The Filthy Righteous

(Isa 64:6 KJV) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Have you ever considered the concept of the filthy righteous? The term 'filthy sinners' is something we can all understand. No problem there. We all look at another person and judge whether or not we think they are sinners or righteous. We don't even have to be Christian to do this or even know a thing about God. That is the way we are as humans. We judge another according to whether we feel that person is right (righteous) or wrong (sinner). In the world of the unbeliever the judgment comes from the secular or socialistic realm. In the world of the believer the judgment comes from the spiritual realm. Regardless which area is the root the judgment comes from whether we think the other is right or wrong. The only real difference between the two roots is the judgment coming from an unbeliever is from what society says is right or wrong and the Christian judges by what they believe God says is right or wrong.

In both the secular and spiritual realm we have the tendency when we judge another to also judge ourselves. When judging we naturally believe that we are better than the person we judge because we don't do what they are doing. We set ourselves up as being more righteous than the one doing wrong. We have all done it and if we think we haven't we are lying to ourselves.

It is the people who have the attitude of being righteous is what this passage in Isiah is speaking. Let's look at it again.

(Isa 64:6 KJV) But we (humanity) are all (every single one of us) as an unclean thing (regardless of whether we consider ourselves sinner or righteous), and all our righteousnesses (Yes, ALL our righteousnesses) are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

The word translated here as filthy means menstrual blood and the word translated rags is what we would call Kotex or tampons. It's not talking just about something filthy it is showing us that our righteousnesses are dead. If the egg which attaches itself to the blood lining in the uterus is not fertilized it is discarded permanently from the body as being useless, dead, with no ability to ever produce life and will only decay. It will never again be able to produce life. The truth of this passage is telling us that our righteousness are as dead blood, good for nothing, filthy and not acceptable to God.

We who are Christian have a vulnerability to this attitude of believing we are more righteous than an unbeliever. When we get this attitude we become the 'filthy righteous.' The filthy righteous believes they become righteous when they become a Christian. When one is regenerated (born again) they do not become righteous they have been given the 'gift' of righteousness. The only difference between them and an unbelieving sinner is God has counted them righteous because Christ died on the cross for their sins and they accept (trust in) that sacrifice. They are not righteous because of anything they do, they are righteous only because God has credited the righteousness of Christ to their life account.

In Matthew 19 a man comes to Jesus and calls him 'Good Teacher.' Jesus responds to him by asking, "Why do you call me good, only God is good." Jesus is saying two things here. He is saying that if anyone calls Him good they have to call Him God and if only God is good, then they are not.

The filthy righteous have assumed the position of being 'good' or righteous and have taken the position of God. But this is not acceptable to God for only God is good (righteous). There is nothing that we can do to make ourselves righteous in the eyes of a Holy God. We can always do what we think is the right thing to do and keep from doing what we think is wrong but that does not make us righteous enough to be accepted by God. He accepts only one righteousness and that is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He accepts us only because He has given believers the righteousness of His Son. He has not made them righteous.

(Isa 64:6 KJV) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

(Prov 21:2 KJV) Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.