filthy rags or shiny silk
All " good" deeds are like filthy rags ..in Gods eyes. He wants to dress us up in shiny silk..
anita
11/30/20235 min read
As a cleaner I often wear filthy rags at work, and it make me feel as such too.
Whenever I get to dress up in shiny silk I feel 10 times better about myself ;)
Spiritually many are walking around in filthy rags, wishing they had silk.
IS 64:6 « we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags»
Do you know that you can trade in your filthy rags today- for shiny silk ? and you dont need money to get it.
The missionary Paul was a very good person, or so he felt and thought about himself..he did the right things – more than anybody else ,but then he encountered Jesus. After meeting Jesus Paul wrote that all his own good deeds and all his right thoughts were as filthy rags, compared to the righteousness He had received from Jesus( Phil 3:8)
Paul wrote Romans 10 3-11:»for they being ignorant of Gods righteousness , and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have NOT submitted to the righteousness of God».. he saw that he could never measure up to Gods standard of « right « and « good» ness.. He could never qualify for «shiny silk», he was doomed. He then ( after meeting Jesus) believed in Jesus, and submitted to Him- calling Jesus for Lord. He immediately was given a new heart and a new identity, ..he was «born again».. he was suddenly in a right place with God. That was alot of newness to handle, and so Paul used many years to be in prayer, think and process it all..until his mind also was renewed.
This new heart, and a new identity as righteous before God is the same as receiving shiny silk
The « right» and «good» ( righteousness) of God is given by God, when you look to Jesus, and believe in Jesus!Rom 1:17; The righteousness of God is revealed; the just shall live by faith» 2.cor 5:21 :
« for He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us..that we might become the righteousness of God in Him»
waking up every morning KNOWING that between me and God everything is right, that is a « shiny silk « feeling ..Do you have that reality ? Not having any feelings of being doomed, condemned, dirty. Not hiding away from God, but honestly approach Him. Do you want this ?.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?.. do you believe that He died for YOU, to pay your dept towards God, to cleanse you of ALL unrighteousness – your filthy rags kind of deeds.. and He rose again to defeat death- on your behalf, so that YOU also can have eternal life?..do you believe this? Do you believe that JESUS is the almighty God coming down to earth to save YOU, because he loves YOU!..
With our heart we believe and with our mount we confess what we believe. To believe is not a mental thing, or theology..it is your heart seeing Jesus, and submitting to HIM, by admitting to Him that you have a filthy raggs kind of righteousness and need His shiny silk kind off righteousness. ..His righteousness.
Submitting to His righteousness is stop trying to produce your own. You know, all the things that you do to please God or to avoid His wrath. All the things you do to try to have a right standing with God..those things you would need to stop, and instead receive Jesus, and with Him- shiny silk- HIS righteousness, and His love for you!
As long as you try to be better, do better, - you have not submitted, you are still under condemnation and rightly feel so. Filthy raggs makes us feel miserable, and a positiv smile cant hide it.
God does not ask us to do , but to be with Him. Whatever we then do will be together with Him, guided by His spirit, and will never be to our credit.
God the Father is the justifier of the one who honestly believe in Jesus and submit to Him. Rom 3; 21-29 :»the righteousness of God- through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.»
The laws « do this, do not do that»..gives us knowledge of sin/ wrong doings Rom 3:20 « by the deeds of the law No flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin» , therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Him ( gal 3:24).Because of these laws all people will know deep inside that they are in debt to God, their relationship is not right, they are therefore fearful or angry or have an « I dont care» attitude.. No matter what reaction you have to your condemned state of being, only one thing will give you a right standing with God; obedience to His command to ; believe in Jesus!..john 6:29 « this is the work of God that you are to do ; Believe in Him whom He sent»..which is Jesus Christ.
He so loved YOU that He gave His son, so that you if you believe in Him will not be doomed/condemned, but be set free and have the eternal life and be declared righteous. ( Joh 3:16)
By His stripes we are healed, and by His blood we are righteous. « by His blood we are justified..we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, and we shall be saved by His life» ( rom 5:9)
the Holy spirit /the spirit of God, is given to anyone who submit to Jesus Christ, and His spirit is the guaranty given by God to us that we are in a right standing with God ,and one day we will be where He is.
Joh 7; 38 « this He spoke about the spirit whom those believing in Him would receive»
Peter, the follower of Jesus, he stepped out unto the water and walked on Gods command. Peter did not walk on water, but because He acted on the command «come» from Jesus, he did not sink. He knew that if Jesus told Him to come unto the water, then he would not sink.( matt 14:22)Likewise there is no possibility for us to step into eternity without a command from Jesus. Jesus is shouting « come»! and all those who hear and respond step into eternity( receive the eternal Life of God) and they will not sink( death has no hold on them)..
Jesus said « I am the eternal life» ( Joh 11:25)..so there is no other way to receive life than receiving Jesus!..He is the one many want to pass by/step over/ignore..but Gods command is and will forever be: « believe in Jesus, and you will receive life eternal».
.Submitting to him , admitting that you are not good enough, and have no righteousness of your own..you need HIS! To hear the « come» but reject it , is like rejecting life, then death awaits you.
Allowed yourself to be found, to encounter Jesus and find a right standing with God. There is no other way for eternal life. When you do, something supernatural happens inside you; you are born again. Everything will be as new, your eyes see as for the first time, your ears likewise.
Your mind may need a long time to process it all, but it will be renewed too as you spend time with Jesus and learn to know HIM ( His personality, ways of doing things and likes/dislikes)..
To anyone who hears « Come!» DeRev 22 17 «The Holy Spirit and the bride ( those who believe in Jesus) says; come!..and let him who thirst come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely».