• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• CHAPTER 1. Perverting the Gospel - The Ultimate Sin Against Humanity
• CHAPTER 2. The Gospel of Salvation - Part I - Faith and Obedience
• CHAPTER 3. The Gospel of Salvation - Part II - A Righteous Life by Faith
• CHAPTER 4. Regeneration: God's Creation of the Righteous
• CHAPTER 5. Sanctification: Set Apart for Righteousness
• CHAPTER 6. The Neccesity of Coming Under the Lordship of Christ - Part I
• CHAPTER 7. The Neccesity of Coming Under the Lordship of Christ - Part II
• CHAPTER 8. We Walk By Faith - Part I - Every Believer Overcomes the World
• CHAPTER 9. We Walk By Faith - Part II - Every Believer Takes up Their Cross
• CHAPTER 10. The Fallacy of the "Carnal Christian"
• CHAPTER 11. Bear or Burn: The Fate of the Fruitless in the Parables of Christ
• CHAPTER 12. Righteousness vs. Self-righteousness
• CHAPTER 13. Saint or Sinner?
• CHAPTER 14. Can a Christian Backslide?
• CHAPTER 15. Sin and the Misinterpretation of Romans 7
• CHAPTER 16. Examine Yourselves as to Whether You Are in the Faith

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross

Grk/Heb Fonts

Over 75 Online Commentaries

by James P. Shelly

CHAPTER TWELVE

Righteousness vs. Self-righteousness

There are many passages in Scripture whereby a professing Christian must examine the genuineness of their faith according to how they live, whether in godliness, humility, love, good works, holiness, righteousness, etc. The confusion comes when, although each of us must come to an honest assessment as to whether or not we are indeed personally righteous in practice, we are simultaneously preconditioned to presume that any thought or perception of righteousness in ourselves is “self-righteous” and consequently moralistically sanctimonious or Pharisaical. However, according to Scripture, there is a great fixed gulf between the righteous and the self-righteous; A righteousness that is acceptable to God (Isa. 64:5) and a righteousness that is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6).

Again, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” If the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God who then will? Is it not the righteous? He leaves us with no other option. This verse is certainly not speaking of an imputed righteousness, for the context in which he speaks is one of right or wrong behavior. He says in the verse that follows, “Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Paul is saying in essence, “If you think you will inherit the kingdom of God by a faith in Christ that does not result in living a righteous life you are deceiving yourself.” Furthermore, he assumes that this was a well-established truth of the Christian faith; that those characterized by unrighteous behavior would not be the recipients of the kingdom of God. He says, v.9, “Do you not know?” Are you ignorant of this central truth? That the impure, the sensual, the hateful, the contentious, the jealous, those who exhibit fits of anger, the greedy, those who cause dissensions, divisions, enviers, drunkards, revilers, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous, swindlers, the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, murderers, sorcerers, liars, and things like these, will have no inheritance¹ in the kingdom of God (1 Cor.6:9, 10; Eph. 5:5, Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:8). If these verses are to have their intended effect on our hearts, we must necessarily come to one of two conclusions — Either we are living unrighteous lives, walking in the flesh, and thus recognize our need for repentance and grace if we are to inherit the kingdom of God, or, we are indeed living righteous lives, walking in the Spirit, bearing the fruit of the Spirit, and thereby confident that we shall enter the kingdom of God. Simply stated, these verses require every professing believer to see him or herself as righteous and saved, or unrighteous and condemned.

When John writes in 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” we must evaluate whether or not we are indeed keeping His commandments if we are to have any confidence that our profession of Christ is genuine. John is simply stating the same principle he set forth in John 15 — Whoever professes to be a branch in the tree of Christ who is not bearing the fruit of Christ, is a liar. He is indeed making the assertion that self must be righteous, however, the righteousness he speaks of is not self-produced but rather a product of the natural consequence of being in spiritual union with Christ. Thus, it wholly eliminates any notion of self-righteousness while at the same time establishing the fact that we must be personally righteous. This was the teaching of the church from the beginning. Polycarp (A.D. 69-156), an Apostolic church father, who spoke of his own study under the apostle John wrote, “He who raised him (Jesus) up from the dead will raise us up also - if we do his will, and walk in his commandments, and love what he loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness” (Ante Nicene Fathers, Volume 1, pg.33).

We find then that Scripture makes a clear distinction between a self-righteousness — an artificial so-called righteousness that is produced by the flesh (legalism), and an authentic righteousness which is produced by the Spirit of God (grace) — Not a righteousness that justifies us before God but rather that which is produced in and by all those, without exception, who have been justified. We are justified the moment we are grafted into and made alive in Christ, the true Vine. However, as is true of any branch successfully grafted into a vine, it naturally bears fruit, as it has no other purpose for its existence. Even so, the justified in Christ are those created in Christ Jesus for “good works” (Eph. 2:10), for bearing fruit to God (Rom. 7:4), which is the sole aim and purpose for which they are created. If we profess to be one created in Christ Jesus for good works and yet are not living a life of good works we are deceived. If the Spirit of Christ is in us, “the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life” otherwise our end is everlasting death (Rom. 6:22, 23). So again, these verses require a professing believer to examine their own life as to whether or not they are righteous in truth, i.e., characteristically doing what is right in accordance with God’s word, if they are to have any confidence in their salvation. Again, not a righteousness that justifies us before God, but a righteousness without which we are not justified (John 5:28, 29).

Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.” The Christian is no longer governed by the “old man,” the “I” or “self,” legalistically obeying the letter of the law, producing a self-righteousness according to the flesh, independent of God. But rather is now governed by Christ, walking by faith, according to the spirit of the law, producing a righteousness wholly dependent on Him, rooted and grounded in the heart. Paul was indeed a righteous man but any thought of “self-righteousness,” or being justified before God on account of his righteousness, would be abhorrent to him. For He says, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” For,

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire (2 Pet. 1:3-5).

All who are in Christ, i.e., partakers of the Divine nature, have escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. The fruit of the Divine nature or indwelling Spirit, which is the life of the Vine that flows through the branch, “is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22, 23). Notice, the fruit depicted here is not that of outward behavior but rather that which governs outward behavior. They depict the character of the heart; the new heart now regenerated and circumcised. Therefore, we must examine our own hearts as to whether or not they possess and exhibit these characteristics if we are to have any assurance that Christ is truly in us, that we have actually been grafted into the Vine and therefore partakers of the Divine Spirit (Rom. 8). In so doing, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:16). “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10). Charles Hodge writes,

It is inward righteousness or holiness, of which the apostle here speaks, and not our justifying righteousness. It is because the Holy Ghost, as dwelling in believers, is the source of holiness, that he is the source of life. The life of which he is the author, is the life of God in the soul, and is at once the necessary condition and the effect of the enjoyment of his fellowship and favor.²

We read in Romans 8:12, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” In essence saying, if by the Spirit you separate yourself from sin and live righteously before God, you will live eternally, otherwise you will perish eternally. Here, the “you” or “self” is the one who must “put to death the deeds of the body” but it is by the inward work of the Spirit that precedes the action of the “you” that results in the accomplishment of the stated goal. In other words, the Spirit, primarily through the means of God’s word, initiates the action, working in the heart, motivating and compelling the “I” to bring it to fruition. It is as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:10,

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them [speaking of the other Apostles], though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Simply put, Paul says I worked hard, but it is God, not self, who deserves the “pat on the back.”

David was a man after God’s own heart, yet he says of himself in Psalm 7:8,

The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

And in Psalm 18:20-24,

The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt. So the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight (emphasis added).

If one were to speak in this manner in the church today, they would likely be met with the accusation of being self-righteous or labeled a legalist. However, God Himself testifies of David’s righteousness in 1 Kings 15:5, “David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” The JFB commentary states:

The charge of self-righteousness cannot be brought against David; because the righteousness which he claims is not that which is free from infirmity (Psalms 19:12-13), but the righteousness of sincere striving by faith after holiness, as contrasted with wickedness and hypocrisy. His aim, too, is, not to praise self, but to magnify righteousness as the way to deliverance, in answer to prayer.³

Job says in Job 27:6,

I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

God also agrees with Job,

And the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?’ (Job 1:8).

(Emphasis added in all the above).

Job was not a sanctimonious legalist, nor was David being self-righteous. They were very much aware that the source of their righteousness was not of themselves, but of God. David says in Psalm 4:1, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” He knows that “the righteousness he possesses, he possesses in Him, and the righteousness he looks for, he looks for in Him” (Keil & Delitzsch). He recognized that God alone was the foundation, source, and author of his righteousness. We read in Psalm 141:3-4, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity.” In Psalm 19:12-13 we read, “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression” and in Psalm 119:133 “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.” David expresses his complete dependency on God for any hope of righteousness in himself. He knows that he shall be blameless and his sin shall not have dominion over him only by trusting in God through faith. Even so, it is with every Christian, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14, emphasis added).

We read in Ezekiel 18:21, 22,

But if a wicked person turns away from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is just and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness that he has done he shall live (emphasis added).

Here we see that unless a man turns from all his sins and lives righteously before God he shall perish. Paul E. Kretzmann in his commentary writes,

If the wicked, no matter where or what he may be, or in what relation he may stand to others, will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, by an act of true repentance...and do that which is lawful and right, what God expects all men to observe, as evidence and proof of the faith of his heart: he shall surely live, he shall not die. God, in His great mercy, is ready to deal with him according to his new obedience, not according to his former sins.⁴

But how is this righteousness accomplished? The answer is found in v. 31, “Make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” (NASB). “‘To make’ in Hebrew is constantly used in the sense of ‘to procure for oneself,’ ‘to acquire.’ This new heart is essential if any hope of righteousness is to be realized in us yet to acquire it one must look beyond one’s self to the maker of all things. Again, God says “I will give you a new heart” (Ezek. 36:26). Praise God He is ready with open ears to hear the sinner’s plea for this new heart in response to the eyes being opened to just how desperately wicked is the one they now possess (Jer. 17:9). So again, since the righteousness does not originate from self, but from God alone through grace alone, there can be no legitimate boasting or self-righteousness. That would be like a man having a heart attack and going into surgery to receive a heart transplant and coming out from under anesthesia boasting in how he saved himself while the surgeon stands over him in utter bewilderment. In salvation, the sinner comes before the Great Physician (Luke 5:31), receiving a diagnosis of terminal heart disease, with the only remedy being that of a heart transplant which He must receive if his life is to be saved. He must replace the diseased and hardened heart governed by sin with a “new heart” governed by righteousness that he might live (Deut. 30:6). So then, God is not only the surgeon but the heart donor as well. How absurd then, as God stands over His new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), the thought of self-righteousness or of boasting as though we save ourselves by our own works.

Self-righteousness then, is just that, a righteousness derived from the sinful heart of unregenerate self. The dictionary definition is “confidence in one’s own righteousness, especially when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.” It is a righteousness that is self-centered, ugly, boastful, arrogant, and repugnant to God; A righteousness that is as filthy rags (Isa. 64:6). It is a so-called righteousness that is obedient to the letter of the law while having no regard for its intent. These are the sanctimonious which say, “Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am too holy for you.” which God says “are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day (Isa. 65:5).” In contrast, the righteousness that David and Job speak of, in reference to themselves, is a righteousness produced by the Spirit in a renewed and regenerated heart. Therefore, it is God-centered, beautiful, void of pride and boasting, humble, spiritual, and wholly honoring to God. Its focus is entirely on God and His work in and for us. Working in us an ever-growing and progressive righteousness that is well-pleasing to Him (Hebrews 13:21) while being all too painfully aware of the rudiment of sin that remains, resulting in an imperfect righteousness that could never be the means whereby a man could be justified in the sight of God (Ps. 143:2). Scripture, therefore, necessitates that we make a distinction between self-righteousness and that divine work of righteousness imparted by God — A superficial self-righteousness of the flesh characterized by pride, or a genuine Spirit-induced righteousness of the heart characterized by humility. The determining factor as to whether or not the righteousness is acceptable to God is dependent on the source from which it is derived and the motive whereby it is initiated and accomplished.

Every command in God’s word is written with the intention that we obey it. If we conclude that we are indeed obeying His word we are not then being self-righteous but rather simply coming to a necessary conclusion to the satisfaction and delight of the new heart’s desire to please our loving Father. The proud and self-righteous are those of whom Jesus spoke who trust in themselves that they are righteous while despising others (Luke 18:9). These painstakingly keep the letter of the law while their hearts remain antagonistic to it. To them, obedience to the law of God is a grueling and arduous endeavor as they labor and are heavy laden under its burdensome yoke. Consequently, they think God is indebted to them, owing them His favor and blessings as compensation for their hard-earned efforts. In contrast, those under grace are led by the Spirit, having the law graciously written on their hearts by God’s own hand, kept through the empowerment of the gift of His indwelling Spirit. They understand the law as spiritual and obey it through a deep and heartfelt love which has been poured out in their hearts by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). Consequently, its yoke is relatively easy and its burden light (Matt. 11:28-30, 1 John 5:3). These are “righteous” yet “unprofitable servants” expecting nothing of merit from God because they have nothing to merit and are rather entirely indebted to Him. They are righteous but humble in that they understand that the various fruits of the Spirit manifest in their hearts are simply the consequence of abiding in the Vine, apart from which they would remain utterly barren (John 15:1-5). A self-producing branch, even as a self-righteous Christian, is nonsensical, equivalent to an infant that boasts of self-sustenance as it nurses from its mother’s breast. We read in Isaiah 10:15,

Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood (NASB).

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Cor. 4:7, NKJV)

For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1 Cor. 9:16).

Remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you (Rom. 11:18).

Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

Therefore, the Christian’s heart cry is,

My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together! (Psalm 34:2, 3).

(Emphasis added in all the above).

We find throughout Scripture that those described as righteous are not “perfectly righteous” but rather those who “work righteousness” as opposed to “workers of iniquity”:

O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord (Psalm 15:1-4, NASB)

In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (Acts 10:34-36, NKJV).

You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways (Isaiah 64:5).

Thus, the Christian, if he is to be confident that he is in Christ and Christ in him, with the hope of abiding in His presence, must discern in his own life if he is an upright man — a man who works righteousness, does not gossip, does not speak evil of his friends, does no harm to his neighbor, does not lie, despises the vile, fears God and honors his Christian brothers. In other words, we must discern whether or not the fruit of the Spirit is being manifest in our daily walk. Not with a puffed-up self-righteousness but rather with a deep sense of humility and praise to God, knowing that all that we are and all that we shall ever be, is achieved by Him in and through the work of Christ, apart from which we are nothing, have nothing, can do nothing, merit nothing and therefore are forever deserving of nothing but God’s wrath.

But does Paul not say in Romans 3:9 that, “None is righteous, no, not one”? When we look at the entire passage, we find that Paul is referring to those outside of Christ.

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is certainly not a representation of the believer in Christ. For nearly every word is the antithesis of what we read in Scripture to describe the Christian’s character. The Psalm that Paul is quoting from, Psalm 53, begins the passage with the statement, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God,’ They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good” etc. (Psalm 53:1). The “none who does good” is one and the same as those who say in their heart “There is no God.”

Does it not say in Psalm 143:2, “For no one living is righteous before you.”? This passage speaks of a perfect righteousness, void of sin, one that would justify us before God. “In thy sight shall no man living be justified” (KJV). If this were not the case it would be contradicting numerous passages of Scripture that speak of the righteous in contrast to the unrighteous:

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust (Proverbs 11:4-6).

The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are his delight. Be assured, an evil person will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered (Proverbs 11:18-21).

The righteous hates falsehood, but the wicked brings shame and disgrace. Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked (Proverbs 13:5-6).

You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You (1 Kings 3:6).

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Ps. 32:11).

Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult! (Ps. 64:10).

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly (Ps. 84:11).

Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart (Ps. 97:11).

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence (Ps. 140:13).

For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it (Prov. 2:21, NASB).

The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust (Prov. 11:6).

The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the traitor for the upright (Prov. 21:18).

An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked (Prov. 29:27).

Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings? He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil (Isa. 33:14-16).

There was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord (Luke 1:5, 6).

(Emphasis added in all the above).

We discover again that the term “righteous” in these passages pertains, not to an alien or imputed righteousness reckoned by faith, but to right behavior. These are not self-righteous, nor are they perfect, but they are those whose life and walk are characterized by obedience to God. And although Scripture refers to them as “righteous” they all with one voice would react even as righteous Job when in the presence of the perfectly Holy and Majestic God, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5, 6) or as Isaiah, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5, NASB).

But did Jesus Himself not say, “No one is good but One, that is, God” (Matt. 19:17, NKJV). Yes, but again, He is speaking in the sense of perfect goodness or sinlessness, otherwise He would be contradicting, not only a myriad of passages in Scripture, but His own words. Christ speaks of a “good person” in Luke 6:45,

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

When He separates the sheep from the goats, He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).

And in other passages,

A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns (Prov. 12:2).

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous (Prov. 13:22).

The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways (Prov. 14:14).

He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord (Acts 11:24).

Do good, O Lord, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! (Ps. 125:4)

(Emphasis added in all the above).

We see then, that Scripture often speaks of those who are good in reference to their behavior in contrast to wicked persons and sinful behavior. They are considered good because they are persons of good character, “full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,” living by the power of His grace in accordance with His will and purpose. They were not perfect, nor were their works perfect, but Scripture calls them good nonetheless.

Many have interpreted Isaiah 64:6, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags” (NKJV), as though it pertains to believers in the sense that even our best acts of righteousness, being tainted with sin, are as filthy rags in God’s sight. However, if we examine the context of this passage, I think it will become clear to the reader that this is not Isaiah’s meaning at all. The preceding verse, v. 5a, says, “You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness” and then in v. 6, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” We notice that the term righteousness in these verses is stated in two contrasting and distinct forms — a righteousness met with God’s approval and a righteousness that is as “filthy rags.” The one is expressed through faith and trust in God with a sincere and upright heart, which is pleasing to Him, while the other is an expression of the flesh through a hardened and hypocritical heart — a ritualistic obedience, void of faith and trust, being displeasing to God. We then read in v. 5b, “Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned — In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.” The filthy rags righteousness Isaiah is speaking of is that of apostate Israel as a nation, not of the true Israel of God, i.e., the redeemed remnant. The JFB Bible Commentary states,

But we are all as an unclean thing - legally unclean as a leper. True of Israel, everywhere now cut off by unbelief, and by God’s judgments, from the congregation of the saints.

And all our righteousnesses is as filty rags - plural, ‘uncleanness’ extended to every particular act of theirs, even to their prayers and praises. True of the best doings of the unregenerate (Phil 3:6-8; Titus 1:15; Heb 11:6).⁵

And in Barnes’ Notes,

And all our righteousnesses. The plural form is used to denote the deeds which they had performed — meaning that pollution extended to every individual thing of the numerous acts which they had done. The sense is, that all their prayers, sacrifices, alms, and praises, were mingled with pollution, and were worthy only of deep detestation and abhorrence.⁶

Keil and Delitzsch say of this passage,

Doing right in all its manifold forms (tsedâqooth, like Isa 33:15, used elsewhere of the manifestations of divine righteousness), which once made Israel well-pleasing to God (Isa 1:21), has disappeared and become like a garment stained with menstruous discharge (cf., Ezek 36:17).⁷

The God-centered and heart-felt righteousness, which once pleased God, had disappeared from among the people and what was left was a polluted self-righteousness that was detestable to God. They had not abandoned the God-ordained sacrifices, feasts, New Moons, and Sabbaths, however, their hearts had grown cold toward God. What were, in time past, righteous acts faithfully performed with godly intentions, had now become an abomination to God, and their so-called righteousness had become like filthy rags. Isaiah 66:3 gives us God’s description of their self-professed righteousness:

He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.

Matthew Henry comments,

The sacrifice of the wicked is not only unacceptable, but it is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 15:8); this is largely shown here, v. 3, 4. Observe,... How detestable their sacrifices were to God. The carnal Jews, after their return out of captivity, though they relapsed not to idolatry, grew very careless and loose in the service of God; they brought the torn, and the lame, and the sick for sacrifice (Mal 1:8, 13), and this made their services abominable to God; they had no regard to their sacrifices, and therefore how could they think God would have any regard to them?⁸

In other words, all their righteous acts were filthy in God’s sight. God says at the beginning of Isaiah 1:11-15,

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations — I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Again, Matthew Henry comments,

The Vanity of Mere Ritual Obedience. What their wickedness was which made their sacrifices thus detestable. It was because they had chosen their own ways, the ways of their own wicked hearts, and not only their hands did, but their souls delighted in their abominations. They were vicious and immoral in their conversations, chose the way of sin rather than the way of God’s commandments, and took pleasure in that which was provoking to God; this made their sacrifices so offensive to God, ch. 1:11-15. Those that pretend to honour God by a profession of religion, and yet live wicked lives, put an affront upon him, as if he were the patron of sin. And that which was an aggravation of their wickedness was that they persisted in it, notwithstanding the frequent calls given them to repent and reform; they turned a deaf ear to all the warnings of divine justice and all the offers of divine grace.⁹

Yet in all this, their attitude was one of self-righteousness saying, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” (Isa. 65:5)

We see then that the “filthy rags righteousness” Isaiah speaks of, is a righteousness of the letter and not of the Spirit. It is a hypocritical righteousness performed in and by the flesh, rather than a divine righteousness performed in and by the Spirit. A prime example of a “filthy rags” righteousness is that of the scribes and Pharisees. It is the righteousness of those “who clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matt. 23:25). Still performing what they thought to be “righteous deeds” in their own sight, but they were as filthy rags in the sight of God. When Jesus said, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” He was not insinuating that the scribes and Pharisees were in fact righteous. What He is saying is that unless our righteousness exceeds a mere outward show, exhibiting a true and living righteousness, a righteousness of the heart towards God, a cleansing of “the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean” (Matt. 23:26), a righteousness that is not filthy, but pleasing to Him, we will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Notice again, He says “your righteousness” meaning not that which is imputed to us by Christ but rather that which is practiced by us in Christ. We read in Revelation 22:11;

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.

The sum of the matter is this — an unrighteous Christian is a contradiction in terms. Scripture is replete with passages describing the character of those justified before God as “good” and “righteous” while having nothing to do with self-righteousness or legalism. It does, however, have everything to do with the profound, glorious, transforming power, splendor, and majesty of God’s magnificent, loving, merciful, and unmerited grace, which can be found only through genuine faith in the work and person of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.” (Rom. 3:27) “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:10). To God be all the glory.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Saint or Sinner?