THE TITANIC OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
by Erwin Bourne—March 26, 2002
We immediately think of the great unsinkable ship
known as the Titanic. “Even God cannot sink this
ship!” But it sank! Sank in calm waters! Sank in
waters with mostly-submerged icebergs. Doesn’t this
illustrate self-righteousness? The self-righteous
have great magnitude, carry themselves about with
impressive force and pride. They have no need of
God’s grace. They are morally good and respectable.
But what says the Scriptures? For all have sinned;
all fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23
NLT). Like the Titanic, they don’t need God. Warning
after warning reached the “unsinkable” ship by radio.
Ship communication was returned: “SHUT UP! And the
radio was disconnected.
MAN’S GOODNESS IS WORSE THAN HIS BADNESS
It was the self-righteous Jews who condemned Christ,
tried him and crucified him. They said of John the
Baptist: “He has a demon;” and of Christ: “Here is a
glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners” Luke 7:33 and 34 NLT). But wisdom is proved
right by all her children.”
Pontius Pilate, a Roman procurator, tried to spare
Christ life. He told the Jews, “I find no basis for a
charge against him. But it is your custom for me to
release to you one prisoner at the time of the
Passover. Do you want me to release the king of the
Jews?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us
Barabbas!” The religious crowd preferred a criminal
in place of Jesus. Two other men, both criminals,
were also led out to be crucified. When they came to
the place called the Skull, there they crucified him ,
along with the criminals—one on his right, the other
on his left (Lk. 23:33 NIV). He had done no wrong,
and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like
a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave (Isaiah
53:9 NLT).
But Death was disarmed. Christ said, “The reason my
Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to
take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay
it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it
down and authority to take it up again. This command
I received from my Father” (John 10;17, 18).
—Erwin and Jean Bourne