed; (Romans 3:25)
for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that
He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans
3:26)
For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much
more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of
righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as
through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so
through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.
(Romans 5:17-18)
so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through
righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from
God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, (1 Corinthians
1:30)

29. "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS;
THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANO INTED YOU WITH THE OIL
OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS." (Hebrews 1:9)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is
written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." (Romans
1:17)
For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT
WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Romans 4:3)
But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the
ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, (Romans 4:5)
just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits
righteousness apart from works: (Romans 4:6)
Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we
say, "FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS."
(Romans 4:9)
and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the
faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all
who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited
to them, (Romans 4:11)
For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the
world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
(Romans 4:13)
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive
because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness,
attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; (Romans
9:30)
having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus
Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:11)

30. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
(Galatians 5:5)
By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence
prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned
the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
(Hebrews 11:7)
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
(Genesis 15:6)
but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
(Romans 9:31)
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
(Romans 10:4)
For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based
on law shall live by that righteousness. (Romans 10:5)
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN
YOUR HEART, 'WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?' (that i s, to bring
Christ down), (Romans 10:6)
for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the
mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:10)
"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the
Law, then Christ died needlessly." (Galatians 2:21)
Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a
law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would
indeed have been based on law. (Galatians 3:21)
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from
the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which
comes from God on the basis of faith, (Philippians 3:9)

31. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by
the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to
sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter
2:24)
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
(Ephesians 2:8-9)
But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(Galatians 6:14)
in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me,
but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and
church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of
all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, (Hebrews 12:22-23)
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass
away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the
earth and its works will be burned up. But according to His promise we are
looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2
Peter 3:12-13)
First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and
thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in
authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and
dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

32. for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all
things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
(1 Timothy 4:8)
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply
moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your
knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your
perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in
your brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
"Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in their
cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and
ordinances, you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before the
LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren. Thus you shall do
and you will not be guilty. (2 Chronicles 19:10)
"When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or
speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that
wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.
(Ezekiel 3:18)
"But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and
observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall
surely live; he shall not die. "All his transgressions which he has committed
will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he
has practiced, he will live. (Ezekiel 18:21-22)
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/self-righteous_christians.html
Last Modified March 29, 2013


Holier-Than-Thou
Posted by The Bible In Your Hand on August 22, 2017

33. Posted in: Christian, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality, Uncategorized.
Tagged: Christianity, Friendship, Relationship, Religion, Spirituality.
Can my Holier than thou attitude affect my relationship with God? In Isiah
65:5 says this about our attitude toward others, “Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My
nostrils, and a fire that burns all day.”
According to this passage it is clear the God finds a Holier-than-thou attitude
on our part offensive to him, likening it to breathing in smoke.
I enjoy camping and in most cases can put up with the bugs, but what I find
tough to take is the smoke from the fire that seems to follow me. No matter
where I place my chair near the fire, smoke will soon follow and I find my self
choking on smoke. Move my chair to a new position and soon the smoke has
followed again. It causes the eyes to burn, the throat to hurt and breathing to
become difficult.
When we have an attitude, a holier-than-thou attitude it causes those around
us to become uncomfortable. Their eyes will sting from the tears they are
fighting back. The throat hurts from choking down the words they want to
speak against us and don’t say. Their whole body is affected by our attitude.
Deuteronomy 8:2, 3 serves as a reminder on how God feels and responds to
those who exhibit an attitude of superiority toward others. “And you shall
remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in
the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart,
whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 So He humbled you,
allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor
did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live
by bread alone; but man lives by every word the proceeds from the mouth of
the LORD.”
God will lead us and direct us and allow us to experience circumstances that
will humble us so we no longer are offensive to others and God with our
Holier-Than-thou attitude. God wants us not to rely on our own self but learn

34. to lean on Christ for all our needs both spiritually, emotionally, and
physically.
God tells us; “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he out to think, but to
think soberly, as god has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).
This measure of faith has been given to each of us, and like the man who
received the one talent, the lord expected him to put that talent to good use.
This measure of faith given to us by our Heavenly Father has been given to us
and he expects us to use it and by using it, our faith will increase and as our
faith and understanding of God and His love for us increases, then there
should be no more room for a Holier-than-thou attitude.
Let our prayer then be, “I thank you, Lord, that You have heard me, and has
fulfilled your promise, your promise that you shall enlarge my heart so that I
can honor all men and esteem others better than myself (Psalm 11:32; I Peter
2:17; Philippians 2:3).
https://pastorlesterbentley.com/2017/08/22/holier-than-thou/




BIBLEHUB RESOURCES

Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Hopeless
Isaiah 65:5

35. W. Clarkson
The husbandman is often tempted to tear up the vine, or to pluck up the herb,
or to plough up the crop, when patience and painstaking would result in
flower and fruit. In the spiritual world, it is often found that where death
seemed to prevail, there was life beneath the surface.
I. THE APPEARANCE OF SPIRITUAL DEATH. The Church is so
degenerate, that the teaching of Divine truth is found to be ineffectual; the
nation so corrupt, that the statesman and the magistrate and the teacher are
powerless; the family so depraved, that it is a pest to the community; the child
so wayward, that parental authority is no restraint. Then is entertained -
II. THE POLICY OF ABANDONMENT. Those who are pure, reverent,
loyal; they to whom iniquity is found to be hateful; men that are anxious to
use their opportunities, so as to get some spiritual returns: - these say, or are
inclined to say," Let us leave these souls so fast imbedded in sin whom we
cannot extricate, and let us seek and save those who can be reached and
rescued." Then comes -
III. THE PLEA OF FAITH AND PITY. "Destroy it not; for a blessing is in
it." "Let it alone this year" (Luke 13:6-9). That root that looks dead is not
dead, and under careful nourishment it will revive. That soul that seems dead
is not dead; there is a seed of life in it still; beneath all its folly, its
waywardness, its vice, its guilt, there is a possibility of true repentance; there
is a sensibility which will respond to patient, human love; there is a spiritual
capacity which the truth of God, made mighty by the Spirit of God, will touch
with renewing power, and from which unsuspected beauties and graces will
arise. Within the ugliest and most worthless souls there may lie concealed
germs of real nobility. Wait long, very long, before you abandon to
destruction. Over them, and of them, the Divine voice may be whispering,
"There is a blessing in them for the loving, patient, prayerful workman." - C.

36. Biblical Illustrator
Which may, Stand by thyself.
Isaiah 65:5
"I am holier than thou
A. B. Davidson, D. D., Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.
For "I am holier read, probably, else I will make thee holy." The practices
referred to were "mysteries," and the initiated would communicate his
"holiness" to others by contact with them, and so unfit them for all the
ordinary uses of life (cp. Ezekiel 44:19).
(A. B. Davidson, D. D.)Ver. 5 alludes to those who claimed superior sanctity in
virtue of certain rites into which they had been initiated.
(Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.)

Self.righteousness, -- a smouldering heap of rubbish
The application of the passage to Israel is just thus. Year after year God dealt
with great patience towards His chosen people, but they seemed to be
desperately set upon idolatry in one form or another. Sometimes they

37. worshipped Jehovah, but then they did it under figure and symbol, whereas
He has expressly forbidden that even His own worship should be thus
celebrated. At other times they altogether rejected Jehovah, and worshipped
Baal and Ashtaroth, and whole troops of the gods of the heathen, and thus
they provoked the Lord exceedingly. They also practised necromancy, or
pretended communion with the dead, and witchcraft and sorcery, and all
manner of abominable rites, like the depraved nations around them. When
this open rebellion was given up, as it was after the captivity — for the Jews
have never been guilty of idolatry since that day — they fell into another form
of the same evil, namely, self-righteousness: so that when our Lord came He
found self-righteousness to be the crying sin of Israel, the Pharisees carrying it
to such a pitch as to render it utterly ridiculous. They reckoned that the touch
of a common person polluted their sacredness, so that they needed to wash
after walking down a street. When they traversed the ways they took the edge
of the pavement, so that they might not brush against the garments of the
passers-by, and even in the temple in prayer they stood by themselves lest they
should be defiled. Their whole spirit is expressed in the words of the text —
"Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou." This God
declares to be as obnoxious to Him as smoke in a man's nose. Self-
righteousness is rampant in our own day.
I. THE SIN OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS GROWS UP AMONG
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. It is not always the sin of the outside world, for many
outsiders do not pretend to any righteousness at all, and I fancy they think all
the better of themselves for that. This is an idle plea which it needs not many
words to expose. "I make no profession," says one. This is about as honour-
able a confession as if a thief should, boast when caught at picking pockets, "I
do not make any pretence to be honest,' or a liar when detected should turn
round and cry, "I never professed to speak the truth." Among those who
profess to be religious, self-righteousness very frequently comes in, because
they have not truly received the religion of Jesus Christ; if they were true
believers they would be humble and contrite, for self-righteousness and faith
in Christ are diametrically opposed. Many who mingle with Christians, and
are religious in a certain sense because they practise the forms of religion, are
wont to put the form into the place of the spirit. These persons, too, even when

38. they do not join the Christian Church, but only worship or seem to worship
with Christians, are very apt to think that they must be better than other
people because they do so. It is the danger of outwardly religious people, who
are not savingly converted, to dream that they are somewhat advantaged by a
mere attendance on the means of grace. Should an Egyptian rub his shoulders
against an Israelite, would it turn him into an Israelite? Will living near a rich
man make you rich? Do you forget that cry of our Lord, "Woe unto thee,
Chorazin. Woe unto thee, Bethsaida?
II. THIS IS A SIN WHICH FLOURISHES WHERE OTHER SINS
ABOUND. We read of these people that they did evil before the eyes of God,
and chose that wherein He delighted not. They blasphemed God, and polluted
themselves with unhallowed rites, communing with demons and the powers of
darkness, and pretending to speak with departed spirits; and yet for all that
they said — "Stand by thyself, I am holier than thou." Self-righteousness is
never more ridiculous than in persons whose conduct would not bear scrutiny
for a moment. Self-righteous men, like foxes, have many tricks and schemes.
They condemn in other people what they consider to be very excusable in
themselves. These people will make a righteousness this way — they plead
that if they do wrong yet there are some points in which they are splendid
fellows. Some one thing in which the unconverted man may excel is put in to
make up for his deficiencies in a hundred other ways. By hook or by crook a
man will make out that he is not so bad as he seems to be; the inventiveness of
self-esteem is prodigious. No heap of rubbish is too rotten for the accursed
toadstool of proud self to grow upon.
III. IT IS IN ITSELF A GREAT SIN. One is almost startled to find self-
esteem placed after such a list of sins as this chapter records. To the Jew the
eating of swine's flesh and broth of abominable things was a great pollution,
but self-righteousness is classed with it; it is even placed with necromancy and
witchcraft. Drunkenness and swearing are sin in rags, but self-righteousness is
sin in a respectable black coat. It is an aristocratic sin, and does not like to be
put down with the common Tuck; and if we call it sin, yet many will plead
that it is only so in a very refined sense. But God does not think so; He classes
it with the very worst, and He does so because it is one of the worst. For a man
to be self-righteous is in itself a sin of sins. For, first, it is blasphemy. God is

39. holy. Here comes this base impostor and boasts, "And I am holy too. Is not
that a ludicrous and contemptible form of blasphemy? It is profanity in its
very essence. More, this self-righteousness is idolatry, for the man who counts
himself to be righteous by his own works worships himself. Practically, the
object of his adoration is his own dear, delectable, excellent self. Then, again,
it is profanity, for it gives God the distinct lie. The Lord declares that no man
is righteous.
IV. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE FRUIT OF MAN'S OWN
THOUGHTS. Look at ver. 2. Those who have high thoughts of themselves do
not walk according to God's commandments, but according to their own
notions. If any man thinketh himself to be righteous in himself, he has never
derived that idea from God's law, and certainly not from the Gospel, for the
Gospel knows no man after the flesh as righteous, but it regards all men as
sinners, and comes to them with pardon; it treats men as lost and comes to
save them. Self-righteous people are not much inclined to search the
Scriptures, they do not read them with an understanding heart, so as to get
the meaning; they rather make the Bible say their own meaning, and twist it
to support their own pleasing dream.
V. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS THIS VICE ABOUT IT, THAT IT
ALWAYS LEADS TO DESPISING OTHERS. That is the pith of the text.
VI. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MOST ABOMI NABLE IN THE SIGHT OF
GOD. What does He compare it to? He says, "It is a smoke in My nose, a fire
that burneth all the day. At the bottom of the garden we gather together the
dead leaves, and all the rubbish of the garden, and the heap is lighted, and it
keeps on burning and smouldering all the day; and if you go and stand in the
eye of the wind your eyes will smart, your nose will be offended, and you will
feel that you cannot bear it. We do not wonder that He thus scorns and abhors
proud selfrighteousness, for God is a God of truth, and truth cannot bear a lie,
and selfrighteousness is a mass of lies. Moreover, self-righteousness is such a
proud thing. God is always provoked with pride. Self-righteousness also
denies the wisdom of God's plan, and is utterly opposed to it. God's present
plan of working in the world goes upon the theory that we are guilty; being
guilty, He provides a Saviour for us, and sends us a Gospel full of grace.

40. VII. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS MOST EFFECTUALLY BARS A MAN
FROM ALL HOPE OF SALVA TION. We cannot be saved unless we become
truly holy, but no man ever becomes truly holy who is content with a false
holiness. Self-righteousness prevents repentance. You will never believe in
Jesus Christ while you believe in yourself. What is the remedy for all this?
God saith, "Behold Me"; that is to say, He bids thee cease from doting upon
thine own fancied beauties and worshipping thine own foolish image. Look
first to the holy God and tremble. Canst thou, of thyself, ever be like Him,
pure, spotless, glorious? Look to Him and despair. Then comes the second,
"Behold Me. See Jesus Christ on the cross dying, the just for the unjust, to
bring us to God. As thou seest Him dying thy self-righteousness will die.
( C. H. Spurgeon.)

False grounds of superiority in holiness
John Foster.
The disposition to arrogate the dignity of religious worth and excellence has
never become extinct among men, nor the quite consistent disposition to turn
it to the use of pride.
1. In some instances, an assumption of superior holiness has been made upon
the ground of belonging to a certain division or class of mankind; a class
having its distinction in the circumstance of descent and nativity, or in some
artificial constitution of society. Thus the ancient Jews, — in virtue merely of
being Jews. Imagine the worst Jew comparing himself with Aristides, Phocion
or Socrates. The Brahmins, in virtue of a pretended pre-eminently holy
descent; an emanation from the head of their creating god. In popish
countries, the numerous ecclesiastical class. Something of this even in
protestant England. In these instances there has been an assumption of
holiness independently of individual personal character. What an infamy to
perverted human reason, that anything which might leave the individual
evidently bad, in heart and life, could yet be taken as constituting him the
reverse of bad, that is, holy!

41. 2. In many periods and places men have reputed themselves "holy" on the
ground of a punctilious observance of religious forms and ceremonies whether
of Divine appointment or human invention. This took the place of the true
religious sanctity among the Jews. It is a grand characteristic of paganism. It
actually stands instead of religion and morality among the far greater part of
the people under the dominion of the Romish Church. It is to be feared there
are some among us who venture a delusive assumption on the ground of a
regular attention to the external services of religion. But we have cause to
know that all this may be, and yet no vital transforming prevalence of religion
in the heart.
3. Another ground of such assumption is general rectitude of practical
conduct, separate from the true religious principle of moral excellence.
4. The pride of self-estimation for holiness is apt to be betrayed by persons
who have preserved a character substantially free from reproach, against
those who have, in some known instance, fallen into great sin. It might have
been a case in which they were encountered by sudden, or complicated, or
very extraordinary temptation, such as all should pray earnestly to be saved
from. The delinquent may have penitently deplored the transgression through
many subsequent years. But it has been often enough seen that another
person, who has been happy enough not to incur any such marked blemish on
his character, will assume a tone of high superiority against him, though he
may never have had the same strength of temptation to combat with; may
never think of ascribing his exemption to any higher cause than his own good
principles; and may be quite destitute of some valuable qualities the other
possesses. The whole life of this self-applauder may have been little better
than a series of negatives. His faulty, penitent brother may have done much
good.
5. A man may have had his mind directed to a speculative knowledge of
religious doctrine; and we will suppose that it is valuable knowledge that he
has gained. All this ma be, and yet the man feel little or nothing of the
sanctifying power of religious truth. Yet, so ready is the speculatist to take to
himself all the dignity and excellence of his subject and his cause, that this
man may take up a lofty pretension — if not strictly and formally to

42. "holiness," yet to some meritorious relation to truth and religion; something
which authorizes him in a high contempt, — not only of those who know
nothing about religion, but also of those who feel its genuine influence and
power, when they are feeble in the speculative intelligence of it. He accounts
himself to be, as it were, in the confidence of religion, and that he must be
invested with something of its venerable character, when he can so
authentically declare its mind.
6. There is such a thing as a factitious zeal in the active service of religion; and
that forms a ground of high pretension. Men in restless activity; hill of
scheme, and expedient, and experiment, and ostentatious enterprise. But an
attentive observer could easily descry that the cause of God was a very
secondary concern with them, even at the best interpretation. Their grand
object (whether they were conscious of it or not) was their own notoriety; and
the cause of religion happened to be that which would most effectually serve
this purpose.
7. There are a number of persons among professing Christians whose minds
are almost ever dwelling on certain high points of doctrine, sought chiefly in
the book of God's eternal decrees. And it is on these doctrines that they found,
in some manner, an absolute assurance of their being in the Divine favour.
God forbid that we should deny or doubt that there is a firm and rational
assurance of salvation attainable in this life. But such persons as we are
referring to betray that their assurance, which takes its stand on so lofty a
position, independent of a faithful estimate of the heart and life, has an
unsanctifying effect; it slackens and narrows the force and compass of the
jurisdiction of conscience; and, especially, cherishes in them the spirit of our
text.
8. We may name as one of the things made a ground of pretension and pride,
the experience of elated, ardent, enthusiastic feelings, in some semblance of
connection with religion, bat not really of its genuine inspiration.
(John Foster.)
END OF BIBLEHUB RESOURCES

43. Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< Isaiah 65:4

Isaiah 65:6 >>


Isaiah 65:1-5

Our concern is His holier-than-you accusation. In this case, God is saying that
Israel was rejecting Him, as if they were somehow better than He was and did
not need the correction He had for them. Within a Christian assembly, a
negative exclusivity can form in an individual and create hazards in our
attitudes about ourselves and others, laying a spiritual minefield.
This attitude requires understanding. We must be careful. It causes some
among us to be aloof within the group to their own hurt or to withdraw
themselves and become independent. It infected the Jews of Jesus' day—in
fact, the origin of the word "Pharisee" is vague, but most commentators
believe it means "separatists." It affected the church, too, in the days of the
apostles.
Matthew 9:10-11 records an incident in which a form of it confronted Jesus:
And so it was, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax
collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And
when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher
eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

44. Jesus' response pointedly reveals the error in their thinking and conduct.
Galatians 2:11-13 exposes its existence in the early church:
But when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he
was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with
the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing
those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the
hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their
hypocrisy.
This is a possible downside of the true church's exclusivity. It can produce a
self-righteous, I'm-better-than-you hypocrisy if we forget or overlook the fact
that it was God's work and not ours that provides our calling and spirituality.
Even today, there are groups claiming to be the exclusive true church.

John W. Ritenbaugh


What God Thinks About “Holier Than Thou” Legalism In The Church Today
I don’t know about you but I don’t like to see legalism in the church.
Last Sunday night, my wife and I got in on a little late night TV. We watched
a black and white movie made in 1927 called, “Captain Salvation”. It was all
about the “holier than thou” attitude. The flyer of that day announced the
movie like this: She was a SCARLET WOMAN seeking salvation and the
smug NEW ENGLANDERS cast stones at her…a sea thriller you will never
forget!
It was great entertainment. The seminary student who stepped in to rescue an
injured prostitute put his up and coming marriage and the church he was to
pastor on the line. He did it all to help a woman that everyone else thought
should be run out of town. All the usual “holier than thou” elements were
there: the gossips, the high looks, the face making, the obvious glaring fail of

45. missing the whole point of the gospel, the separatism, the judging, and even
the smacking down of “Captain Salvation”. Legalism in the church today is
nothing new.
I won’t spoil the plot for you, but I highly recommend “Captain Salvation”.
As I watched that movie, I thought, what does God think of that attitude? My
question was answered the very next day in my devotion as I studied Isaiah
65:5. How God feels about legalism in the church today comes right at the
end of a list of abominable sins and activities that Isaiah was addressing.
Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!’
These are smoke in My nostrils,
A fire that burns all the day.
Wow! Even in ancient Israel there were those with this attitude. Think of how
sick that sounds to God! I am the holiest one in all Israel! Don’t come near
me! I don’t want to contaminate myself for I am so incredibly holy! God said
they are smoke in My nostrils! God says, I smell them and they stink!
I love Jesus, don’t you? He was the holiest one in the room. He never sinned
in thought, word or deed. Yet he was criticized for being a friend of publicans
and sinners and prostitutes. Guess what? Jesus always showed compassion
and mercy EXCEPT when dealing with the “holier than thou” Pharisees. He
let them have it! Both barrels!
Surely this attitude doesn’t exist today does it? Yes, it does. How do you spot
them? 35 years of pastoral ministry and I can quickly make a list of there
attributes.
A list of holier than thou attitudes:
They are obsessed with the sins and shortcomings of others
They quickly lose patience if people are not “living right”

46. They think their job is to go around correcting people
They stalk people on FB and other social media
They call pretending to be friends but really just want to gain information
They cause division instead of unity
They only hang out with people who see the scripture exactly like they do
They often are caught arguing in church parking lots
They are more concerned with being right than loving
They criticize the pastor and other leaders
THEY STILL STINK IN THE NOSTRILS OF GOD
Yes, the “holier than thou” attitude is out there. As long as there are humans,
it will remain. But I still contend that it is our job as a church to love people.
The Holy Spirit and the Word of God will “sanctify” them.
We need to not have legalism in the church today or anytime in the future!
And if anyone has a “log in the eye” (Matthew 7:3-5) let those who are
spiritual gently do eye surgery on themselves first before they do any
restoring (Galatians 6:1) If all Christians would simply follow what Jesus said
to do, legalism in the church today would cease and grace would abound more
and more.


Question: What and where is "holier than thou" mentioned in God's Word?

Answer: Isaiah 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I
am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the
day.

47. When you practice religion and holy joe stuff, i.e. "I'm holier than you, don't
touch me", or are afraid to go amongst sinners, or one who doesn't think they
need to learn anything because they know it all already this is a person who is
"holier than thou".

They are ignorant of what God wants from them and they think they are too
good to try and help another because it would dirty their own salvation. This
is not the way God operates. God gave us the parable of the good Samaritan,
showing us those priests who thought they were too good to stop to help a man
who was half dead, and in contrast the good Samaritan who did stop and had
compassion on his fellow man and took care of him.

Luke 10:30-37


30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he
saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him,
and passed by on the other side.

48. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when
he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and
set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave
them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell
among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go,
and do thou likewise.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theseason/what-and-where-is-holier-than-
thou-mentioned-in-go-t53006.html


The Way of Jesus: Holier Than Thou Matthew 7:1-5

Introduction – The World’s Favorite Bible Verse Our culture is becoming
increasingly biblically illiterate. They don’t know the who’s who of the Bible
or what it teaches. But if they were to have a favorite verse, it would be taken
from our text today: Matthew 7:1 – “Judge not, that you not be judged.”
George Barna, the Christian community’s most reliable pollster has
documented that one of biggest objections to Christians and the church today

49. is that we are too judgmental. No doubt, a significant factor in their judgment
on our judgmentalism is that they do not want to be held accountable for any
moral standard. It’s the cry of any teenager who may launching out into
adolescent rebellion: “Stop judging me!” They just don’t want to be held
accountable.

On the one hand, the world condemns us for our judgement against their sin
but, on the other hand, God requires that we live holy lives. Our culture
would prefer no moral absolutes or code of conduct. Jesus calls us to
righteousness.

“Do not judge, that you be not judged.”

The reality of the world’s critique against our judgmentalism is that there is
an element of truth to it. Like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, we are
prone to condemn the very things that we ourselves participate in. We all
know about fallen preachers. There are so-called Christian politicians who
support morally-based public policy like traditional marriage and a pro-life
agenda. But when it is revealed that they are having affairs or other moral
failures, they completely discredit the moral stands they have taken. If they
have claimed to be a follower of Jesus, the world mocks us even more.

So what are we to do? Eliminate all moral discernment so that the world can
be free from a burdened conscience? We cannot do that. Jesus said for us to
“let our light shine before men.” We have to take the Lord’s demands for
holiness seriously. We must be clear about this issue of judging. What did
Jesus mean?

2

50. ©BMyers2015

Text: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you
pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be
measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but
do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your
brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your
own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you
will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

What Jesus is not saying… As we turn to chapter seven in Matthew’s Gospel,
Jesus shifts his focus to relationships. From the beginning of the Sermon on
the Mount he has addressed the character of a disciple: in the beatitudes, our
influence in the world as “salt and light,” in radical love for our enemies,
righteousness and authentic devotion in giving, prayer, and fasting and,
finally, ambition that is focused on the kingdom of God. His teaching on the
individual character has penetrated beneath the simple veneer of
performance, like that of the religious leaders, but the Lord has cut right to
the heart. Now, having dealt with the character of a Jesus-follower, he
addresses the essential matters of living together with other people.
Christianity, after all, is a “team sport” – a community affair.

“Judge not, that you be not judged.” The question that we have to answer is
“what is the meaning of ‘judge not.’” In that last several months, I’ve made it
a habit to read a chapter of Proverbs each day. Let me tell you, there’s a
whole lot of judging doing on. God’s people are to be wise and shun the fool,
the scoffer, the lazy man, the adulterous woman, and more. Even in the
context of the Sermon on the Mount – the very next verses, to be exact – Jesus
warns his followers against casting their pearls before swine and giving what
is holy to dogs. He’s not talking about literal dogs and pigs. He is assuming

51. that his followers will judge the character of certain dangerous people. The
New Testament teaches church discipline which assumes a certain level of
assessment of people’s character.

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When confronted with their sin, some Christians get very defensive saying,
“that’s none of your business” or “who are you to judge me?” You’ve
probably heard it before. But the responsibility for moral accountability to
each other remains. Even in our passage, Jesus does tell us to help our
brother with the splinter in his eye – after we’ve removed the log from ours, of
course.

The meaning of “judging” in this passage must be determined from the
context. It certainly doesn’t mean that we suspend all moral discernment in
our lives or in the lives of others. Didn’t Jesus say that our righteousness
must surpass that of the religious leaders just a few verses ago (5:20)? We
can’t do that unless we are making some level of moral judgment. Parents,
how in the world are you going to raise your children if you aren’t making
some sort of moral judgements on their behavior? You have to judge their
behavior. (I’ll say more about parents later.) So let’s be clear and put that
popular notion out of our mind. We have an obligation to be morally
discerning.

What Jesus is saying… To judge means to separate, to select, to choose.
You’re making a decision about what is right and what is wrong. This is
where we struggle a lot because we do try and maintain a high moral

52. standard. Baptists come from the Puritan heritage and that is nothing to be
ashamed of. But we tend to be harsh with others in our assessment of their
behavior –much like the Pharisees. In this passage, Jesus is once again going
to the heart of the matter. In your decisions regarding other people, he is
addressing the attitude of our heart. It is the attitude of moral superiority
over others. Call it, “being judgmental.” It is the instinct to judge other
people harshly. The judgmental person is a fault-finder who is negative and
destructive. He or she loves to see people fail and actively pursues their
downfall. The judgmental person assumes the worst possible motives in
others. They do not know grace. They extend no mercy in their own
perceived moral superiority.

Most of the time, we are too well-mannered to blatantly bring our judgmental
charges to the other person. We’d rather destroy them and their reputation
through gossip. We make our selfrighteous judgments against someone and
then we begin the whispering campaign. “Now I don’t
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mean to judge...” or “I’m not gossiping.” Perhaps we relay our malicious
judgment to other people masked as a prayer request. This is heinous. And it
is a dangerous place to be. You’re going to reap what you sow. “…for with
the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged.”

I’ve been judgmental. Many years ago, when I was in my early thirties, I
stood in judgement of my pastor. His family was a mess. His oldest daughter
had run away when she was fifteen. She married when she was seventeen
before she finished high school. His son was a drug addict and his youngest
daughter was permanently brain-damaged from a car accident she had when

53. she took the car without permission at age fourteen and ran into a telephone
poll. I was certain that he was an unfit father and therefore, disqualified to
pastor the church. I had no grace. No mercy. Scripture was clear. If he
couldn’t control his children, he had no business as a leader of the church. I
had never been a father to a teenager. My kids were nearly perfect in their
elementary-aged innocence. Most of you know my story. My daughter
rebelled, too. By God’s grace, he brought her back to a deeply passionate and
authentic faith.

Do not be judgmental. “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be
judged, with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” We have an
ugly tendency to minimize our own faults and exaggerate those of others.

The judge that Jesus condemns sets himself up as a censor, claiming the
ability and authority to sit in judgement over his fellow man. A judgmental
person sees all other as responsible and accountable unto them. Since when
did they become master and all others their servants? The Apostle Paul
rebuked such an attitude: “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of
another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls” (Romans 14:4).

The heart of the matter… You see, when we take such an attitude toward
other people, we have usurped God’s place. He is the only rightful Judge. I
saw it on FaceBook this week:

“Never look down on anyone; only God sits that high.”

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54. ©BMyers2015

Virtually everything in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount goes back to the first
thing that came out of his mouth: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is
the kingdom of Heaven.” The root of so many of our faults lies in our failure
to comprehend our own poverty before God. I like how Brennan Manning
put it in The Ragamuffin Gospel: “When we acknowledge we are paupers at
the door of God’s mercy, then God can make something beautiful out of us.”

Jesus is once again doing heart surgery on his followers. He is probing to the
depths of our souls. Surface religion won’t do for the disciple of Jesus. He
won’t allow us to glory in our own self-righteousness that will ultimately lead
to final condemnation by the Eternal Judge. This is a grace for us. Jesus
demands truth “in the inmost part” at David recognized in Psalm 51:6. The
Lord requires authenticity – rather than empty hypocrisy. And more than
anything, young people today want authenticity in a church. No game playing
with God and with other people. Brothers and sisters, if you want our church
to be relevant and make an impact on young people and young adults, then
put away the masks. You don’t have to be perfect…because you’re not. Just
be real. This is the Good News that he came to bring. We don’t have to play
games with God or with other people. We are free to be our imperfect selves
because of the grace that God has given to us.

Those who follow Jesus are to be radically different from the world. People of
the world are always scratching and clawing and stepping on others in order
to survive and get ahead. We don’t need to do that because God has already
given us his grace and mercy in spite of our failures. We can freely give
mercy to others because we have experienced it ourselves. We’ve been set free
to give mercy and grace to other people. You see, Jesus’ teaching here against
being judgmental is not so that we would turn a blind eye, but rather that we
would be generous to others.

55. Merciful critique… We are not called to live in isolation from each other. The
Christian’s creed is not “live and let live.” No. We are our brother’s keeper.
We are privileged and called to help each other in our journey. And when a
brother or sister falls into sin or moral difficulty, we are to help restore
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them to a healthy spiritual life. The Apostle Paul applied Jesus’ teaching to
the church in Galatia:

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual
should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you
too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in
himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.
Galatians 6:1-5

God doesn’t often speak to me in dreams and this example might seem a bit
silly to you. But this week, as I was pondering Jesus’ teaching about being
judgmental towards others, I had a strange dream where I was conducting a
church choir. The setting itself wasn’t so strange because I’ve done that for a
good portion of my life. I’ve always believed and taught that if you are not
getting what you want from your choir it is your fault as a director. In my
dream, I was really frustrated that the choir wasn’t watching me. (A common
frustration for choir directors.) In fact, the basses and tenors were scraping
peeling paint off the back wall while we were singing the anthem in the

56. worship service. And then I realized what the problem was. I had my head
down – stuck in the score. Here’s the cardinal rule: you can’t insist that the
choir watch you when you are not watching them.

Parents: this is huge in raising your kids. Don’t ever say, “Do as I say, not as
I do” unless you want rebellious and bitter kids when they become teenagers.
How many parents get after their small children for saying bad words when
they do it all the time? How many parents insist that their kids not cheat or
steal when they fudge the numbers on their taxes or rob God by not giving, as
Bible teaches? Mom, Dad, are you insisting that your kids keep themselves
sexually pure while your internet browsing habits reflect your own struggles
with moral purity.

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No one’s perfect. That’s the point. We all still have our struggles with sin.
The Bible says, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his
word is not in us” (I John 1:10). God has given us grace. He continually
extends his hand of mercy to us when we fail.

Parents, don’t pretend that you’re perfect. When you’ve wronged your
children or did something bad in front of them, confess it and ask their
forgiveness. They can handle your shortcomings if you’re honest about them.
But if you pretend that you’re perfect when you’re not and demand perfection
from them they will resent you and rebel. What a breath of fresh air to have a
parent humble and authentic enough to ask forgiveness of their children when
they need it.

57. When we consider the faults of a Christian brother or sister we should look to
ourselves first and see where we have failed. If we are honest with ourselves,
we will find a heart of compassion and mercy with our brother in need. As a
church, we need this kind of attitude in our thinking about other churches. It
is all too tempting to be condescending when we think about other churches in
town. Oh, we’re not like them. We don’t have their problems. Maybe not.
But we certainly have our own problems which, in God’s view, may be more
of a four-by-four post than the little splinter that is in the eye of our sister
church.

Most of you probably know the story of the woman caught in adultery from
John 8. She was caught in the very act and dragged in condemnation before
Jesus in the city square. Her selfrighteous accusers stood, stones in hand,
ready to administer capital punishment for her sins. Jesus quietly knelt down
and wrote something in the dirt. I sure wish I knew what it was! And then he
stood up, looked her accusers in the eye and said, “He who is without sin, let
him cast the first stone.” They all walked away in shame. And in the greatest
act of mercy, Jesus, the only one without sin, refused to condemn her but
released her from her guilt and shame with the admonition to go and sin no
more.

We are to be transformed as Jesus-followers. We are to become more and
more like him. In our homes, in our work, in our church, and in our
community. Let’s help those who are struggling with their sins. But let us
always be a generous people of grace and mercy. And then the world
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58. will stop complaining about our judgmentalism and marvel the grace and
mercy that flows through us from the limitless love of Christ. I like the words
to the old Promise Keeper’s song:

Let it be said of us: we were marked by forgiveness, We were known by our
love, and delighted in meekness. We were ruled by his peace, heeding unity’s
call; Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all. By Steve Fry, © 1994
Maranatha Music

These are the words of Jesus. This is the way of Jesus.

http://www.fbcaberdeen.com/home/180007979/180007979/Audio/21.%20Holie
r%20Than%20Thou.pdf


Holier than Thou
By Robertson, John, on December 29th, 2011
Most of us have heard the accusation hurled our way or at someone else. The
accuser says, “You have a holier than thou attitude.” Could this accusation
ever apply to a member of the body of Christ?

The prophet Isaiah described Judah as a hypocritical and self righteous
people who were blind to their own sins. Isaiah, speaking as the mouthpiece
of God, writes, “I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious
people, that walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; a people
that provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning
incense upon bricks; that sit among the graves, and lodge in the secret places;
that eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; that

59. say, Stand by thy self, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou. These
are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all the day” (Isaiah 65:2-5). Judah
had no problem seeing the sins of the Gentiles; however, when it came to their
own error they were helplessly blind and self righteous. The word of God
explains to us that the only sin that God will not forgive a man of is the sin he
will not recognize (see Mark 3:28-29; 1 John 5:16-17). Odd how brethren
today find themselves in the same hardened state of mind as the people of
Judah and have no idea that they are a “smoke in my nose, a fire that burns
all the day.”
What brother is there among us that will admit that they are the weak one of
Romans 14? Where is the sister among us that weeps and wails for great
sorrow over the error of their way (Matthew 5:3-4)? Why don’t we see more
brethren walking away from an event “smiting their breast saying, God be
thou merciful to me a sinner?” (see Luke 18:9-14)? Where are the contrite of
heart who would come forward at the invitation (see Psalms 51)? What we
find mostly are brothers and sisters who seek to pluck specs out of other’s
eyes while a giant glaring obvious sin lies squarely on their own personal
eyeball (see Matthew 7:1-5).
Have members of the church grown arrogant to the point of being blinded by
their own sin? Jeremiah writes, “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a
bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number…
Yet thou said, I am innocent; surely his anger is turned away from me.
Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not
sinned” (Jeremiah 2:32-35).
When speaking of sin, worldliness, and false teachers brethren are quick to
point out the error of the world and their fellow brethren yet fail to see their
own error. It seems that the hardest sin to actually identify on this earth is my
own sin. The hardest false doctrine for a man to acknowledge is the faulty
doctrine of his own personal convictions and opinions that he elevates to the
level of divine revelation. Those who elevate their personal opinions and
convictions to the level of divine revelation have usurped the authority of God
and have, in a moment of futility, attempted to shove the Lord God Almighty
off of his throne. Such a man stands condemned (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

60. Brethren, we need a good dose of humility. While exposing other’s sins is the
greatest show of love and a commandment of God don’t you think that we
ought to begin with ourselves? The apostle Paul wrote, “Brethren, even if a
man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a
spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one
another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself
to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each man
prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself
alone, and not of his neighbor” (Galatians 6:1-4).
There is a fine balance between duty and responsibility when sin is involved in
men’s lives. There is a possibility that we find ourselves so bent on
straightening everyone else out that we loose sight of our own faults. If this
were not the case we would not have warnings in the scripture regarding this.
If you find yourself talking with others or posting on the web statements about
everyone else’s ignorance and your self perceived intelligence there is a high
probability that you have a “holier than thou” attitude. You are likely
arrogant and so filled with pride that you cannot see the real you. Read
Matthew 5:3-5 a few times and it may be that you will be healed of this heart
disease.
https://watchmanmag.com/2011/12/29/holier-than-thou/



Avoiding Holier-Than-Thou Ministering
April 16, 2018 by EmJen
In a recent episode of Mormon Land, historian (and BCC blogger) Matt
Bowman talked about the brand new changes to the home teaching/visiting
teaching and looked at the history of the program. Matt explained that the
home teaching program, under Harold B. Lee’s correlation, used to be more
of a guardianship priesthood thing, with each home teaching companionship

61. tasked with making sure the family to whom they were assigned, were
completing the various church programs and ordinances, and came to their
visits ready with a list of questions to complete their watchcare. Here’s a good
Ensign article from 1973 that captures the old program’s aims.
Bowman, in comparing this to the new program and in explaining that in the
intervening years we’ve moved farther and farther away from a list-based
approach, noted that perhaps the new ministering program will allow for
needed flexibility so that people can cater the ministration as the Spirit
dictates.

Unfortunately, no less than ten days after the announcement of the
Ministering program, Elder Neil L. Anderson gave a BYU Devotional titled
“A Holier Approach to Ministering” where he laid out a list of what
roommates, in ministering capacities, should do:

Here’s the transcript (about 11 minutes into the talk):
“You are surrounded by believers who are in various stages of belief and
testimony. I challenge you to strengthen your efforts to spiritually minister to
one another. To minister spiritually can begin with baking cookies or playing
a basketball game, but eventually this holier way of ministering requires
opening your heart and your faith, taking courage in encouraging the positive
growth you are seeing in a friend or in expressing concern about things you
see and feel that are not consistent with discipleship. Let us not be self-
righteous but let us be spiritually courageous in ministering in a holier way,
specifically strengthening the faith of others. To stir your thinking, consider
these possible situations:
– You notice that a roommate plays an inordinate amount of time playing
games on an iPhone, but rarely engages in conversations regarding to gospel
topics.
– You have a sense that a friend might have a problem with pornography

62. – You are in a conversation with friends and notice that the language being
used is edgy and inappropriate
– You smell alcohol or marijuana in a friend’s car
– You see prescription drugs that you know are not being used properly
– Your friends are spending enormous time taking pictures of themselves that
move to the edge of immodesty
– You notice that someone who once loved to talk about the Book of Mormon
now never mentions it
– You notice that a friend who once seemed to love to go to the temple now is
not going
– You notice a friend who once spoke with faith about the prophets’ counsel
now speaks critically
– You have a returned missionary roommate who has become very casual in
wearing clothing that reflects temple covenants
– You notice a friend who finds reasons to go places on Sunday other than
your ward
– You have a sense that a friend has started to be dishonest in small things
– You have a classmate who began a semester very engaged in your religion
class but now seems disinterested and disengaged
– You know someone who had a light in his or her eyes returning from a
mission, but now that light seems to have faded
– You have a friend who jokes about sacred things
– You have a friend who came to BYU with the expectation of finding an
eternal companion and hasn’t; the discouragement with dating has moved to
God doesn’t love me
– You see a friend’s faith being affected by compromised worthiness and his
need to repent

63. Can you envision these situations or others like them? Have specific names
come into your mind?”
First off, whenever an General Authority brings up judging another’s
modesty, the rape culture in Mormonism meter inches higher.
But more apropos for the post, is this how general authorities want the
ministering program to be run? Since the program is brand new, I hope that
these sorts of inclinations toward ministering as “keeping an eye on” in the
positioning one’s self to call another to repentance sort will be quashed and
instead be more defined as “keeping an eye on” in the being there for those to
whom one ministers. Because ministering as Christ-like friendship needs to
have no strings attached for this program to spiritually succeed.
In other words, it’s as President Bingham said so eloquently: “Ministering …
looks like going for a walk, getting together for a game night, offering service,
or even serving together. It looks like visiting in person or talking on the
phone or chatting online or texting. It looks like delivering a birthday card
and cheering at a soccer game. It looks like sharing a scripture or quote from
a conference talk that would be meaningful to that individual. It looks like
discussing a gospel question and sharing testimony to bring clarity and peace.
It looks like becoming part of someone’s life and caring about him or her. It
also looks like a ministering interview in which needs and strengths are
discussed sensitively and appropriately. It looks like the ward council
organizing to respond to a larger need.”
Or like President Nelson said, it’s ministering with a “holier approach.”
Not a holier-than thou approach.
For more resources on the new Ministering Program, click here.
Preach It:


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Comments
Nathan Tolman says:
April 16, 2018 at 1:42 pm
Being aware of what is going on with the people you minister to is important,
but the list is a bit . . . creepy.
Honestly, when I was in college checked the box for more than one of those
questions, but I was fine.

Dave B. says:
April 16, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Yes, that’s a valid concern. The summary of Elder Anderson’s talk posted at
LDS.org did not repeat The List (see link below). It did, however, quote
several comments encouraging Mormons to sort of look over their neighbor’s
shoulder and offer righteous counsel. He recommended “ministering in a
holier way and warned of becoming self-righteous.” While I agree his talk
might have been titled “Beam? What Beam? Seek the Mote in Your Brother’s
Eye,” I also doubt that the average Mormon in the pews is really going to
change their behavior much, if at all. I’m guessing 80% of men will just ask,
“So where is my new list of names to visit?”
https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-neil-l-andersen-explains-what-
ministering-looks-like?lang=eng

65. Porter says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Many of the items on the list seem to be directed at ensuring others aren’t
having questions about doctrine, church leaders or the Book of Mormon.
Perhaps it would be better to call them spies than ministers.

Rexicorn says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:33 pm
As far as I can tell, the holier-than-thou approach grows thusly:
– I should help other people be happy
– Helping someone follow the gospel is a way of helping them be happy
– Advice, scriptural messages, reminders about commandments, and
intervention from leaders are all things that help someone follow the gospel
– If I keep track of the ways in which someone is NOT following the gospel,
I’ll know exactly where that help should be targeted
– “That thing you’re doing is a sin! You need to repent! I’m calling the
bishop.”
It starts with a good idea (people helping other people) and then goes all
wacky along its way to execution. I’m not sure exactly what the right solution
is, but maybe if we stop casting “calling to repentance” as a viable form of
service, that would help?

Heptaparaparshinokh says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:37 pm

66. Porter: My wife was a Temple Square tour guide in the mid-’90s. Once, she
was leading a delegation from a former Communist country. Entering the
Church Office Building, a member of the delegation looked at the pictures of
the First Presidency and the Twelve on the wall, turned to one of his
compatriots, and said (in their lanugage): “This looks like the old Politburo.
We can live with these people.”
General rule: DON’T BE LIKE COMMUNISTS.

Heptaparaparshinokh says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:39 pm
Rexicorn: It almost goes without saying that the people most likely to engage
in this approach are the ones mostly likely to have serious problems in their
own lives.
I genuinely don’t know what Andersen was thinking. Do BYU Devotionals go
through the correlation process?

Josh says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:44 pm
I see the problem the author sees. We don’t want to build our relationships in
the church around the goal of catching people in sins, which is a very easy
trap to fall into. However, Section 20, which forms a substantial part of the
doctrinal basis home teaching/ministering, includes an instruction that
priesthood holders “see that there is no iniquity in the church.” It’s
uncomfortable and easy to abuse, but this is a responsibility of church
members.

john f. says:
April 16, 2018 at 2:55 pm

67. There’s a major stewardship issue that Elder Andersen’s list overlooks. The
teaching responsibilities referred to in Section 20 are part of a package of
stewardship lines — not policing your neighbor’s “righteousness” (as you
define it) at random.

EmJen says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:08 pm
john f.
Yes. I’ve also already heard of local leaders purporting that ministering
brothers and sisters will be able to receive revelation for those to whom they
minister.That’s too far. Pray for them, yes, but revelation receiving and
repentance calling? That’s not ministering and we need to have quick counsel
telling the members so.

Jack Hughes says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:09 pm
Home teaching : Ministering :: Gestapo: Stasi

Elizabeth says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:23 pm
I have noticed there is a certain evolution in the church of how various issues
are viewed. I will use the more-than-one-pair-of-earrings issue as an example.
Pres. Hinkley gently admonished us to wear but one pair of pierced earrings.
But each person, apostle, 70, high councilman etc. who felt called upon to
address the matter, had to elaborate on it, to make the gentle admonishment
somehow stronger. Until one, who had yet to remove the offending 1 mm stud,
felt to be a vile, wicked sinner, an apostate, rebelling against the Lord’s very
anointed. One was also old enough to realized that was sheer poppycock. I

68. suspect Elder Anderson is just the first to elaborate on the new ministering
policy. I can see how if carried out as Sis. Bingham suggested it could be a
wonderful program. Unfortunately, there are those who will grab onto Elder
Anderson’s list and use it to justify making all kinds of judgements. The rest
of us will continue on in our regular, absentminded, haphazard manner of
VT, oops I mean ministering.

Jack Hughes says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:27 pm
To be fair, this devotional, like any BYU devotional, was likely intended for
only a limited target audience (captive BYU students) so I’m more inclined to
dismiss it as another ridiculous BYU thing that doesn’t apply to anyone
outside of Provo. The school also has a long and storied tradition of
encouraging students to superficially judge and inform on each other, and old
traditions die hard.

Rexicorn says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:35 pm
Elizabeth, we definitely have a longstanding problem of not allowing plain
and simple things to *stay* plain and simple.

Heptaparaparshinokh says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:46 pm
Jack: like the female friend of mine who nearly got kicked out because I, not
knowing about the Honor Code, slept the night on a bare mattress in her
apartment after an epic drive from Denver to Provo that included a lengthy
avalanche-engendered detour up the back side of the Rockies to Steamboat
Springs?

69. Jack Hughes says:
April 16, 2018 at 3:55 pm
Yes; as every BYU student knows, the richest blessings come from
unwavering obedience to arbitrary made-up rules, and making sure others
behave likewise, common sense be damned.

cj says:
April 16, 2018 at 4:01 pm
Well said, Rexicorn.

Heptaparaparshinokh says:
April 16, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Jack: it’s a good thing I had an extra blanket and that the Walmart was open
so I could buy a pillow, because otherwise I would have had to borrow
bedding from one of the female occupants of the apartment in question, and
sharing bedding is really only a couple of degrees away from HOT, STEAMY
SEX.

Ardis E. Patrshall says:
April 16, 2018 at 4:46 pm
Oh, for crying out loud. Where do you people come up with your paranoid
twisting of everything Mormon? I want to stay far away from your Kool-Aid.

E.C. says:

70. April 16, 2018 at 4:53 pm
Just do you’re thing to minister and try not to moan about others and what
we’re saying and we’ll be ok.
Aren’t you guys adults or what? Does every talk need the qualifier, “if you
don’t understand it, don’t feel it applies to you, it even if you disagree with it,
feel free to go about your business doing good and being a disciple, but equally
don’t spend your time complaining and debating”.
You’re not exactly going to change the leadership of the church with your
gripes, but certainly this type of post will create a culture of being at variance
with one another and not keeping the commandments (d&c101:50).
And yes this comment could easily apply to me with regard to this post. It
would be nice if we were all on the same page though and I can’t imagine the
best way for that to happen is for me to say, “Yay, what was that apostle
thinking, you’ve got it exactly right BCC blogger.”
Remember that post about don’t just do something, stand there? How about,
don’t just say something, stand there?
Or do we like to hear ourselves wisely demonstrate how critically thinking we
are that we have to parse a plea to not be holier than thou, into being holier
than thou, thus in the parsing proving we are really the holier ones?
Ya… When it comes to publishing disagreement with general authorities,
don’t just say something, stand there.

Nunya Bidniss says:
April 16, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Where do you people come up with your paranoid twisting of everything
Mormon?

71. From the hand-wringing OP to the the hyperbolic comments, the paranoid
twisting is, and always has been, *integral* to the fabric of BCC. You’ve been
around here long enough to see that, right?

nobody, really says:
April 16, 2018 at 5:26 pm
For the next BYU devotional, they should be sure to elaborate how any of
these perceived issues of unrighteousness should next be reported to the
Bishop, the Relief Society President, and the Honor Code Office. Because if
anyone doesn’t follow the rules with the exactness I do, they are an apostate.
I was unfortunate enough to live in BYU off-campus housing for a few
months, even though I wasn’t attending BYU. Roommates threatened to turn
me into the Honor Code Office for having Diet Mountain Dew in my
possession. I hate to think what would have happened had these same people
felt like they had “ministerial authority” over me.
Oh, and there are FOUR lights. We have always been at war with Eurasia.
Chocolate rations are being cut to 15 grams….

Kevin Barney says:
April 16, 2018 at 6:37 pm
I immediately thought ministering was a positive advance over HT/VTing,
because in my mind’s eye it looked like the way President Bingham describes
it, basically as an actual friendship without artificial requirements. If in
contrast it’s supposed to be monitoring in ways such as that list describes, I’m
just not going to do it.

Jared* says:
April 16, 2018 at 7:06 pm

72. I’m not expressing an opinion on Elder Anderson’s talk. Instead I have two
true BYU stories:
1. Around the time I met my wife, the bishop asked to meet with her out of the
blue. He dove right in and asked her some frank questions about her sexual
behavior (of which there was none). It turned out that a do-gooder in the
apartment building had been in her bathroom and saw her birth control pills,
which she took to treat a medical condition. We actually both really liked the
bishop, so no resentment there, but almost two decades later she’s still a little
bitter about being tattled on (even with the best of intentions).
2. Around the same time as my last story, my roommate and I were assigned
as the home teachers to my (not yet) wife and her roommate. The four of us
went on a weekend road trip. Not long later, my home teaching assignment
was changed. The EQP explained that he made the change because he didn’t
think it was appropriate to go on a road trip with a female I was home
teaching. Frankly, I was glad for the change. But I was also thinking, “You
know this is a singles ward, right?”
Calibrate your ministering appropriately.

J. Golden says:
April 16, 2018 at 8:22 pm
I suppose that one way to avoid holier-than ministering is to avoid being
holier-than-thou. The other option would be to avoid ministering altogether.
Like the OP and most of the comments, you can just engage in holier-than-
thou bitching and the problem is avoided.

Dog Spirit says:
April 16, 2018 at 9:26 pm

73. Yeah, it’s mostly a lame list. But really, the only kind of person likely to
implement it probably already approaches their relationships this way, and
ain’t nothing going to stop them.

JKC says:
April 17, 2018 at 7:02 am
I’m inclined to read Elder Anderson’s list charitably as things that might
suggest that a person may need more ministering efforts, but not suggesting
that you ought to call the person out on these things.
Like, to take one example, I might notice that someone I minister to used to
talk about the Book of Mormon a lot, but lately has seemed less interested in
spiritual things, and that might be a sign that the person is going through
something and could use a friend to stand by them. I don’t think it means I
should call them out and say “I’m concerned that you’re not talking about the
Book of Mormon very much.” In most cases, I could imagine that being more
harmful than helpful.
That’s how I would apply it anyway. I can see that the list could be easily
taken the wrong way, but that’s not how I choose to apply it.

Mark B. says:
April 17, 2018 at 7:35 am
It doesn’t even require a charitable reading of Elder Andersen’s talk to reach
JKC’s conclusion. Just a fair reading of the plain text.
What did Elder Andersen say: “this holier way of ministering requires
opening your heart and your faith, taking courage in encouraging the positive
growth you are seeing in a friend or in expressing concern about things you
see and feel that are not consistent with discipleship. Let us not be self-
righteous but let us be spiritually courageous in ministering in a holier way,
specifically strengthening the faith of others.”

74. “[E]ncouraging the positive growth,” “expressing concern,” “not be[ing] self-
righteous,” “be[ing] spiritually courageous,” “strengthening the faith of
others.” In her rush to make Elder Andersen an offender for his words, Ms.
Jensen seems to have completely overlooked these lines, and in doing so has
completely missed his point.

adano says:
April 17, 2018 at 8:03 am
So often I love the posts at BCC. But other times I can’t help wondering why
the site’s subtitle isn’t either “The Learned Who Think They Are Wise” or
“An Offender For A Word.” This is not a fair reading of Elder Andersen’s
talk.

kevinf says:
April 17, 2018 at 8:27 am
Two ways to take this talk, I guess. Some will no doubt take the Big Brother
approach, trying to correct the “double-plus-ungood” behavior of others. I
prefer the more charitable reading that seems in harmony with President
Kimball’s encouragement to “strengthen the hands that hang down.”

nobody, really says:
April 17, 2018 at 8:36 am
You know, this talk might have been fine at a stake conference or in any other
setting. At BYU, where the motto seems to be “Every Member a Mission
President” or “Narc Thy Neighbor”, where the police shares information with
the “Honor Code” office, where your Bishop can effectively expel you from
the university – this turns into a list of Potential Offenses.

75. It takes a group of Mormon Jesuits and gives them the impetus to start the
Spanish Inquisition. And just as not having a Christmas ham hanging from
the post in front of the house signals that the occupants are keeping Kosher,
this devotional gives a list of ways to “save a neighbor’s pitiful soul from the
fires of Hell”.

JR says:
April 17, 2018 at 8:51 am
I’ve been tempted to wade into the holier-than-thou fray going on here, but
haven’t found a good way to do so without facilitating a reasonable (but I
think and hope incorrect) inference that I might think I’m holier-than-all-
y’all (i.e., at least those on both sides of the fray). I’m out. Maybe I’ll go do
some “ministering” or something.

JKC says:
April 17, 2018 at 9:30 am
Guys, be charitable to the OP as well. EmJen thoughtfully pointed out that it’s
easy to take the list the wrong way, and that doing so can cause all kinds of
problems. She’s right about that.

stephenchardy says:
April 17, 2018 at 10:32 am
I would be more comfortable applying Elder Anderson’s carefully thought-
out list to myself. But not to others. I don’t mind examining myself. If I have
friends who spend more time on their phones than I do, or if they bring up the
BoM less often than I do, or if they dress differently than I do, or if they
engage in behaviors that might seem vain, it is very hard for me to want to
change them. Rather I usually learn from them. They likely have other

76. behaviors that are far superior to mine. This is what friendship is about. We
learn about ourselves and others by engaging, discussing, observing. I would
apply Elder Anderson’s list to myself and myself only.

Ziff says:
April 17, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Thanks for pointing this out, EmJen. I think you’re spot on that a list like this
seems to be only an encouragement to the busybodies among us to try to
police everyone around them even more aggressively. I hope that the new
ministering program goes a more helpful and less intrusive way.

Paul Ritchey says:
April 17, 2018 at 1:58 pm
The only thing really objectionable that Elder Anderson says is his proposed
solution when you have to check a box: to “express concern.” Replace that
with “pray about,” “pray for,” “serve,” or “become better friends with,” and
I think he’s on to something. If the things on the list, if actually occurring, are
good indicators of spiritual risk (and they are), we should be eager to address
their occurrence with increased service, understanding, prayer, and sincere
fellowship. But not merely, or primarily, by “express[ing] concern.”
Conversely, simply to ignore the things on the list is neither good ministering
nor good friendship.

JJ says:
April 17, 2018 at 4:14 pm
I’m going to need some help with the “rape culture” angle. The only reference
to “modesty” I see is “Your friends are spending enormous time taking
pictures of themselves that move to the edge of immodesty.” Isn’t this a

77. reference to behavior (behaving immodestly by taking a lot of photos of
themselves). Or am I reading that wrong? The only other question with
reference to appearance seems to be to notice if your endowed friend doesn’t
appear to be wearing their garments anymore, where the emphasis seems
more on ministering because of the temple covenant stuff, not so much the
showing shoulders stuff.

vajra2 says:
April 17, 2018 at 8:44 pm
The Jesuits did not “start” the Inquisitions. The Spanish Inquisition was
begun by Isabella 1 and her spouse and co-regnant Fernando. The most
frequently involved order were the Dominicans.

mikerharris says:
April 17, 2018 at 10:24 pm
To sit back and let “you do you” run amuck only requires indifference.
Corrective feedback is a spiritual gift and best administered with skill and
genuine friendship. Even still, some chose to be offended or disgusted while
others chose to be inspired by the needed counsel.

Loursat says:
April 17, 2018 at 11:19 pm
As we try to be good ministers, there are times for preaching and testifying,
and there are times for just being a friend. The older I get, the more I realize
that preaching and testifying is quite a small piece of what ministers should
do. It’s important, it’s essential, but it’s useless without loyalty and friendship.
Mostly the time for preaching and testifying is on Sunday in church; the times
when it’s called for in our one-on-one interactions do not come very often.

78. I’ve watched Elder Andersen’s talk, and it’s an interesting one. There’s a lot
of value in it. The places in his talk that don’t sit quite right with me have to
do with the balance between testifying and just being a friend. Elder Andersen
wants to encourage his audience to look for chances to preach and testify.
That strikes me as good advice, but I don’t think he puts enough emphasis on
the friendship part of ministry. He risks falling into the Mormon missionary
mistake of thinking that the purpose of friendship is to give us a chance to
testify. He doesn’t sufficiently teach the message that friendship is not the
means, it is the end. In fact, friendship is the beginning, the middle, the end,
and the entire purpose of our lives. Preaching and testifying is something we
do occasionally along the way when the Spirit tells us to. Real ministry is
about friendship.

Angela C says:
April 18, 2018 at 10:36 am
I tend to agree with Loursat that the emphasis on friendship is more
important than on “holier.” There are a lot of problems in BYU culture with
tattling that make friendship difficult, and this kind of encouragement that
will be ignored by the sensible 80% will of course make the fanatical ones feel
justified in all sorts of not-minding-their-own-beeswax.
This one from the list gave me pause: “You know someone who had a light in
his or her eyes returning from a mission, but now that light seems to have
faded.” Yikes. How is someone really going to 1) assess that, and 2) address it
without being offensive. I can imagine it now, and it’s not good. Let’s be
honest–there are few weirder times in life than right after a mission, trying
hard to re-integrate into “normal” life. Your clothes are out of style, your
body is completely different than when you went out, nothing seems like it
matters like it did when you had a purpose every day, you feel weird about
dating, you might be unsure of your major with this new life experience,
you’ve been isolated from physical contact beyond a handshake for a long
time.

79. Basically if your RM sheen doesn’t wear off in the first few weeks, you’re
probably not re-integrating very well. Let’s not add social pressure to remain
on the “mission high” or be approached with concern by your fellow students.
It reminds me of when someone says I look tired, and I know they just mean I
look old.

Shelama Leesen says:
April 22, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Quite a few things on that list could easily reflect a growing awareness that
the Mormon church simply isn’t true. Which in the age of the rock in the hat,
Helen Mar Kimball, the Book of Abraham disaster, and the angel with a
flaming sword is not uncommon at BYU and among return missionaries. It
was pretty clear at General Conference that at least one focus of the new
“ministering” program was to attend to Mormons with real and informed
questions and doubts. It’s equally true that the church doesn’t really have
much to offer those people and address that “problem” beyond the “Gospel
Topics Essays.” Which, it turns out, have become part of the problem.

Rivkah says:
April 22, 2018 at 7:29 pm
I read this post after Robert Kirby referred to it in his column today. Then I
listened to the actual talk by Elder Andersen, waiting for his suggestions to
call people to repentance, judge them, lecture them, report them to the bishop,
etc. Wouldn’t you know, there was none of that. Instead, he simply
encouraged BYU students to love, listen to, pray for, and encourage those who
might be struggling spiritually – and, yes, to “express concern” in a loving
way when guided by the Spirit.
I don’t believe that talks given by general authorities are beyond criticism.
But this is just silly.

80. Perhaps someone might write a post called “Avoiding Holier-Than-Thou
Blogging.”

mikerharris says:
April 22, 2018 at 8:08 pm
Accusing Elder Anderson of promoting “the rape culture”…really?

Lindsay J says:
May 3, 2018 at 10:41 am
‘Catch someone doing something right’! Neil A Andersen pretends that half of
ministering is seeing the positive and encouraging it, but instead he details 11
examples of chastising and guilt shaming those he deems less than perfect. No
way in hell will we let ministering Nazis into our home whose duty it is to
report us to gestapo EQ and RS Presidencies!!

Lindsay J says:
May 3, 2018 at 10:45 am
Rivkah: Seriously? You must have fallen asleep during Neil’s talk because he
gave 11 detailed ministering examples and NONE of THEM were encouraging
positive behavior. NOT ONE!! Live in denial, cover it up, but don’t proclaim
it. Negative behavior is ALL that Andersen focused on!

Lindsay J says:
May 3, 2018 at 10:48 am
Watch the ministering videos on ldg.org. They depict hilarious awkward
poorly acted sales models from the 70s. Seriously?! Saints shouldn’t need to be

81. taught how to care. How to spy?? Maybe!! And Gossip?! No, that comes
naturally.

Rivkah says:
May 6, 2018 at 9:27 pm
“You must have fallen asleep during Neil’s talk because he gave 11 detailed
ministering examples and NONE of THEM were encouraging positive
behavior. NOT ONE!!”
Lindsay, you appear to be the one who was snoozing. Here’s the very first
example he shared, written by a BYU student:
“I was going through a really rough time. One day I was really struggling and
on the verge of tears. I pleaded and prayed silently for strength to continue. In
that exact moment, my roommate sent me a text expressing her love for me.
She shared a scripture and bore a testimony. It brought me so much strength
and comfort and hope in that moment of despair.”
Elder Andersen also said this: “Let us pray, listen, record our thoughts, and
take action regarding those to whom we can minister. Pray for opportunities
to build faith in others. Not all of those you help will be people you know.
When Jesus ministered to the widow of Nain, He was on His way to
somewhere else. However, while on His way, Christ saw her and had
compassion for her, and it changed her life.”
I could go on, but you clearly have a very different idea of what constitutes
encouraging positive behavior.
https://bycommonconsent.com/2018/04/16/avoiding-holier-than-thou-
ministering/

82. Meadowbrook Congregational Church
“Holier Than Thou”
Rev. Art Ritter
September 2, 2018

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from
Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were
eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. (For the Pharisees,
and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus
observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the
market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they
observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) So the Pharisees and
the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the
tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” He said to them, “Isaiah
prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.’
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you,
and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile,
but the things that come out are what defile.”
For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come:
fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from
within, and they defile a person.”

83. Laura and I are planning our winter vacation trip to Vero Beach, FL. It has
become an annual event. We have spent time at the Disney Vacation Club
there for the past seven years. We have occasionally thought about going
somewhere else but we now know the place so well and find the environment
so relaxing that we are not prone to make a change without good reason.
While we are on vacation there, we fall into a routine, a routine that perhaps
others would not find so enjoyable. But we love it! We get out of bed in the
morning, grab a quick and light breakfast and head to the exercise room for a
workout. Following the workout we change clothes and go for a powerwalk
on the beach. The walk is relaxing but not at a relaxing pace. We challenge
ourselves, trying to go just a bit further each and every day, walking one way
for at least an hour and then returning home. After our walk we have lunch
and then change clothes again for a couple of hours at poolside. This is the
time for relaxation and reading and perhaps a cold beverage. Late in the
afternoon we take another short walk, perhaps around the grounds or on the
beach, this time a more leisurely stroll, listening to the sound of the water or
noticing the color of the flowers. Then it is time for dinner and evening
entertainment at the resort.
We didn’t actually plan this to be a routine. Perhaps it is some of my
regimented personality rubbing off on Laura. It just kind of happened. The
routine has become a habit that we really don’t want to break. It is amazing
to think that we can so easily fall into such a pattern. Sometimes I worry a bit
that doing the same thing over and over again might be taking away from the
excitement of new adventures and the learning that comes from new
experiences. Yet I suppose that we are all creatures of habit, easily becoming
accustomed to doing things the consistent and comfortable way.
I think we do the same thing in church. During the past couple of weeks I
have been reviewing the church calendar with Abbie Holden, our office
manager; and with Colleen Foster and Marcus Peterson; and with Advisory
and Trustees and Deacons. We have learned to count on the comfortable
predictability of doing certain things at a certain time each year. It is a safe

84. way of planning and it keeps you organized. You place events on specific
dates and you become hesitant to see them change. It worked well once or
twice so we need to keep doing it at the same time and in the same manner.
Things become a tradition without you intending them to be. I believe that is
true of other things in the church. The order of worship. The setup of
Fellowship Hour. The color of paint on the walls. The hymns and choral
music. The temperature at which the thermostat is set. The places where
people sit in worship. The times of meetings. The way we serve The Lord’s
Supper and take up an offering. Mickey Anders writes that most churches
take these routine things and raise them to the standard of a sacred tradition.
There is an old story joke about how many Congregationalists it takes to
change a light bulb? The answer is, “Change? Change? My grandfather
donated that light bulb?” We love our traditions.
As one who values routine, I tend to cherish tradition. Tradition connects us
to the past and honors that which has gone before. In the musical Fiddler on
the Roof, the character Tevya sings the song “Tradition,” remarking that our
tradition tells us who God is and who we are.” That is indeed the positive
aspect of routine and tradition – when it is a practice that continues to point to
the greater reality which is behind it.
In the Scripture lesson from the gospel of Mark, the Pharisees and Jesus are
having a difference of opinion in regard to tradition. The Pharisees were
upset that Jesus and his disciples did not wash their hands correctly before
they ate. They did not do it in the ritually correct way. While we believe in
hygiene and cleanliness, we might find such ritual hand washing to be a bit
silly and unnecessary. But the ritual had some meaning for the Hebrew
people and was an important connection to the past. It was a way of
sanctifying and blessing the ordinary act of eating. By not washing their
hands correctly, the Pharisees believed that Jesus and his disciples had sinned.
From our backward glance at Biblical history, we have labeled the Pharisees
as somewhat bad people. They were always giving Jesus a hard time about his
interpretation of the law and seemed to be setting legalistic traps for him.
They had this “holier than thou” kind of attitude that often offends us. Yet

85. the Pharisees were perfectly sincere in what they were doing. The laws they
followed and the rituals they observed were designed to add a religious
dimension to everything they did. The problem was that they had forgotten to
remember the religious dimension. Their system of ritual and legal
performance had grown so strict that it had taken control of them.
Everything they did hinged on the concern that they might be breaking a law
or that they might not appear holy and distinct. They became afraid that if
they failed to follow a law or if they allowed others to break a law – if the
tradition they believed in would somehow be broken, then their entire faith
would die out. They became fearful of change and of others in a world that
was changing rapidly around them. Jesus pointed out that while they
remained clean on the outside, their fearful suspicion of anything that ran
counter to their established routine kept them unclean on the inside. He saw
through their dead tradition. He condemned tradition that became more
important than the things they represented. Their “holier than thou” attitude
prevented them from embracing God’s holiness.
I remember a woman from the first church I served in Toulon, Illinois. She
was truly a keeper of tradition, a member of the Board of Deacons and
Sunday School committee. It was her task it seemed to make certain that
everyone, including the minister, did thing the correct way, the way it had
been done before. The woman designed and constructed the church’s Advent
wreath and took great pride in making certain it was in its proper place on the
altar and was used in the proper way. One year, on the first Sunday in the
season of Advent, I asked a young family to light the candle of Hope on the
Advent wreath. The family was quite new to town and very new to the church
and included a little girl, about five years old, who was pretty excited that she
was going to be allowed to handle an acolyte’s wand and light a candle. I had
mailed the family the appropriate reading and had met with them before
worship to discuss which candle to light. When the time came for the little
girl to light the first Advent candle, excitement might have overcome her. She
lit the candle that was supposed to be lighted the second week of Advent.
While probably half of the church didn’t realize the mistake, the woman in
charge of church ritual and the Advent wreath certainly did. She let out an
audible gasp that could be heard for miles. It was almost as if a Pharisee were

86. yelling “Unclean, unclean.” While I tried to laugh off the situation, the family
was embarrassing and hurt. Despite the efforts of many people to encourage
them, after that day they did not return to our church.
As Jesus challenged the Pharisees, so Jesus’ words challenge us as to how our
rituals, our traditions, our acceptable ways of believing might actually prevent
us from finding the holiness of God. Sometimes we busy ourselves so much
with practice and labor that we lose touch with God’s heart. Perhaps we are
so comfortable in what we do and what we believe that we spend more time
judging the wrong actions and beliefs of others instead of seeking a greater
faith relationship ourselves. Does our participation in meaningless routine
mask our inward disposition to God? Where in the church are we so busy
that we have lost the sense of the sacred? What habits and routines have
become more than tradition, instead used now as a marker of right and
wrong, a force of stability that minimizes change and the opportunity of the
Holy Spirit? Have our practices become more important that our mission?
Where in our lives has our faith with God become so secure that our own
beliefs cannot be challenged? Are the things that we do, the standards that we
use to measure success, and the opinions we hold about events happening
around us – are they a part of us simply because they have always been that
way? What routines and traditions have worn you down so much that they
have desensitized you to the very heart of God?
The good news today is that our God is more concerned about who we are on
the inside than the routine and traditions we observe. God hears prayers that
are shouted and silent, prayed standing up or sitting down or standing upon
one’s head. God delights in our worship no matter what room we worship in,
what instrument is being played, what song is sung or what clothes we are
wearing. God understands our heart, no matter how dirty our hands are.
Our God is a God of new wineskins, of new things and possibilities that break
through the comfort of conformity. When God moves in our midst, we have
to be changed and we cannot remain the same. God wants to do a new thing
and we need to be open to it. We must listen and respond to the word of God
for this new day.
https://www.mbccc.org/holier-than-thou/

87. HOLIER-THAN-THOU

LET ME TELL YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT ALL MEN!

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of
hell?” Matt. 23:33


By Pastor Del Wray

The Truth about all men, about you and about me: Can I tell you the truth
about yourself? Would you listen as you read? Would you pay attention to
and heed what you read? John tells us,

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” Rev. 1:3.

If one wants God’s blessing on his life he will do here as John inspired by the
Holy Spirit has written! For a pastor to preach the one true gospel of the
grace of God by faith he must first be willing to preach the truth about man
and the truth about what the Word of God has revealed. “…thy Word is
truth” John 17:17. Men do not want to hear the truth about God, and they do
not want to hear the truth about themselves. But gospel preachers preach the
truth, not only about God, but the truth about the sinner, and they leave that
sinner empty, broken and destroyed with all his foundations of flesh swept

88. from under him, and all his self-righteous rags stripped from off him, leaving
him naked and unclothed before the searchlight of God’s holiness. What does
the Bible say about the man? It says in Romans 10:3,

“There is none righteous, no not one, there is none that understandeth; there
is none that seeks after God.”

What are men seeking? Seeking their own pleasure; seeking their own
comfort; seeking their own glory; seeking their own wills; seeking their own
satisfaction, everybody seeks their own, they do not seek God. “They are all
gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable, for there is none
that doeth good, no, not one.” Christ said: “You have not the love of God in
you.” Somebody says, “Well, I love people.” No, you don’t. You just consider
who you love. You love yourself. You try to think this minute, is there
anybody in this world you really love? Well, you say, “I love my wife, that’s
you. That’s your wife. Well, “I love my mother and father,” that’s still loving
you, that is not loving anybody, you love them because they are your mother
and father. Well, “1 love my son or daughter,” your son and daughter, do you
love anybody else’s son or daughter? “I love my brothers and sisters” that’s
yourself. Well, “I love my Saviour; my own personal Saviour. That loves you.
If he weren’t your Saviour, you would not love him. Everything you love is
connected with your own sinful, selfish self. Your whole world revolves
around yourself, your own pleasures, your own delights, your own passions,
your own seeking. “There is none good, no, not one. Their throat is an open
sepulcher, with their tongues they have used deceit the poison of snakes is
under their lips; their mouths are full of cursing, bitterness, murmuring,
complaining, fault-finding, gossip, back-biting, their feet are swift to shed
blood, destruction and misery are in their ways, the way of peace, they know
nothing about it.” There’s no genuine, honest, sincere fear of God before their
eyes, they don’t fear God; they do not tremble at the presence of God; they
don’t fall at his

89. feet as dead men, even religious worshippers today don’t fear God. If they
feared God, they would be silent in the presence of God; they would choose
their words carefully; their worship would be marked, not by shouting, but by
awesome reverence and fear. Job said, “When I saw the Lord, I said I have
spoken once, yea, twice, but I’ll never speak again.” John said, “When I saw
the Lord, I fell at his feet as a dead man, my eyes have seen the Lord.” Isaiah
said, “When I saw the Lord, I cried, woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell among a people of unclean lips when I saw the Lord I saw my
guilt.” The average person goes to church and he comes away feeling good. If
the preacher had preached the truth about man, they would have come away
from that place crying, “O, God, be merciful to me a sinner!” Luke 18:13. We
do not know God anymore if we ever did in this country. Those that do will
keep their mouths shut and speak only what He says. “Yea or nay” If it’s in
the Book shouted it if it does not clam up.

This is the reason you need, you must have Jesus Christ indwelling with your
spirit.
http://www.biblerays.com/uploads/8/0/4/2/8042023/holier-than-thou.pdf




Dear Holier-than-thou Super-Christians, (self.Christianity)
submitted 8 years ago * by [deleted]
There are some days when I wake up, I put on my pants and t-shirt, walk
outside and then decide how I want to be a heathen that day. I know that I'll
never live up to your standards and God will probably tell me to "shove off"
after I die because I cussed way too many times, had no problem with
homosexual Christians (or homosexuals at all) and I frown at God's genocidal

90. tendencies in the Old Testament. But I'm OK with that, because I don't like to
spend my entire life putting people into categories and worrying whether or
not I should preach the gospel to the damned souls who think I'm already
looney enough.. Rather, I quite enjoy loving people just the way the are and I
actually think people are much more beautiful when they're unique, not
cookie-cutter. People who their only sin is being something different than you
think they should be.
I guess I feel the most sorrow for you and your relationship with your gay or
atheist relatives. They might be kind of cool to talk to if you'd just shut up for
10 seconds and listen to them rather than shoving scripture after scripture
into their face like arsenic. If you did that you might actually find that these
"damned souls" actually are created beings who God loves and does not wish
to damn. Hell, he might not actually damn them if Matthews 25 is to be taken
seriously. I hear Uncle Fred the Atheist volunteers at the homeless shelter
every week. Jesus said he might know him, but you certainly don't.
Sorry if my letter comes off a bit egotistical. Obviously, I must learn more
humility from you.
Signed,
partofaworldIcareabout
EDIT: For clarification....this is a rant. I'm sick and tired of the double-
barrelled shotgunning of the Bible and fundy tribalism (us vs. them). If I'm
gonna err, I'm gonna err on the side of love. I can't side with the Christians
who use the Bible to impose their strict moralism on people who aren't
harming anyone. If God is big and powerful enough to create the entire
universe, than I must believe he's big enough to care about every single person
on this earth rather than send them to their doom because they don't live like
we do exactly. Jesus' died just so we could make people feel like shit for being
gay? Fuck that. Seriously.
EDIT 2: This came after a long discussion with my wife. We both know
someone who is gay and depressed and suicidal. We began to ask, what kind
of religion do we believe in that produces those kind of feelings in some one?

91. My frustration comes from how Christianity uses empty talk of
"unconditional love" until you want to be both a Christian and openly gay.
Being openly gay doesn't do any harm, yet the Bible says it's a sin so we must
condemn it all costs. This produces endless grief in people who can't control
their sexuality but they also have the deep yearning to love someone deeply,
just as I love my wife. But it's not just about homosexuality. It's about the
tribalism Christianity produces. I see now how when I was a fully committed
Christian, I put people into categories because of my belief. I wasn't a hater,
but I did have a heart that didn't fully love. I now don't care anymore, my
heart is full of love for everyone regardless of their beliefs and I don't have the
desire to change them. This kind of love has been most freeing to me. I don't
feel like I have a double-motive for being friends with an atheist, or a gay
man. Sorry for the harsh tone, but I get angry when the intolerant act like
being intolerant is OK.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/iqr6a/dear_holierthanthou_
superchristians/


JOHN GILL
Isaiah 65:5
Which say, stand by thyself,
&c], According to Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimchi, these are the unclean
persons that did the above things; who say to the righteous, "draw near to
thyself" F16; so the words are, go to thine own place, or to thine own
company: and come not near to me;
keep off at a distance, as unworthy of such company: for I am holier than
thou;
but this is the language of a self-righteous man, of a Pharisee that strictly
observed the rituals of the law; and fitly describes such who lived in the times
of Christ; and exactly agrees with the characters of such, who not only would

92. have no dealings with the Samaritans, but washed themselves when they came
from market, or any public place, lest they should be defiled with the common
people of their own nation; and, even with religious persons, would not stand
near them while praying; but despised them, if they had not arrived to that
pitch of outward sanctity they had; see ( John 4:9 ) ( Mark 7:4 ) ( Luke 18:9
Luke 18:11 Luke 18:12 ) . The phrase may be rendered, "do not touch me"
F17; and the Pharisees would not suffer themselves to be touched by the
common people, nor would they touch them. Maimonides F18 says,
``if the Pharisees touched but the garments of the common people, they were
defiled all one as if they had touched a profluvious person, and were obliged to
dip themselves all over;''
so that, when they walked in the streets, they used to walk on the sides of the
way, that they might not be defiled by touching them F19. So Epiphanius F20
relates of the Samaritan Jews, that when they touch one of another nation,
they dip themselves with their clothes in water; for they reckon it a defilement
to touch anyone, or to touch any man of another religion; and of the
Dositheans, who were another sect of the Samaritans the same writer observes
F21, that they studiously avoid touching any, for they abhor every man. A
certain Arabic geographer of note F23 makes mention of an island, called the
island of the Samaritans, inhabited by some Samaritan Jews, as appears by
their saying to any that apply to them, do not touch; and by this it is known
that they are of the Jews who are called Samaritans; and this same arrogant
superstition, as Scaliger observes F24, continues in that people to this day, as
those relate who have conversed with them: these are a smoke in my nose, a
fire that burneth all the day:
very offensive to the divine Being, as smoke is to the eyes and nostrils; very
abominable to him; and whose proud and vain conduct raised indignation in
him, and kindled the fire of his anger, which was continually exercised on
them; see ( Luke 16:15 ) . The Targum is,
``their vengeance is in hell, where the fire burns all the day.''

93. Holier Than Thou
October 5, 2015pjimgallagher
Isaiah 65:5
“Who say, ‘Keep to yourself,
Do not come near me,
For I am holier than you!'”
“Holier than thou” is defined by a modern dictionary as, “having a superior
attitude or view of one’s self.” It is most commonly used as an accusation
against a Christian who calls out sinful behavior. Have you ever been accused
of being ‘holier than thou’? If you have, it was probably because you
attempted to share Christ with someone. This verse is often coupled with
Jesus’ command not to judge lest we be judged, and is used as a defense
mechanism by those who are involved in ungodly practices. I think it is worth
noting, this statement was actually first used by unbelievers who claimed they
were holy enough on their own, and did not need a savior. In fact, anyone who
refuses Christ and the cross, is essentially claiming to be ‘holier than thou’.
The fact is, the cross declares, universally, that all of mankind is not holy on
their own. As Jesus pleaded with God in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew
26:39), we realize salvation is not possible apart from the cross. It is there, and
there alone, where sin can be pardoned. If we do not see our need for Christ
as our Savior, we are confused about who God is, and who we are. If we truly
examined the God of Scripture, we would find He is holy and just, and must
judge sin. If we truly examine ourselves, we will find that we are sinners in
need of salvation.
Instead of ignoring sin and thinking you are fine the way you are, take your
sin before the cross and allow Jesus to wash you and make you new.
Pastor Jim

94. Self-Righteous Soliloquy


I’m very proud of my self-righteous stripes,
I’ve given more alms than you have my whole life
My self-flaggelations is more painful than anybody’s are
I’m sure that in heaven,
my name is neon blinking on the brightest star
My wool is so much whiter than yours,
my spiritual requests goes higher towards heaven
off the faith prayer springboard
I’m just so much more righteous
than you’ll ever be
I know I have a VIP spot
reserved in heaven for me
I love talking to myself endlessly everyday,
and I must say,
I give a mighty fine sermonizing soliloquy
My wool is so much more winter whiter than yours,
it lets my sins get cleansed faster
than anybody else’s of course
I’m tickled pink,

95. I’m blue in the face pleased
that I’m not like that pitiful soul
mournfully standing afar off from me
I’m no extortioner ...
I’m no adulterer ...
I’m no sinful publican ...
I’m an upright, self-righteous God fearing man
Me just love praying to myself several times a day,
it gives me goose bumps
hearing such a solemn, holier-than-thou soliloquy
No one can tell me
that my wool ain’t snow whiter than yours
Welcome to my self-righteous shrine,
may I give you another paid in crass tour?
Copyright © Freddie Robinson Jr. | Year Posted 2017



I Am a Christian
Submitted By: Storm

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean living."

96. I'm whispering "I was lost," Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"

97. I'm not holier than thou.
I was just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow.
Author: Maya Angelou