Titus 3:5 NASB1995
[5] He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
When we first accept Jesus as the rightous savior of our sins we are justified in the eyes of God the Father. Following this first step of faith is the sanctification process of becoming more like Jesus.
The sanctification process is not becoming morally superior to others. The moment our feelings turn to pride and arrogance we have put off the breast plate of righteousness due to the belt of truth slipping. In other words when we feel like we are better than someone else and in position to judge and condemn them we don’t have Jesus’s righteousness- that comes from the sanctification process of knowing truth. Jesus is truth John 14:6. Instead we have put on self righteousness and that’s old nature. Our natural tendency before justification.
We are easily deceived, manipulated and fooled into doing Satan’s bidding. We start to act like the father of lies rather than God. We play judge and condemn in unjust ways. Then, we reject, shame, degrade and isolate from community. Then act like that is evidence of their evil. We mistreat, hate, violate rights they have not earned the loss of, exploit them as example of what evil looks like.
Self righteousness is seeking good feelings about ourselves and so we look good to others. So others don’t do this to us. Instead when we humble ourselves under the truth of who God is we are upheld with his righteous right hand. Isaiah 40:10. That’s a promise we can stand on fearlessly.