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” (Isaiah 64:6).
When Adam committed high treason against Almighty God in the Garden of Eden, man was completely striped of any form of righteousness before God. He became estranged from his Creator. His deeds, no matter how good and wonderful, couldn’t get God’s attention and there was absolutely nothing man could do that would impress God. The prophet Isaiah vividly described the state of the unregenerate man, painting a picture of the futility of man’s righteousness in the opening verse above.
David also had full comprehension of this deplorable state of man, and reflected this when he said, “Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity” (Psalm 39:4-5).
Every man at his best state is empty. In other words, your self-righteous acts don’t count before God. No wonder the Apostle Paul described man’s righteousness as dung (Philippians 3:8), while recommending the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3:9).
You may have thought that the day you prayed and fasted the most was when you were at your holiest; you felt so close to God, but all that to Him is nothing. That you’re a Baptist, an Anglican, a Pentecostal, or a Catholic doesn’t mean much to God. That you’re European, American, British, African, Asian or Caucasian doesn’t mean anything to God. All these differentiations and categorizations may be relevant in the world but they are of no heavenly or spiritual significance. The only thing that matters to God is the new creation, whom God has created to resemble Him in righteousness.
This is the reason you can’t please God by your works or rely on your human perfection to be approved of Him. You have to embrace His righteousness—which is through the faith of Christ. The Lord Jesus came to save us from our religious, cultural and self-righteous mindsets to give us His own righteousness. Thus, when God looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Christ.
Prayer
Dear Father, I embrace your righteousness which is through the faith of Christ. Therefore I do not strive to please you through my own human efforts, for I have put on the righteousness of God which is by the faith of Christ Jesus unto all and upon all who believe. Amen.
Further Study Philippians 3:8-9: Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Titus 3:4-5: But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, [5] Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
