Understanding Holy Works and God's Grace

You are not alone in thinking that this verse teaches that all Christian good works are filthy rags in the sight of God that is a profoundly mistaken reading of that verse the verse just before 64:5 says you oh Lord meet him who joyfully Works righteousness those who remember you in your ways this is a commendation of righteousness in the people of God God does not despise the righteous Deeds of his children done by faith what verse six is referring to in calling righteous Deeds filthy rags is the hypocritical works that flow from nothing they have outward show of righteousness but inside dead men's bones rooted in Pride just like Jesus referred to it. [00:01:30]

That misunderstanding of Isaiah 64:6 has caused many Christians to believe that it is impossible for a Christian to please God if their best works are filthy rags there's nothing they can do to please him this is a profoundly unbiblical notion through and through for example consider how Paul commends the uh Philippians in chapter 4:18 I have received re from epaphroditus the gifts you sent a fragrant offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God their generosity to Paul was pleasing to God it was not filthy or Hebrews 13:16 do not neglect to do good and share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. [00:02:52]

Hebrews 11:6 holds the key without faith it is impossible to please God but Christians have faith we have faith and that faith in God's Blood Bought Grace with all its fruits the fruits of faith and Grace pleases God because it depends on God not self for doing good think what a horrible thing it would be to say that the fruit of the holy spirit in the Christian Life is filthy rags I can hardly stand it and think about it they are not filthy rags they are God's precious gift and work in us. [00:03:34]

Let's take it a step further if God in fact in his grace and power enables us to do things that are good he is going to reward them not ignore them he's going to say Well done good and faithful servant Matthew 25:21 works of Faith are going to be rewarded not thrown away as filthy rags and God intends for us to Hope and expect these rewards 2 Corinthians 5:10 we must all appear before the Judgment seed of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he's done in the body whether good or evil. [00:04:13]

There's no thought in these texts of anybody earning salvation or even earning rewards the idea of earning is not present in order to earn something you supply some labor that someone needs so that they're now in your debt to pay you wages God has no needs and he pays no wages among his people he bought us by Grace he sustains Us by Grace he enables us to do good works by grace and we do the works trusting that Grace and in that way we confirm as Peter says our calling and our election. [00:05:29]

Now we're in a position to see what's really going on in the Old Testament when over and over again God's righteous servant pleads his own Integrity his own uprightness to claim is help from God I think Psalm 25 is one of the best places to see what's going on in the psalmus mind concerning his own integrity and his own righteousness his own upright behavior in verse 21 of Psalm 25 he says may integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait for you now clearly he does not think that that his integrity and uprightness are filthy rags and he doesn't think that they are performed in his own autonomous strength because he says because I wait for you. [00:06:15]

The essence and root of his integrity and his uprightness is that he's looking away from himself to the mercy and the power of God he is not sinless though verse 7 remember not the sins of my youth are my transgressions verse 11 for your name's sake oh Lord pardon my guilt for it is great Verse 18 consider my Affliction and my trouble and forgive all my sins and after confessing his sins three times at least I think there's one more verse verse 21 says may integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait for you. [00:07:11]

He just confessed his sin three times he called his transgressions great there is real Sin left in the lives of the Saints in all of us there is also real Contrition and real confession and real forgiveness and real lives of integrity and uprightness and David prays and asks that his integrity and his uprightness would preserve him so when Nehemiah finally got to your text when Nehemiah prays four times something very similar about his obedience to God's commands here's verse 22 he's doing something similar to what David is doing he says remember this also in my favor oh my God and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love. [00:07:59]

He's not doing anything essentially different from what David in the psalm s or doing anything different from the way the New Testament treats our Good Deeds as Christians he's saying I'm not perfect but I have trusted you and I wait for your steadfast love and I have acted in my integrity and I have sought to be obedient to your Commandments may this be remembered before you at the day of salvation should we pray that way should we call to mind regularly our integrity our uprightness before God and here's here's a guideline that I would say because I don't do that very often either just like you I think a safe guideline for when we should pray this way is that this kind of praying comes to the four in times when we are embattled and accused of things that we did not do. [00:08:56]

So we pray oh Lord you know my heart you know I am being accused unjustly I pray that you will remember my integrity and my truthfulness and vindicate me before my enemies and if not in this life oh God vindicate me and reward me according to your mercy in the last day when you remember how I walked in my Integrity so I think that's the way we should pray from time to a time when we are embattled the way the psalmist and the way Nehemiah was. [00:09:58]

Psalm 25 has such a special place in Pastor John's Ministry and a special place in the history of this podcast even it's a Psalm all about integrity but it's also a Psalm about overcoming indecision and finding guidance in life and purpose for life if you want to see how richly the psalm has been used in the podcast see my little Digest in the ask Pastor John book if you have a copy of the apj book see Pages 70 and 71. [00:10:39]

Thank you Pastor John and speaking of finding purpose how do we Christians define success at work on the job site in the office 9 to 5 that's up next I'm Tony ranky we'll see you on Thursday. [00:11:07]