Works as Filthy Rags

[Associate]

I’ve often heard Protestants make a statement to this effect: the Bible teaches that our works are as filthy rags compared to the completed work Jesus accomplished on the cross.

What scriptural passage is being cited here (assuming there is one or more)? Is the argument supposed to discourage one from performing good works or something similar?

 

[Pug]

Isaiah 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Read the context and see what it is about. I think this is the verse often associated with the phrase “filthy rags”.

 

[BerhaneSelassie]

Here is the commentary of a Church Father

“just as our goodness with regard to the goodness above becomes like evil, so our rigteousness compared with divine righteousness is like menstrual rags, This is considered to be so by Isaiah the Priophet: “All our righteousness are like menstrual rags.” For although there is much of good works of the saints, nevertheless they are preoccupied with earthly endeavor and this holds them back and stops them from the contemplation of that higher good”==St John Cassian, Conference 23.4

What seems to be the most common explanation is that our good works are comparatively like filthy rags to God’s good works, because He is so much greater. Though when I read the verse it seems the people are still in their sins, so their ‘good works’ are not really in their favor anyway, since they still have their sins.

The Protestants use this because they think Catholics believe we can save ourselves apart from God and the Cross, but this is not true. We need God’s grace to do good works.

 

[Eucharisted]

While it is true that we are dust and we are liars compared to God’s Majesty and Holiness, nevertheless He works through, with, and in us. The good He accomplises through us, with us, and in us is His, not ours. This work is not filthy but righteous. However, it can be said that our works are as droplets compared to the Redemption, which is as a fountain. But said droplets come from the fountain, for when Jesus died, He won for us every grace; His Heart ruptured and out of it came His Precious Blood and Water. It is no coincidence that His Mercy is compared to a font and that in our churches there are holy water fonts. The holy water fonts are meant to remind us of our baptismal promises, one of which is that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Mercy. If we live in Christ Jesus, than the Font of Mercy within us will bubble up to eternal life, that great gift of God which all human beings long for. For He abides in the one who abides in Him.

 

[Todd_Easton]

For a different opinion of righteous deeds, see Revelation 19:8, where “the righteous deeds of the saints” are regarded, not as filthy rags, but as “fine linen, bright and pure,” with which the Bride of the Lamb, the Church, is clothed.

 

[BerhaneSelassie]

After reading commentaries on it, and reading Not by Faith Alone…

It seems more reasonable that those works become like filthy rags only because the people in the verse verse in the previous verse fell into sin and stayed in them. In fact the verse before says God “meets those who work righteousness”

 

[Nita]

After reading commentaries on it, and reading Not by Faith Alone…

It seems more reasonable that those works become like filthy rags only because the people in the verse verse in the previous verse fell into sin and stayed in them. In fact the verse before says God “meets those who work righteousness”

Isaiah 64:5-7 Thou meetest him that joyfully works righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways.
Behold, thou was angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment…
There is no one that calls upon thy name, that bestirs himself to take hold of thee; …

The context definitely implies that their “righteous deeds” are “polluted” because they have been a “long time” in their sins, becoming “unclean”.
Note the contrast to those in the first sentence who “remember thee (God) in their ways”, joyfully doing righteous works. God “meets” with them.

 

[Nita]

Zechariah 3:3-4 also speaks of “filthy garments”. These filthy garments are equated to “iniquity”, not righteous deeds.Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. And the angel said to those who were standing before him, Remove the filthy garments from him." And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel.”

 

[PJM]

=Associate;5386152]I’ve often heard Protestants make a statement to this effect: the Bible teaches that our works are as filthy rags compared to the completed work Jesus accomplished on the cross.

What scriptural passage is being cited here (assuming there is one or more)? Is the argument supposed to discourage one from performing good works or something similar?

Actually they are RIGHT as far as they take it. What they fail to understand is the demns GOOD WORKS, and acts of charity, in order to coroperate with HIS PLAN for our salvation!

**Matt. 22: 36-40 **“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
[37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. **And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

** 2 Tim. 3: 16-17 ** All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Heb.6: 10 “For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love which you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.”

Phil.2: 12 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling";

John 9: 4 We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work."

So either these passages are true or God’s either goofed or is lying:thumbsup:

Love and prayers,

Pat

 

[japhy]

Interesting thing about Isaiah 64:6. This verse is often taken out of context by non-Catholic Christians to show that our “good works” are displeasing to God. But from the context (Isaiah 64 at the very least, especially the preceding verse!) you can tell this isn’t true. It was true for Israel at the time of this prophecy, but it isn’t necessarily true of Christians today.

Here are four translations of the verse:

• “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (RSV)
• “all our good deeds are like polluted rags” (NAB)
• “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (KJV)
• “all our justices as the rag of a menstruous woman” (DR)

Please don’t be offended by the Douay-Rheims. It’s the most literal translation. The Hebrew word `ed is used here to describe the rag; it literally refers to the blood from a woman’s period. From this meaning is derived the sense of “filthy” or “polluted”. A woman I know gave the following explanation for why Isaiah would have used such “crude” language:
It’s offensive, isn’t it, that a natural female process would carry a negative connotation, even being equated with sin? But think of it another way: it signals a failure to conceive, a missed opportunity to create, a missed blessing almost certainly. And given all the imagery of birth and mothering in Isaiah (46:3 comes to mind), this verse can’t simply be inspired misogyny.
Now, as for the value of works in general…

This is what I heard on the lips of Jesus Christ at Mass on September 22nd: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” (Luke 8:21) Sounds like faith and works to me!

And St. Paul said that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.” (Gal. 5:6)

Here are some other New Testament passages about good works (righteous deeds):
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God — not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Likewise, my brethren, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4)

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9-10)

Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure" – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)
The summary of those verses is:

• We are saved, not by good works, but for good works
• God has prepared these good works for us ahead of time: they are His will for us
• We are enabled to carry out these good works through Christ’s Resurrection
• God provides for us that we may carry out these good works and bear fruit for God
• Our good works “clothe” us in Heaven

Finally, here’s a little analogy I came up with three years ago:
Consider a pipe (or aqueduct) which carries water from a source to a destination where it is used to power a device (a water-wheel, an irrigation system, etc.). The device (works) is accomplishing some task helping the town survive. The water (faith) enables the device to function properly. The aqueduct (grace) makes it possible for the water to be present. And the creator of that aqueduct (God) makes it possible for the town to even have hope of surviving.

So God saves us, by grace, through faith, in (do you have a better preposition?) works. Imagine the scenario above if the aqueduct fell short of the water-wheel: all this water getting to the town but not carrying out its purpose (faith without works). All three parts are necessary for the salvation of the town.

 

[Big_Dummy]

its simply works done under our own power in an unregenerated state that are garbage to God. Eph 2:10 makes it plain we are to walk in good works, and Eph 5:18 and other texts about “walk in the Spirit” makes it plain that we do good works by the power or strength of God.



Those quoting the Isaiah text assume that you are unregenerate and that you are doing good works under your own steam.

 

[marymichael10]

I’ve often heard Protestants make a statement to this effect: the Bible teaches that our works are as filthy rags compared to the completed work Jesus accomplished on the cross.Is the argument supposed to discourage one from performing good works?

To support this arguement, there is the passage from Isaiah, that has already been mentioned. Mostly it comes from Paul’s arguement for faith in Romans 4:5-6:
“When one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works.”

However, Paul was well aware of the importance of faith working through works, as in Galatians 5:6.13-14:
“For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love…For you were called for freedom brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the fless; rather, serve one another through love. For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

And 2 Corinthians 9:8:
“And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.”

And Colossians 1:9-10: “And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

And read these striking verses in James 2:14-19,26.:
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,’ but you do not give them tne necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you through my works. You believe that God is one. Shudder–Even the demons know such and tremble…For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

It has been argued that the teaching here contradicts the verses of Romans 4, but Paul argues against those who claim to participate in God’s salvation because of their good deeds alone. Many think James was seeking to correct any misunderstanding of Paul’s view.

If you ask me, the letters mean nothing as compared with the teachings of Jesus Himself, who clearly taught that works are needed for salvation.

Matthew 16:27:
“For the Son of Man will come with His angels in His Father’s glory, and then He will repay everyone according to his conduct.”

Matthew 25:31-46:
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, all the angels with Him, He will sit upon His glorious throne…And He will separate them one from another…Then He will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food’…Then the righteous will say, ‘Lord, when did we do these things?’ And the King will say, ‘Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers, you did for Me.’”

Matthew 7:21:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in Heaven.”

Mark 12:29-31:
“The first and greatest commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

Luke 6:27-31:
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…Give to everyone who asks of you…Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:43-45:
“Every tree is known by its fruit…A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a story of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Luke 8:16:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.”

Luke 8:21:
“'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word and act upon it.'”

John 3:19-21:
“Whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”

John 5:28-29:
“The hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.”

John 13:34-35:
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Therefore, it seems rather obvious that Jesus requires us to believe in Him, and then ‘act upon it.’ Faith without works is dead.