Spiritual Smugness
A.W. Tozer warns against the dangers of self-righteousness and complacency, calling believers to recognize their spiritual condition and seek change and improvement.
A.W. Tozer addresses the dangers of self-righteousness among believers, emphasizing that a sense of spiritual sufficiency can lead to stagnation and complacency. He warns that when individuals believe they are already what they ought to be, they cease to seek growth and improvement, which can result in a judgmental attitude towards others. This self-satisfaction not only disrupts the unity of the church but also reflects a disconnect between one's spiritual aspirations and their actual spiritual practices. Tozer highlights the irony of those who expect to reign in the heavenly realms while failing to manage their own lives and responsibilities effectively.
Text
Self-righteousness is terrible among God's people. If we feel that we are what we ought to be, then we will remain what we are. We will not look for any change or improvement in our lives. This will quite naturally lead us to judge everyone by what we are. This is the judgment of which we must be careful. To judge others by ourselves is to create havoc in the local assembly. Self-righteousness also leads to complacency. Complacency is a great sin and covers just about everything I have said about the rote and the rut.
Some have the attitude, "Lord, I'm satisfied with my spiritual condition.
I hope one of these days You will come, I will be taken up to meet You in the air and I will rule over five cities." These people cannot rule over their own houses and families, but they expect to rule over five cities. They pray spottily and sparsely, rarely attending prayer meeting, but they read their Bibles and expect to go zooming off into the blue yonder and join the Lord in the triumph of the victorious saints.
Sermon Outline
- The Dangers of Self-Righteousness
- The Sin of Complacency
- The Call to Spiritual Growth
- Recognizing Our Spiritual Condition
- Seeking Change and Improvement
- Complacency and Spiritual Stagnation
Key Quotes
“If we feel that we are what we ought to be, then we will remain what we are.” — A.W. Tozer
“Some have the attitude, 'Lord, I'm satisfied with my spiritual condition. I hope one of these days You will come, I will be taken up to meet You in the air and I will rule over five cities.'” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must be careful not to judge others by our own standards, but rather seek to understand and love them as God loves us.
- Complacency is a great sin that can lead to spiritual stagnation, and we must be willing to work towards spiritual growth and improvement.
- Recognizing our spiritual condition and seeking change and improvement is essential for a vibrant and growing faith.