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Matthew 11:28 (KJV) “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”Man is foolish beyond words when he attempts to compare his righteousness to Jesus Christ. The sinner stands covered in pride, religion, excuses, morality, and self-effort, yet somehow imagines that these filthy garments are equal to the perfect righteousness of the Son of God. That is not humility — it is blindness.Many speak as though Christ is merely an “assistant” to their goodness instead of the only hope they have. They say, “I’m a good person,” “I stopped certain sins,” “I try my best,” or “I live better than others.” Yet none of those things remove sin. A man can clean the outside of his life while his heart still remains corrupt before God. The Pharisees looked righteous before men, but Jesus called them “whited sepulchres” full of death and uncleanness within.Self-righteousness is one of the greatest deceptions of mankind because it convinces a guilty sinner that he is somehow worthy to stand beside a holy Christ. But the Lord Jesus did not come because man was righteous. He came because man was condemned. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Not one preacher. Not one church member. Not one moral citizen. Not one religious leader.The foolishness of self-righteousness is seen in how man trusts himself while standing in a failing body, with a corrupt mind, changing emotions, broken promises, and a sinful history. How can the same man who cannot guarantee tomorrow guarantee his own salvation? How can a sinner trust himself to save himself? He cannot.That is why Christ said, “Come unto me.” Salvation is not achieved through religious deeds, sacraments, self-improvement, or human effort. Salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ and His righteousness. The burdened sinner must stop defending himself and start believing God. The tragedy is that many people would rather defend their pride than surrender to Christ. They will argue for their goodness while rejecting the only One who was truly good. They will trust their church, baptism, morality, or feelings while refusing to bow before the Gospel. Yet one day every self-righteous mouth will be silenced before a holy God.The weary soul finds rest only when he stops carrying the crushing weight of trying to justify himself and places his faith completely in Jesus Christ.Christ’s righteousness is perfect.Yours never will be.