The act of assuming "I am right," particularly in a rigid and prideful way, is often characterized in a spiritual and ethical context as a manifestation of arrogance, which is widely considered a sin in Christian theology and many other moral frameworks. This mindset is seen as damaging to oneself, relationships, and spiritual connection.
We all believe in our decisions and hold on to it especially when we plan in a particular manner and want to appear that way. But there is another reason too. When one holds good amount of power and status, then people’s choices and decisions look even more convincing to assume they are right.
Self-righteousness is dangerous and pervasive, extending its tentacles, trapping and blinding us. Often, our motivations remain hidden even from ourselves. In confession Augustine observes how God upends human assessments of behavior: “Your witness condemns many deeds that receive human praise,” he writes. “For it often happens that the appearance of an act denies what the agent has in mind.”
Trevin Wax in one of his writings states this about self-righteous people, ‘Self-righteousness poisons relationships. So does defensiveness and the instinct to excuse ourselves. What keeps relationships alive is the opposite: humility, confession, repentance. When you fail (and you will), you don’t spin or deflect. You tell the truth. You allow the carefully curated image of your “best self” to collapse in front of another person.’
Some of the reasons that convince people they are right are as follows:
Pride and Ego: The persistent need to be right often stems from an inflated ego or a "superiority complex". This pride is viewed as a primary spiritual failing because it places one's own limited perspective above the possibility of being wrong or needing guidance.
Strained Relationships: Assuming one is always right in disagreements leads to arguments, frustration, and damaged connections with others, as it involves putting down others' opinions and a lack of willingness to understand their perspectives.
Lack of Humility: A humble attitude, conversely, involves being open-minded, seeking to understand others' viewpoints, and acknowledging one's own potential for error. The Bible explicitly warns against this kind of self-assuredness, stating, "Never be wise in your own sight" (Romans 12:16).
Closed-Mindedness: A trait characterized by an unwillingness to consider new ideas or opinions. Certainty in one's own rightness is a hallmark of a closed mind.
Ego Involvement: For some, being "right" is tied to their self-esteem or identity. Shifting their view would mean admitting they were wrong, which can be emotionally difficult and lead them to stop listening as a defense mechanism.
Self-righteous people may appear “holier than thou,” but that illusion only works when we compare ourselves to other sinners. Held up to the light of God’s holiness, every rag of righteousness is stripped away. The only way out of the trap of self-righteousness, constantly declaring “I am right”, is a renewed encounter with both God’s holiness and God’s grace.
Knowing who you are and willing to change takes lots of humility. You can encounter a God who exemplified it in abundance. The life of Jesus, not just His teaching, His life in its entirety influenced and transformed millions of lives and gives hope to people who are struggling to change. It is simple to say, ‘let go off your ego’, but it is not possible by one’s own effort. When one confesses his sinful nature to this holy God, Christ Jesus, not only the wrongdoings are forgiven but He helps the person to stay away from sin. The Bible states, “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”. Mark those lines which says, ‘and he cannot keep on sinning’. That’s the power of transformation. Transformation stories can be argued and challenged unless one undergoes that experience. And anyone who is honest to know Christ and willing to invite Him into his/her life finds the power of God supernaturally restoring a person to His own image.






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