Recently I have been researching a verse of Scripture that has interested me.
“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6.) A friend of ours told me that the original meaning of ‘filthy rags’ is even more unpleasant than it sounds. It actually means (and apologies to the squeamish) ‘used menstrual cloths.’ In other words, what Isaiah teaches is that when we hold up our best efforts to God, the things we consider holy and pure, what He sees is something disgusting, unclean, shameful and rotten… Our best effort before Him is as pleasant as a second-hand Tampax. That, my friends, deserves my current favourite acronym: TMI (Too much information!)

But, I looked into this some more. In addition to the Bible, I found that other Jewish sources had very strong and forthright teaching concerning niDAH. (The time of ritual uncleaness a woman enters during her period.) For example, the Mishnah compares the uncleanness of an IDOL to the impurity of a menstruating woman (Shabbat 9:1). The failure to heed laws concerning menstruation was considered one of three sins for which women die in childbirth (Shabbat 2:6). Sheesh! These guys are harsh aren’t they?! Josephus states that women during the menstrual period were not permitted in any of the courts of the temple. Men were not allowed to even touch their wives or anything that their wife had touched, including their CHILDREN during this seven day period every month.

Such was the importance of purity before God.

But it bothered me that elsewhere in the Bible the phrase ‘righteous acts’ is used. Does it mean that every time we see that phrase God sees an ‘Always’ advert gone wrong? Nope! The idea that all of our righteous acts are filth and unclean before God is not at all Biblically sound. It would make James the most unintelligible book of the ancient world for example. The author would, in effect, be writing that “faith without filthy rags is dead” and “a man is justified by filthy rags and not by faith only” and “I will show you my faith through my filthy rags” and “by filthy rags, faith is made complete.”

Christians would be encouraged to “stir up love and filthy rags.” And young men, according to Paul, would all be obliged to show forth “a pattern of filthy rags.” The absurdity goes on and on throughout the pages of Scripture if Isaiah 64:6 is applied to all people everywhere. So I don’t think it does.

The clear teaching of the Bible is that acts of virtue and goodness are pleasing to God. He does not view them as filthy, unless they are done with FALSE INTENTIONS (check out Matthew. 6:2) In fact, God was pleased with Cornelius’ goodness even before that man was converted to Christianity (Acts 10:4).
Amazingly, the preceding verse in the book of Isaiah teaches this: “You [the Lord] meet him who rejoices and does righteousness” (Isa. 64:5). I think then that genuine works of righteousness, ARE valuable. God meets us in intimacy when we walk in them.

Jesus taught that God will reward even small works, such as giving a child a cup of water (Matthew 10:42). Elsewhere He commands us to let our good deeds “shine before men,” that they might glorify the Father (Matthew 5:16).

Scripture teaches us that pleasing God IS connected to righteous works.
Yes, our works are imperfect. But the Scripture affirms repeatedly that our Father smiles upon our acts of goodness, little though they may be”¦ No one will be saved without them. Jesus states in John 5:29 that the resurrection is for those who have “done good.”

We do not put God in our debt by doing good deeds. We cannot merit salvation by balancing our works with our sins. Salvation and forgiveness lie in our covenant status with God through Christ. But the imitation of our Lord – which includes works of goodness (Acts 10:38) – is an obligation of that promise relationship. It is also a high privilege and a joy.

Clearly, God does not view all of our righteous acts as filthy rags, but as costly apparel purchased with the blood of Christ. So, what good deeds are you attempting for His glory today?