Isa 64:6 "...all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags..."
The word "filthy rags" in the original Bible refers to a woman's blood-stained menstrual cloth. In God's eyes, the best that we can do are only used napkins. It is because sin has affected every part of our being---mind, desire, will, spirit, soul and body.
The clearest glass of water in the world is the most despicable of all if it has an HIV virus in it. Let's meditate on those words:
1. If "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" in His eyes, imagine how filthy must our sins be in His eyes.
2. If "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" in His eyes, then there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. If we ever have a chance of saving ourselves, it must be by our righteous works, but if our righteous works and deeds are even filthy rags in His eyes, then we cannot do anything to save ourselves. We are helpless, powerless and hopeless in ourselves in saving ourselves.
3. If "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" in His eyes, then the idea that we can go to heaven if our good deeds outweigh our bad ones is an illusion.
4. If "all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" in His eyes, then the idea that our righteous deeds cover and cancel out our bad deeds is false. In fact, it only compounds it. Covering an open sewer with used up, blood-stained napkins doesn't make it look good. It only makes it worse.
All these point to the fact that if we are to be saved, we will be saved not by what we do but by the work of Another. And that "Another" is Christ. We need another righteousness not our own. And that righteousness is Christ. Christ is the saved sinner's righteousness. In Jeremiah 23:6, He is called "THE LORD ***OUR*** RIGHTEOUSNESS."
And we can only have Him as our righteousness if we put our trust in Him and what He did on the cross.
