The Answer to Filthy Rags is the Robe of Righteousness

This post was first published on ROOTSS on Monday, 9th April 2007

I have been listening to sermons by Pastor Joseph Prince on the topic of Righteousness recently, and would like to share the following insights.

Recently, we read in the newspapers about how some of the world's richest billionaires have given huge sums of money to charity.

In the eyes of the world, this would be considered a very noble deed... even a righteous deed.

For that matter, a man may perform many noble and righteous deeds in his lifetime. However, all these righteous deeds would be in vain if He is without Christ.

In fact, we read in Isa 64:6 that all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags in the eyes of God.

The word "filthy" is translated from the original Hebrew word ed (Strong's H05708), which means "an appointed time for women"...
... or more crudely "menstruation".

"Filthy rags" would therefore refer to cloth soaked with menstrual discharge. Back in Biblical times, sanitary pads were not yet invented then.

In other words, even what we consider to be the most righteous or pious acts that men have ever carried out are nothing but used sanitary pads in the eyes of God.

There was only one righteous deed carried out by a particular man that was pleasing and acceptable to God. That deed took place 2,000 years ago at Calvary, which we commemorate each Good Friday.

Thank God for Good Friday!



Speaking of menstruation, this subject is also mentioned in the New Testament.
In Matt 9:20, we read about a woman who was "diseased with an issue of blood".

This phrase is translated from the Greek word haimorrheo (Strong's G131), which actually means to menstruate.

This woman was menstruating non-stop for twelve consecutive years. She touched the hem of Jesus' robe and was healed instantly.

There are no insignificant details in the Bible.

Just as the answer to that woman's menstrual situation was found by touching the robe of Jesus, the answer to our deeds being no longer considered to be menstrual pads in the eyes of God is for us to be robed in the righteousness of Christ (Isa 61:10).

Because of the divine exchange, we are now the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). Because we are in Christ, God no longer sees us (and our deeds) in and of ourselves, but God sees us being clothed with the robes of righteousness. We are a new creation; the old has pass and the new has come.

Our deeds will no longer be considered filthy rags because we are the righteousness of God in Christ. And our prayers will also avail much, because we are the righteousness of God.

I shall talk about a related topic tomorrow -- spiritual hypocrisy.