MY FRIEND: Bros, which one is self-righteousness abeg?, I thought we are commanded to be righteous, why does how we do it? All righteousness na righteousness jare. Any way is a way abeg!
ME: So, how will you explain Isaiah 64:6 “But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like [a]filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away”
MY FRIEND: Errm. So why is God saying that all our self-righteousness is like a filthy rag? Why is he making light our efforts?
ME: You remember Dr. Ajanlekoko’s class last semester right?
MY FRIEND: That Wicked man? That one is not righteous at all o, that man is worse than the devil sef
ME: Well, you’re saying he is wicked because you failed his course? But you were better than me na. You had 39/100, i had 5/100.
MY FRIEND: Forget that thing, You got 5 and I got 39, by the standard of the University, both of us na ‘F’ o. F for Fail.
ME: That’s how righteousness works too!
MY FRIEND: Now you’re no longer making sense again.
ME: Think about it this way, by your standard you are actually better than me in that exam because you had a higher score, however by the standard of the lecturer or the University your best effort is still equal to failure. In the same way, the moral things we do might make us feel we’re better than other people but in reality, we’re still a sinner by the standard of God.
MY FRIEND: So, what’s this standard of God?
ME: In Leviticus 19:2, he says “Be Holy because I the Lord I am Holy”
MY FRIEND: OMG, is God asking us to be holy just like him? That’s mission impossible!
ME: Well, he knows that! That’s why he is doing it by himself. You see, God’s standard of Holiness can only be attained by God. So God came in the person of Jesus to attain that standard. When he was done, he handed it over to man. All he needed them to do was to agree, that they can’t help themselves and receive the help that God provides.
MY FRIEND: So that’s like Dr Ajanlekoko declaring extra 70 marks for everybody. My score will jump to 100, and yours will now be 70 but both of us now have an ‘A’ I’m not better than you and you’re no better than me.
ME: Exactly, in christ, no one is more righteous than the other. The moment we accept the righteousness of Christ, we all become 100% righteous by God’s standard.
MY FRIEND: Indeed, all my self-righteousness is like a filthy rag; I am not better than Hitler, or Osama Bin Laden apart from the grace of Jesus. He is my righteousness.
Thank you for the simplicity and illustrations it spoke to my heart, its not about what I do right or wrong but stepping into what Christ has done. His righteousness, gives me right standing before the father.