Pride is a habit for many religious people; they feel good about themselves because they follow the rules of their religion - or at least, most of the rules most of the time.  But that is not how a relationship with the true God works.  If it was about our personal virtue, moral strength, pious disciplines – then we could boast if we were successful.  But the truth is that however hard we try, we fail (Romans 7:15-19).  None of us has anything to boast about before God.  

That is why God has planned a very different way for us to be accepted by Him (Hebrews 10:20).  It is not about what we can do to please God, but about gratefully receiving what Jesus Christ has done for us.  When we trust that Jesus took away our sins when He died as our substitute-sacrifice, God welcomes us into a full relationship with Him.  Trusting in Jesus is not restricted to Jews, who claimed to know what pleased God, but is available to everybody.  However much or little we know of God and His Word, He is willing to justify everybody who trusts in Jesus.  Justification is God’s action in making wrong people right - no longer liable to face Him in judgement.  Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome could be united.  None of them could earn God’s favour.  All were totally dependent on His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

But what if you have been in the habit of boasting about your religion?  Paul says that it is a bad habit, and it has to go!  The truth is that God will receive everybody who comes through faith in Jesus Christ, irrespective of whether they have been good or bad, pious or evil-hearted.  God will justify all who trust in the sacrifice of His Son, on equal terms: all are sinners and Christ died for all (Romans 3:23).  If Jesus Christ had not died, then God would be unjust in forgiving us (1 John 1:9).  But true Christians are trusting that Jesus has paid for their sins: God’s justice is satisfied, and we are justified.  There is no room to boast – except in the cross of Christ (Galatians 6:14).

These truths should produce a staggering humility in every believer.  Alas, that is not always true.  It is so important to check what we really believe about the basis of our faith, otherwise we will become like the proud Pharisees who Jesus rebuked (Luke 18:10-14).  None of us has any right to appear superior to any other believer or, indeed, to an unbeliever.  We have no merit to deserve the applause of men or God.  Our only saving grace is that we believe what Jesus Christ has done for us.  So, pride must go out and humility must come in: that is good for our soul and very good for evangelism.  Nobody is really interested to know how good you think you are, but some will be hungry to know how wonderful Jesus is!