"Surely nobody does such a thing as that!"
Well, they used to, and since human nature has not changed, it must be that some do still.
The parable of the Pharisee and the publican was spoken for the benefit of a class. It was for those: "[who] trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." (Luke 18:9)
The Pharisee, having this trust in himself "Stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." (Luke 18:11)
And then followed a list of his own virtues. The Saviour said that he prayed "with himself." Notice carefully. He expressed thanks that he was not like other men, but he trusted himself that he was righteous. He thought that goodness sprung from himself-that he was justified by his own works. This is why he despised others, whom he thought were not so good as he was.
If he had trusted in God for righteousness, knowing and acknowledging that there is no righteousness except that which God gives freely by His own grace, he would not have despised others; for he would then have realized that he himself was entitled to no credit over others, even though he had more righteousness than they.
The fact then that he trusted in himself that he was righteous, shows that he did not think that his righteousness came from God. Therefore it is evident that whatever thankfulness he felt for the righteousness which he thought he had, was directed to himself. So that really he himself was the god to whom he returned thanks. If his righteousness came from himself, why should he not thank himself? So although he was in God's temple, and seemed to pray to God, he was really praying with himself.
Such is the prayer of the self-righteous man. He is his own god, and his prayers are directed to himself, as the one from whom all his goodness flows. But let us beware lest in our consideration of the parable we fall into the same pit as the Pharisee.
If we begin to congratulate ourselves that we are not like him, we thereby show that we are exactly like him. Who has not found himself doing that very thing?
Moreover, this making a god of self is not confined to those who profess justification by works. While expressing full belief in justification by faith only, we may be in the same condition as the Pharisee; and while thinking that we have the righteousness of Christ; we may be trusting in our own righteousness.
How can this be? Remember that the Pharisee's manifestation of self-righteousness was by the fact that he "despised others." So whenever we find ourselves indulging a critical disposition, marking this one's faults, and secretly congratulating ourselves that we do not make such mistakes, we are showing the possession of the Pharisaic spirit. It is an exhibition of self-righteousness, and shows that we are worshiping ourselves, and not God.
The possession of the righteousness of God, which comes by the faith of Jesus Christ, is not characterized by criticism and fault-finding. There is in it nothing of self-exaltation, or self-congratulation. There is no despising of others in it. "If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, of them that make peace." (James 3:14-18)
There is one other condition closely allied to the above. It is when a person prays to the Lord for forgiveness, and then looks to himself, to his own feelings--for evidence of forgiveness. That is simply praying to God, and then looking to ourselves for the answer to our prayers.
But if we are going to look to ourselves for the answer to our prayers, why not pray directly to ourselves in the first place? Why go through the form of praying to God, taking His name in vain, when we expect the answer from ourselves?
Is it not plain that in such a case we are really praying to ourselves? That we are in the condition of the Pharisee, who trusted in himself that he was righteous? If after we have prayed to God for righteousness, we look to ourselves, to our feelings, for evidence that we have it, are we not to some degree, at least, trusting in ourselves that we are righteous? Let us rather direct our prayer only to God, and look up, expecting to receive the answer from Him. "Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." (Lamentations 3:41)--Present Truth, March 9, 1893.