Our righteousness

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. – Isaiah 64.6

Most of us hate to admit that we can’t do something. I don’t want to sound sexist in the current climate, but I suspect men are much worse at not admitting inability. It is not so bad now but when I was younger I really hated to admit ‘I can’t do it!’

Man has historically thought that if he created the right religion and did the right things God, no matter what concept they had of Him, would take that into consideration. Most people I talk to today think that when all is said and done if their good outweighs their bad surely God will take that into consideration. Surely, my own righteousness, even though it is not perfect, will be enough.

Sadly for mankind God has an answer for that. We are all like an unclean thing. The best of our righteous acts are nothing but filthy rags. There are all kinds of idea about what these ‘filthy rags’ might be, but by any definition these are pretty nasty rags. Even if it was nothing more than a rag used for blowing your nose that would be pretty gross.

Man’s sin is so great that nothing of us can cancel it. Only the righteousness of Christ can be imputed to cover it. His righteousness satisfies God’s holiness and God is pleased to look on us and see Christ instead.