Can Man Justify His Own Sins and Actions?

Sermon: Can Man Justify His Own Sins and Actions?

Text: Luke 16:15

Introduction

In the biblical sense, justification is a sovereign act of God. It is a forensic, or legal, term where a sinner is declared righteous before the tribunal of Heaven. To be justified is not to defend oneself; it is to be acquitted by God. It is the glorious opposite of condemnation.

However, in Luke 16:14–15, we encounter a perversion of this concept. The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard the teachings of Jesus and mocked Him. Jesus responded with a piercing indictment: “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts.”

This spirit of self-justification did not die with the Pharisees. It is alive today. Human nature constantly seeks to find excuses to defend sin rather than finding the humility to repent of it. In our modern world:

• Alcoholism is often rebranded solely as a "disease" to remove moral responsibility.

• Lifestyle choices contrary to Scripture are excused as "natural conditions."

• Theft is argued away as "economic necessity."

• Violence is justified under a broad umbrella of "self-defense."

But we must remember: what man excuses, God may call an abomination when it contradicts His Holy Word. Today, we will examine the danger of self-justification and the only way a person can truly be right before God.

I. The Human Tendency Toward Self-Justification

Text: “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts…” (Luke 16:15)

Man has been hiding from his sin since the Garden of Eden. We have an innate desire to appear righteous in the eyes of others, even when our hearts are uncleansed.

A. The Impossibility of Justification in the Face of Guilt

When Joseph’s brothers were confronted in Egypt, they cried out, “What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear [justify] ourselves?” (Genesis 44:16). The evidence of their perceived guilt was right there in their hands. Similarly, sin always leaves evidence before God. We may hide our motives from our neighbors, but we cannot hide them from the One whose eyes are like a flame of fire.

B. Justifying the Guilty is an Abomination

We must be careful not to call "good" what God calls "evil."

• Proverbs 17:15 tells us that "He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

• God strictly prohibits the use of lies or clever excuses to absolve the guilty (Exodus 23:7).

• To show partiality or preference to the ungodly is a direct sin against the character of God (Proverbs 18:5).

C. Religious Self-Justification

In Luke 10:29, an expert in the law, wanting to "justify himself," asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" He wasn't seeking truth; he was seeking a loophole to limit his responsibility to love others. Modern Christians do the same when they say:

• "I didn't know it was a sin" (ignoring the call to study).

• "Work prevents me from gathering with the saints" (ignoring the command in Hebrews 10:25).

Central Truth: Man can successfully deceive his peers, but he can never deceive the Heart-Searcher.

II. High Esteem in the Eyes of Man vs. Abomination to God

Text: “...for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15)

Society often builds monuments to the very things God finds loathsome. God does not judge based on public opinion polls; He judges based on His unchanging Word.

A. God Judges the Heart and the Scripture

Humanity exalts practices based on convenience, tradition, or emotion. But God examines whether those practices align with the pattern revealed in the Bible.

B. Examples of Practices Justified by Men

We see this conflict in religious practices that men hold in high regard but lack biblical authority:

1. Musical Instruments in Worship: While highly esteemed and emotionally moving to many, we must look to the New Testament pattern. God has commanded His people to sing and make melody in their hearts (Colossians 3:16), not to play on mechanical instruments.

2. Mandatory Tithing: Many religious leaders exalt the tithe as a requirement. However, the New Covenant instruction is for believers to give voluntarily, cheerfully, and according to how they have prospered (1 Corinthians 16:1–2).

C. The Danger of Operating Outside the Word

The standard is simple:

• If the Scripture authorizes a practice, we must do it.

• If the Scripture does not authorize it, we must refrain from it. To justify a practice purely because "it feels right" or "everyone does it" is to risk offering "strange fire" before the Lord.

Central Truth: Biblical justification requires biblical authority. Anything else is an abomination.

III. No One is Justified by Their Own Works

Texts: Titus 3:5; Romans 5:1

The greatest error of self-justification is the belief that we can earn our way into God's favor through our own merits.

A. Works Cannot Save

Many believe the "scales" of heaven will weigh their good deeds against their bad. But Titus 3:5 is clear: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." Our "good works" are stained by our sinful nature; they cannot serve as a payment for sin.

B. True Justification is by Faith

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

• Faith is not an excuse for sin: True faith produces a heart of obedience.

• Self-justification is the enemy of repentance: As long as you are busy making excuses for your actions, you cannot repent of them.

Central Truth: Only God has the power to justify. Man’s only role is to stop making excuses, repent, and obey the Gospel.

Can Man Justify His Own Sins and Actions?

Conclusion

The human heart is an "excuse factory." We want to be right, but we don't want to be righteous. We want the title of "justified" without the transformation of the Spirit.

Jesus warns us today: stop trying to justify your sins before men. Stop renaming your transgressions to make them more socially acceptable. God knows your heart. He sees the love of money, the pride of life, and the unauthorized traditions.

Do not seek to justify yourself. Instead, flee to the only One who can declare you righteous—Jesus Christ—through a faith that obeys His Word.

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