Furthermore...
If you are looking at God's people as hopeless and lost, you are being self-righteous. Mikko, can you honestly look at God right now and say, "I am the perfect example of sanctification. I am living completely holy. I am not guilty as these people are." Because that is what you are "preaching" here.
Mikko comes on here and contends that people be holy and people then accuse him of being self righteous?
Peter wrote...
1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Was Peter being self righteous too?
Here we have an extract from the first epistle of Peter where people are clearly compelled to BE HOLY and the context is in regards to their CONDUCT.
We are to be OBEDIENT CHILDREN who are not fashioning ourselves according to the FORMER LUSTS. We are to be holy in ALL MANNER of conduct (the Greek word translated to conversation is more accurately translated conduct in modern English). The context of "be ye holy, for I am holy" relates to CONDUCT.
Yet modern Christianity with its false gospel message has made such a contention as OPTIONAL because they disconnect sanctification from justification.
In the Bible justification is connected to a faith that works by love, love which works no ill. In other words the Bible teaches that the faith that God reckons as righteousness is inclusiveness of FAITHFULNESS TO GOD.
What modern religion does is it redefines faith to merely being TRUST and what has been invented is a perverted view of why Jesus died where the erroneous teaching of "Jesus paid my sin debt in my place" is taught. Thus the issue between man and God that prevents reconciliation is viewed in a purely LEGAL context. The false modern covert thus trusts in this false magic provision where they think that their LEGAL STATUS has been changed (and thus they think they are saved) and then they WAIT ON GOD for Him to do with work in them. In the meanwhile they are still inwardly corrupt and a poor wretched sinner and because everyone else is in the same boat then who can judge for no-one is perfect.
Honestly, modern Christianity is the perfect satanic counterfeit of the real thing. Its adherents call good evil and defend ongoing wickedness.
As for the parable of the publican and the Pharisee...
Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The context is this...
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
In other words the context is REPENTANCE.
The Bible butchers would have people believe that the context is a mere "confession of ongoing wickedness." The Pharisee had a FORM OF GODLINESS in the sense that it was EXTERNAL ONLY ie. "I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."
Jesus countered that in the Sermon on the Mount where he taught that true righteousness is INTERNAL as opposed to some mere external rule keeping and external works. Paul understood that for he wrote...
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
The Pharisee was contending to God that "I keep the law and am therefore righteous, I am not like these lawbreakers." Law keeping means nothing because someone can do it from all manner of evil motivations.
The publican was coming clean with God in repentance. There is no notion in that parable of the publican continuing in his rebellion to God. The publican was...
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
The Pharisee was not coming clean with God. The Pharisee was expounding upon his deeds done according to the law.
The publican was doing this...
Heb 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
The publican was drawing near with a TRUE HEART. In other words he was being HONEST WITH GOD. He was COMING CLEAN with God about what he had done.
Mercy is granted on the condition of...
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
The sin defenders will NEVER quote that verse from proverbs because they deny that confession and forsaking are a requirement for the granting of mercy. They teach a mere confession is enough because they don't believe sin can be forsaken because they think GOD DOES IT ALL as I alluded to previously.
This religious deception is intricate and very layered. One layer supports another layer yet the whole thing can be utterly and easily exposed if one is simply willing to yield to the very plain sayings of Jesus Christ.
HEAR AND DO. Refuse to DO and you will perish in your sins. DOING is your responsibility, not God's.