Marks, I don't care for that expression that you're thinking of above which comes from Isaiah about the filthy rags.Yes I have. Hence my posts.
So much the typical thread like this. Dodging, deflection, disparagement, but I can't think of anyone who says that we have anything to do with our obtaining either justification, holiness, or righteousness from themselves except episkopos. It seems the rest pretty much agree that we simply believe in Jesus, and God supplies everything from there. We go along with Him, but that's it.
I'm not seeing anyone declaring anything of themselves other than faith and rebirth. And we then go on to talk about what the Bible says about the reborn.
Episkopos, and you, I suppose, in that you seem to agree with and support his doctrine, appear to me to be presenting the idea that Jesus gets us started, but we take over. At least until He takes over. I have to admit it gets more strange the more you examine his ideas. But that's what I'm seeing in this thread.
As if we get saved, but we're not really saved until we get ourselves saved.
Some have different ideas of what holiness and righteousness are. Myself, all comes from God, and there is no "getting our own righteousness through being good in the flesh". I personally find that absurd. There is nothing good resident in the flesh.
If it's from the Spirit, it's from God, not us. If it's from the flesh, whatever we think, God declares such to be, well, filthy unmentionables.
Much love!
Here's why: It makes it sound like that if we do anything for God we're trying to get our own righteousness,,,IOW,,,this verse is always used to show that our works are worth nothing.
Which I agree with BEFORE we're saved because our works do not save us.
AFTER we're saved and we are made RIGHT WITH GOD (righteous through Him) THEN
God appreciates all our good works or deeds.
Saved persons are clean...NOT unclean as Isaiah 64 states.
John 15:3
Other than this, I do agree with you.