genuineoriginal
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Are all our righteousnesses filthy rags or not?
When we look at the verse that phrase comes from in context, we see that there are two different groups of people being compared to each other, not a single group that represents all of humanity.
I highlighted the two different groups in different colors, the righteous in YELLOW and the wicked in GREEN:
So, how did the righteousnesses of the second group become like filthy rags?
The righteous turned away from their righteousness and sinned (Isaiah 64:5), which means that all the righteousness they did when they were righteous will no longer count as righteousness.
By sinning, the righteous became the wicked and lost all claim to their righteousnesses, meaning those righteousnesses are now as useful as "filthy rags" in God's sight.
The wicked group was part of the righteous group before they sinned.
The wicked can change groups and be in the righteous group again by repenting.
By repenting, the wicked can have their righteousnesses counted and they will no longer be as useless as "filthy rags" in God's sight.
When we look at the verse that phrase comes from in context, we see that there are two different groups of people being compared to each other, not a single group that represents all of humanity.
I highlighted the two different groups in different colors, the righteous in YELLOW and the wicked in GREEN:
Isaiah 64:4-7 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. 6 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. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. |
So, how did the righteousnesses of the second group become like filthy rags?
The righteous turned away from their righteousness and sinned (Isaiah 64:5), which means that all the righteousness they did when they were righteous will no longer count as righteousness.
By sinning, the righteous became the wicked and lost all claim to their righteousnesses, meaning those righteousnesses are now as useful as "filthy rags" in God's sight.
Ezekiel 18:24 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. |
The wicked group was part of the righteous group before they sinned.
The wicked can change groups and be in the righteous group again by repenting.
By repenting, the wicked can have their righteousnesses counted and they will no longer be as useless as "filthy rags" in God's sight.
Ezekiel 18:21-22 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. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. |