FILTHY RAGS: THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST IS RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Filthy Rags
a) The statement, "All our righteousness is like filthy rags", is found in the middle of a Biblical poem in Isaiah (Isaiah 64:4-9). The saying has caused a deep struggle in many hearts. Does the statement mean that it's pointless to do righteous deeds and they have no value in God's eyes? No, it doesn’t.
b) We put the "filthy rags" statement into context, looking at other statements in Isaiah to see that true righteousness is not "filthy rags".
2. The Kingdom Of Christ Is Righteousness
a) A theme of Isaiah is the promise of the coming Messiah (or Christ), and one of his marks is righteousness. "Behold I lay in Zion a stone... and I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the level" (Isaiah 28:16-17). Righteousness is the measure used to lay the very foundation of God’s kingdom.
b) "A child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders... on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness..." (Isaiah 9:6-7, see 59:17). Righteousness is the principle by which the Messiah reigns.
c) Now if we live by this principle and our King’s example, will God repudiate our righteousness as filthy rags? How can Christ-like righteousness be filthy rags?
The End ...
1. Filthy Rags a) The statement, "All our righteousness is like filthy rags", is found in the middle of a Biblical poem in Isaiah (Isaiah 64:4-9). The saying has caused a deep struggle in many hearts. Does the statement mean that it's pointless to do righteous deeds and they have no value in God's eyes? No, it doesn’t.
b) We put the "filthy rags" statement into context, looking at other statements in Isaiah to see that true righteousness is not "filthy rags".
2. The Kingdom Of Christ Is Righteousness
a) A theme of Isaiah is the promise of the coming Messiah (or Christ), and one of his marks is righteousness. "Behold I lay in Zion a stone... and I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the level" (Isaiah 28:16-17). Righteousness is the measure used to lay the very foundation of God’s kingdom.
b) "A child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders... on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and uphold it with justice and righteousness..." (Isaiah 9:6-7, see 59:17). Righteousness is the principle by which the Messiah reigns.
c) Now if we live by this principle and our King’s example, will God repudiate our righteousness as filthy rags? How can Christ-like righteousness be filthy rags?
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