Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 1:6

“We have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned.”

Of all our subtle, “acceptable” sins, the pride of moral superiority may be the most common, second only to the sin of ungodliness. Although it’s so prevalent, it’s difficult to recognize because we all practice it to some degree. In fact, we seem to get a perverse enjoyment out of discussing how awful society around us is becoming. When we do that, we’re guilty of the pride of moral superiority.

How, then, can we guard against this sin of self-righteousness? First, by seeking an attitude of humility. If we’re morally upright, it’s only because God’s grace has prevailed in us. No one is morally upright by nature. Rather, we all have to say with David, “surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5, NIV). We ought to feel deeply grateful that God by his grace has kept us from, or perhaps rescued us from, the lifestyle of those who practice the flagrant sins we condemn.

We can also identify ourselves before God with the sinful society we live in. Ezra the scribe was a godly man who lived an exemplary life. Yet when he became aware of a deep sin among the people, he identified himself with it, though he himself was not guilty. Consider his prayer: “o my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (Ezra 9:6). He included himself in this confession of guilt. As we in our day see the increasing moral degradation of our society, we need to adopt Ezra’s attitude. (Excerpt taken from Respectable Sins)

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