Audio Transcript
Holy works and filthy rags. It comes up time and time once more, and it’s the subject of a query from Hanley in New Zealand. He’s onto the subject. And it’s a well timed one as he reads Nehemiah 13 — and as many people learn Nehemiah 13 — to complete out the e book in our Bible studying at the moment. Right here’s his e-mail: “Howdy, Pastor John! I’m a younger believer from New Zealand and I thank God for his work by you. I’m confused as to why the saints of the Outdated Testomony often pray to God to treat them based on their very own righteousness. Most notably for me proper now are Nehemiah 13:14, 22, 30–31. Is that this a follow for us at the moment? Can we convey to God our righteous deeds and ask him to not neglect them? I’ve by no means prayed that means. By no means even thought-about it. I suppose my default is to consider ‘all’ my ‘righteous deeds’ as ‘filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6). Do you remind God of your righteous deeds? Ought to we? And why do we have to?”
Okay, Hanley, let’s buckle up as a result of I’m going to pack lots into a really brief house right here — a sort of mini-theology of fine works, how they relate to religion, how they relate to rewards, how they relate to prayer.
Filthy Rags or Holy Deeds?
Let’s begin with Isaiah 64:6. You aren’t alone in considering that this verse teaches that every one Christian good works are filthy rags within the sight of God. That may be a profoundly mistaken studying of that verse. The verse simply earlier than, Isaiah 64:5, says, “You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those that bear in mind you in your methods.” It is a commendation of righteousness within the individuals of God. God doesn’t despise the righteous deeds of his youngsters achieved by religion. What verse 6 is referring to in calling righteous deeds “filthy rags” is the hypocritical works that movement from nothing. They’ve an outward present of righteousness, however inside, lifeless males’s bones rooted in satisfaction, simply as Jesus referred to it (Matthew 23:27).
That misunderstanding of Isaiah 64:6 has induced many Christians to consider that it’s unattainable for a Christian to please God. If their greatest works are filthy rags, there’s nothing they will do to please him. It is a profoundly unbiblical notion by and thru.
For instance, take into account how Paul commends the Philippians: “I’ve obtained . . . from Epaphroditus the items you despatched, a aromatic providing, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). Their generosity to Paul was pleasing to God. It was not filthy. Or Hebrews 13:16: “Don’t neglect to do good and to share what you might have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Hebrews 11:6 holds the important thing: “With out religion it’s unattainable to please [God].” However Christians have religion. We now have religion. And that religion in God’s blood-bought grace, with all its fruits — the fruits of religion and style — pleases God as a result of it is determined by God, not the self, for doing good.
Suppose what a horrible factor it will be to say that the fruit of the Holy Spirit within the Christian life is filthy rags. I can hardly stand to even give it some thought. They don’t seem to be filthy rags. They’re God’s valuable reward and work in us.
Rewards for Devoted Labor
Let’s take it a step additional. If God, in truth, in his grace and energy allows us to do issues which might be good, he’s going to reward them, not ignore them. He’s going to say, “Effectively achieved, good and trustworthy servant” (Matthew 25:21). Works of religion are going to be rewarded, not thrown away as filthy rags.
And God intends for us to hope for and anticipate these rewards. Second Corinthians 5:10: “We should all seem earlier than the judgment seat of Christ, so that every one could obtain what’s due for what he has achieved within the physique, whether or not good or evil.” Or take into account Matthew 10:42: “Whoever provides one among these little ones even a cup of chilly water as a result of he’s a disciple, actually, I say to you, he’ll under no circumstances lose his reward.” Or Ephesians 6:8: “No matter good anybody does, this he’ll obtain again from the Lord.”
There’s no thought in these texts of anyone incomes salvation and even incomes rewards. The thought of incomes isn’t current. To be able to earn one thing, you provide some labor that somebody wants in order that they’re now in your debt to pay you wages. God has no wants, and he pays no wages amongst his individuals. He purchased us by grace; he sustains us by grace; he allows us to do good works by grace. And we do the works trusting that grace. And in that means, we verify (as Peter says) our “calling and election” (2 Peter 1:10).
Essence of Uprightness
Now we’re able to see what’s actually happening within the Outdated Testomony when, again and again, God’s righteous servant pleads his personal integrity, his personal uprightness, to say his assist from God.
I feel Psalm 25 is likely one of the greatest locations to see what’s happening within the psalmist’s thoughts regarding his personal integrity and his personal righteousness, his personal upright habits. In Psalm 25:21, he says, “Could integrity and uprightness protect me, for I anticipate you.” Now, clearly, he doesn’t suppose that his integrity and uprightness are filthy rags, and he doesn’t suppose that they’re carried out in his personal autonomous energy, as a result of he says, “[because] I anticipate you.” The essence and root of his integrity and his uprightness is that he’s wanting away from himself to the mercy and the ability of God.
“God doesn’t despise the righteous deeds of his youngsters achieved by religion.”
He’s not sinless although. Psalm 25:7: “Bear in mind not the sins of my youth or my transgressions.” Psalm 25:11: “On your identify’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it’s nice.” Psalm 25:18: “Take into account my affliction and my bother, and forgive all my sins.” And after confessing his sins 3 times no less than (I feel there’s another verse), Psalm 25:21 says, “Could integrity and uprightness protect me, for I anticipate you.”
He’s simply confessed his sin 3 times. He referred to as his transgressions nice. There may be actual sin left within the lives of the saints — in all of us. There may be additionally actual contrition and actual confession and actual forgiveness and actual lives of integrity and uprightness. And David prays and asks that his integrity and his uprightness would protect him.
Praying Like Nehemiah
So, when Nehemiah — lastly received to your textual content — prays 4 instances one thing very comparable about his obedience to God’s instructions, he’s doing one thing just like what David is doing. He says, “Bear in mind this additionally in my favor, O my God, and spare me based on the greatness of your steadfast love” (Nehemiah 13:22). He’s not doing something basically totally different from what David does within the Psalms or doing something totally different from the way in which the New Testomony treats our good deeds as Christians. He’s saying, “I’m not excellent, however I’ve trusted you, and I wait in your steadfast love, and I’ve acted in my integrity, and I’ve sought to be obedient to your commandments. Could this be remembered earlier than you on the day of salvation.”
Ought to we pray that means? Ought to we think of often our integrity, our uprightness earlier than God? And right here’s a suggestion that I might say, as a result of I don’t do that fairly often both, identical to you. I feel a secure guideline for once we ought to pray this fashion is that this sort of praying involves the fore in instances once we are embattled and accused of issues that we didn’t do. So, we pray, “O Lord, you realize my coronary heart. You realize I’m being accused unjustly. I pray that you’ll bear in mind my integrity and my truthfulness, and vindicate me earlier than my enemies. And if not on this life, O God, vindicate me and reward me based on your mercy within the final day once you bear in mind how I walked in my integrity.”
So, I feel that’s the way in which we must always pray occasionally once we are embattled the way in which the psalmists had been and the way in which Nehemiah was.
