Why is self-righteousness a danger for Christians?

Self-righteousness poses a significant danger as illustrated by the Pharisees. In Luke 14 and throughout the Gospels, we see that self-righteous individuals are often unaware of their own sinfulness and consequently miss the grace offered through Christ. This pride leads to a false sense of righteousness based on works rather than faith. As Paul warns in Galatians 5:4, those who seek to be justified by the law have fallen away from grace. The danger is that self-righteousness creates barriers between us and others, preventing genuine love and empathy. The call for believers is to continually recognize our position as sinners in need of grace, remaining humble and reliant on Christ.