The Habit of Self-Justification

Self-justification the habit of excusing ourselves by appealing to our supposed overall goodness is not merely a weakness but a sin, because it denies God’s verdict that we are sinners by nature and replaces His truth with our own pretenses. The Bible teaches that our problem is not isolated wrong acts but a rebellious nature that hides behind masks and refuses honest judgment. The Christian, however, has no need to justify himself, because God has already justified him in Jesus Christ: accepting God’s charge against us, we abandon self-defense and rest wholly in Christ’s righteousness. When we make excuses, we live in the old Adam; when we confess our sin and trust Christ, we live in grace, knowing that our standing before God rests not on what we are or do, but on God’s free and continual forgiveness through the perfect obedience and atoning work of Christ.