Short Answer: Are our good works really "dirty rags" before God?

Dear Apologist, I was told all of our good works are "dirty rags" before God.  What does that mean?


Your friend was referring to a passage from Isaiah which reads:

"We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth" - Isaiah 64:6  

He is using this passage as an all-encompassing condemnation of human deeds, saying they are all foul in the eyes of God.

However, Isaiah's statement was not directed at Christians who are in the body of Christ.  It was directed at Israel during its disobedience.  We must look elsewhere to see how God regards the good works of Christians.

One key passage to this effect is when Jesus says:

 "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them, bear much fruit" - John 15:5  

There we see the good works of Christians described as fruit.  We also see this same image used in Paul's letter to the Colossians.  He begins the letter by saying:

"We have not ceased praying for you, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work” - Col. 1:9-10  

We can even see a concrete example of this at the end of Paul's letter to the Philippians.  He thanked them for the supplies they provided, writing:

 "I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God" - Phil 4:18  

In addition, you could look to numerous passages in the New Testament which actually promise a reward for the good works which Christians do.  Some good examples would be:

"For he will repay according to each one’s deeds. To those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." - Romans 2:6-7 

"Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." - Galatians 6:8 

"If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." - Matthew 10:42

These passages and many others show us that good works done in Christ are pleasing to God. They help us grow in charity and increase our ability to know our Creator, whose fellowship is our final reward.