Righteousness As Filthy Rags?
Righteousness As Filthy Rags?
Introduction
This
is "Part 2"
of a three-part
study into Christian misconceptions on
the law, righteousness, and salvation.
Part 1 disproved "Faith Alone." We did this by looking at
the Greek for "believe in" and discovered that when used in
relation to people, then the meaning is "obey unto." We
therefore learned that John 3:16 and other verses where "believe
in" or "believe on" is used can be understood to
mean the following: "That whoseover
obeys unto/ commits to/ is faithful to
him shall not perish but have age-during life." The
Young's Literal Translation puts John 3:16 this way: "for
God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He
gave, that every one who is believing
in him may not perish, but may have life age-during."
The
proper understanding
is that the "faith" is ongoing. The Greek revealed to us in
Part 1 demonstrated that true faith is
obedience.
This refutes
Paul's popular "Faith Alone" doctrine. But this doesn't suffice the opponent. They have "arrows in their quiver" so to speak.
We also learned that the Faith Alone error is propped up by misinterpreted verses elsewhere in the Bible, and the two primary examples introduced were Isaiah 62:2-5 and Isaiah 64:6. These are probably some of the most quoted and also misrepresented verses in all of Scripture. This second study will look at Isaiah 64:6 and will demonstrate how Christians misuse the verse to support their false Paul-inspired conclusion of "Faith Alone."
Isaiah 64:6 Kept in Context
If you've ever been to church before for any length of time, you've probably heard the "Pastor" or "Evangelist" say, "There's nothing we can do to save ourselves. Salvation is by grace through faith alone, just as Paul said. The reason we can't save ourselves is because even our best efforts at living righteously aren't good enough. In fact, the Bible says our righteousness is as filthy rags! Like putrid menstruation rags." Indeed the phrase "righteousness as filthy rags" appears in Isaiah 64:6 but is often misunderstood. Many evangelicals and mainstream Christians interpret it to mean that even our best efforts to keep God's law are inherently flawed and insufficient. This interpretation, however, ignores the broader context of Isaiah and the message of the Prophets in general, including Jesus. The issue isn't that striving to obey God’s law makes someone unrighteous--God forbid; rather, it is that sin and rebellion corrupt what would otherwise be righteous.
Let's not forget the context of the book. Isaiah 64 is a lament over the peoples' sins and resulting separation from God. Remember, Isaiah is prior to the Babylonian captivity and diaspora. He also speaks of future restoration. In the lament Isaiah acknowledged their collective guilt, confessing that they have sinned and strayed from His ways (Isaiah 64:5-7). Their "righteousness" has become as filthy rags, not because obedience to God’s law is worthless, but because their repeated sins and rebellion have stained them. They became unclean. This is not a condemnation of keeping the law but a reflection of what happens when sin overtakes a people who are called to live in covenant obedience to that law. Nor is it a condemnation of people who aren't guilty. Let's not ignore the two preceding verses: "4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. 5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved." The context here shows what should be a stark contrast between those who are righteous and who will be saved--the ones who wait for God; the ones who rejoice; the ones who work righteousness; the ones who remember God's law; these are in contrast to the ones who have rebelled, of which "in those is continuence," whose "righteousness are as filthy rags." Isaiah is repentant and demonstrates a broken and contrite heart over sins in contrast to those who "continue" in rebellion. God meets with workers of His law. He doesn't despise them and reject them. Let's ask how it's possible for God to "meet with him that rejoices and works righteousness" and those who remember God's ways (laws) when, according to modern Pauline Christians, "all our righteousness are as filthy rags?" Might it be that they've missed the context and can't discern between the clean and unclean?
Simplification
This principle is reinforced in Ezekiel 18 and is I think a
"simplification" of the scenario in Isaiah. It answers the
question, "What happened? Why are their righteousness as filthy
rags?" The obvious detail that's missed here is that something
that's dirty was once clean. The idea that dutifulness and
law-keeping is somehow responsible for making someone unclean is
extremely blasphemous. Before we look at what another Prophet said,
let's see what The Creator said about His law and our efforts at
keeping it: "Behold, I set
before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing,
if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God,
which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the
commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way
which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have
not known" (Deuteronomy 11:26-28, KJV). What Paulinists want us
to believe is that God gave us a law that He knew we couldn't keep,
even in our best efforts, and still commanded them/ us to obey them.
This is cruelty if He did that and let them languish under such a
heavy burden--again, that he expected them to keep. There's no
suggestion anywhere in the giving of the law that God hinted that
such a thing were impossible. Why withhold that information anyway?
Here what God has to say in Deuteronomy 30!
11
For this commandment which I command thee this day,
it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say,
Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may
hear it, and do it? 13 Neither is it
beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea
for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in
thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
It's interesting to compare the words of a liar to the words of a Truth Teller. God told us that the "word" or "commandment" He gave isn't hidden or far away, meaning it's not inacessable. And notice where it dwells: "in thy mouth, and in thy heart." To what purpose? "That thou mayest do it." As Paul said, "Let God be true and every man a liar." So because Paul and Paulinists wrest scripture and contradict God, I will listen to my Creator and not Paul. Let's test another Prophet and see if they agree with God or follow Paul's example and disagree.
Prophet Ezekiel spoke in 18:20-31 the following,
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. 21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live? 24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. 30 Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Look here! Of course Ezekiel is a Prophet of God. God said through Ezekiel that if the wicked turns from their sins and keeps the LAW (statutes)--practicing righteousness--then all his sins would be forgotten and he shall live. This reminds me of Exodus 20:6 referenced in our first study. God says in verse 31 that such a person would have a "new heart" and "new spirit." God also said that a righteous person who "turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity" will die and "ALL HIS former RIGHTEOUSNESS will be forgotten." I included the word "former" here because that's what's very clearly understood by the context. God plainly declares that a righteous person's deeds will be forgotten if they turn from righteousness to commit wickedness (Ezekiel 18:24). Here, righteousness is not inherently filthy or insufficient. Instead, it becomes void when polluted by sin and apostasy. This one chapter helps explain the entire scenario with Israel in Isaiah's book.
The true Prophets consistently call people to repentance and obedience to the law, affirming that living by God’s commandments is the path to life, while rebellion leads to destruction. This is the message of Isaiah and Ezekiel, Moses and Jesus, all truly inspired by God Himself, and is the only true message. Jesus taught it. Paul didn't, and neither do his disciples. We see exactly how Paulinists have twisted the verse from context to suit their erroneous presumption of "faith alone."
Conclusion
The idea that Isaiah 64:6 diminishes the value of striving to obey God’s law is a misreading based on the ramblings of a false prophet named Paul. Rather, Isaiah's language in 64:6 underscores the seriousness of sin and the need for true repentance. Righteousness is made filthy and void, and will be forgotten, when corrupted by sinful deeds. As has been consistently demonstrated in this short series, obedience remains central to walking in God's favor.