---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our righteousness”—never mind our…"
description: "\"“Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6 NKJV;”\" — Michael S. Horton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg"
---

#  Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy…

![“Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6 NKJV;” quote by Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg)

> ““Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6 NKJV;””

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Our righteousness is filthy, like tattered rags.

**In simple terms:** Righteousness is imperfect.

Key Takeaway

Recognize human imperfection.

Themes

sin humility spirituality

Mood

humble solemn

Type

biblical theological

When to use this quote

- moral reflection
- spiritual humility

Key Concepts

theology biblical

Questions to Reflect On

- How to reconcile sin and grace?
- What does true righteousness look like?

A Different Perspective

May cause despair.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/)

## Related quotes

> [“We all are like filthy rags in the site of God; not one clean enough, good enough, righteous enough, to stand before a holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-bertram/we-all-are-like-filthy-rags-in-the-site-of-god-not-one-clean-enough/)

[Robin Bertram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-bertram/)

> [Life is nothing but rags and tags and filthy rags at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/life-is-nothing-but-rags-and-tags-and-filthy-rags-at-that/)

[Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/)

> [Snitches get stitches, end up red in ditches, bitches, have you dead on your back on the floor like a filthy fucking whore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massmurder/snitches-get-stitches-end-up-red-in-ditches-bitches-have-you-dead-on/)

Massmurder

> [“What I didn't know at the time was that no matter how much we weighed on Allah's scale, all of our righteousness and good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mosab-hassan-yousef/what-i-didn-t-know-at-the-time-was-that-no-matter-how-much-we-weighed/)

[Mosab Hassan Yousef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mosab-hassan-yousef/)

> [“And all our righteousnesses are filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our inequities like the wind have taken us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/and-all-our-righteousnesses-are-filthy-rags-and-we-all-do-fade-as-a/)

[Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/)

> [“Life is nothing but rags and tags and filthy rags at that. Why was I ever born?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/life-is-nothing-but-rags-and-tags-and-filthy-rags-at-that-why-was-i/)

[Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/)

> [“He demands perfect righteousness, not good intentions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/he-demands-perfect-righteousness-not-good-intentions/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“Righteousness is faith in motion. It is the work of faith. The faith we have is expressed by the things we do. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/righteousness-is-faith-in-motion-it-is-the-work-of-faith-the-faith-we/)

[Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/)

> [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/)

[Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/)

> [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [Two Things that measure Righteousness: The Way You Manage when You Have Nothing &amp; Way You Behave when You Have Everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sultan/two-things-that-measure-righteousness-the-way-you-manage-when-you/)

[Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sultan/)

> [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/)

[David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/)

> [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/)

[Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/)

> [The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/the-lord-is-my-shepherd-i-shall-not-want-he-maketh-me-to-lie-down-in/)

[David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/)

> [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/)

[L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/)

## More by Michael S. Horton

> [“The flesh of Christ is like a rich and inexhaustible fountain that pours into us the life springing forth from the Godhead into itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-flesh-of-christ-is-like-a-rich-and-inexhaustible-fountain-that/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“All of the Reformers agreed among themselves and with Rome on the point that the Supper lies at the heart of the person of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/all-of-the-reformers-agreed-among-themselves-and-with-rome-on-the/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“As the pretensions of modernity are unmasked today, it is a good time for us to recover our nerve, “always being prepared to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/as-the-pretensions-of-modernity-are-unmasked-today-it-is-a-good-time/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“To study theology involves entering into a long, ongoing conversation, one that we did not begin. Others have been talking about God long before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/to-study-theology-involves-entering-into-a-long-ongoing-conversation/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“True faith calls on the name of Jesus for salvation from death, hell, sin, and Satan. Therefore, sound theology has its source in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/true-faith-calls-on-the-name-of-jesus-for-salvation-from-death-hell/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“Jerome does not condemn singing absolutely, but he corrects those who sing theatrically, or who sing not in order to arouse devotion but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/jerome-does-not-condemn-singing-absolutely-but-he-corrects-those-who/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“Calvin showed little patience toward those—especially leaders in the church—who displayed either explicitly or implicitly that they did not take God’s Word seriously. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/calvin-showed-little-patience-toward-those-especially-leaders-in-the/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“In short, Calvin has been given too much blame by critics and too much credit by fans. His real genius is to be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/in-short-calvin-has-been-given-too-much-blame-by-critics-and-too-much/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“Trials are the workshop of a Father, not the threats of a Judge. The arrow that looks as if it were targeting our heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/trials-are-the-workshop-of-a-father-not-the-threats-of-a-judge-the/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“The orthodox hold the mean between these extremes, maintaining that the providence of God is so occupied about sin as neither idly to permit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-orthodox-hold-the-mean-between-these-extremes-maintaining-that/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“This may be the most valuable and the most challenging thing we can learn from Calvin’s ecclesiology today: that the church is not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/this-may-be-the-most-valuable-and-the-most-challenging-thing-we-can/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“The same word that is faith-producing and life-generating for some is for others an occasion to become more resolute in unbelief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-same-word-that-is-faith-producing-and-life-generating-for-some-is/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“We can be grateful that Jesus embraced the cross and then entered his glory instead of demanding glory first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/we-can-be-grateful-that-jesus-embraced-the-cross-and-then-entered-his/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“I’m not saying that there is something wrong with moving to the city to pursue an adrenaline-racing calling. And I understand the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/i-m-not-saying-that-there-is-something-wrong-with-moving-to-the-city/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

> [“Our natural reason tells us that good people finish first and cheaters never prosper. However, believers have no right to God’s common grace any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-natural-reason-tells-us-that-good-people-finish-first-and/)

[Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

[Explore all 95 Michael S. Horton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/)

## More Filthy quotes

> [No one can tell the difference between a clone and a human. That's because there isn't any difference. The idea of clones being inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/no-one-can-tell-the-difference-between-a-clone-and-a-human-that-s/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“Show me a filthy public restroom and I’ll show you a society where discipline and order have broken down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lourd-ernest-h-de-veyra/show-me-a-filthy-public-restroom-and-i-ll-show-you-a-society-where/)

[Lourd Ernest H. de Veyra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lourd-ernest-h-de-veyra/)

> [Jared glared. Some people, Kami knew, had bedroom eyes. She was saddened to have to admit that Jared had filthy alleyway eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/jared-glared-some-people-kami-knew-had-bedroom-eyes-she-was-saddened/)

[Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/)

> [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/)

[J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/)

> [A woman with cut hair is a filthy spectacle, and much like a monsterit being natural and comely to women to nourish their hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-prynne/a-woman-with-cut-hair-is-a-filthy-spectacle-and-much-like-a-monsterit/)

[William Prynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-prynne/)

> [Thank God that at this hour I am dangerous to the war profiteers of this country who rob the people on the one hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-richards-o-hare/thank-god-that-at-this-hour-i-am-dangerous-to-the-war-profiteers-of/)

Kate Richards O'Hare

> [“No matter how dirty, how filthy, how contaminated you are inside, I still love you. And since I feel that way about you, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihito-takarai/no-matter-how-dirty-how-filthy-how-contaminated-you-are-inside-i/)

Rihito Takarai

> [Good God, man, what is that smell?" He eyed with disgust the doctor's filthy cloak. "Life," answered the doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/good-god-man-what-is-that-smell-he-eyed-with-disgust-the-doctor-s/)

[Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/)

> [Every child was taught from his cradle that money was Mammon, the chief agent of the flesh and the devil. As he grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-harding-davis/every-child-was-taught-from-his-cradle-that-money-was-mammon-the/)

[Rebecca Harding Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-harding-davis/)

> [In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious, the earth is solid and full, all creature flourish together, content with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-harmony-with-the-tao-the-sky-is-clear-and-spacious-the-earth-is/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [In her glamorous quest for the darkest light and the lowest high, she now found herself wallowing on the bottom of a filthy garbage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-blackstock/in-her-glamorous-quest-for-the-darkest-light-and-the-lowest-high-she/)

[Terri Blackstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-blackstock/)

> [And loneliness. I should say something of loneliness. The panic, the sweeping hysteria that comes not when you are without others, but when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/and-loneliness-i-should-say-something-of-loneliness-the-panic-the/)

[Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/)

> [“Your pants are filthy, as if you rolled in the dirt before coming here. I would expect nothing less from the boy I remember”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielson/your-pants-are-filthy-as-if-you-rolled-in-the-dirt-before-coming-here/)

Jennifer A. Nielson

> [I wasn't trying to be a role model with 'The Dutchess,' but suddenly, seeing little girls in the audience with their moms made me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/i-wasn-t-trying-to-be-a-role-model-with-the-dutchess-but-suddenly/)

[Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/)

> [Humm humm haaa. Rahmumm humm haaaa," intoned Opal, finishing her chant. "Peace be inside me, tolerance all around me, forgiveness in my path. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/humm-humm-haaa-rahmumm-humm-haaaa-intoned-opal-finishing-her-chant/)

[Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/)

Browse all 292 Filthy quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6 NKJV;”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael S. Horton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is-like-filthy-rags-isa-64-6/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Filthy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is-like-filthy-rags-isa-64-6/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/michael-s-horton-7082_filthy_our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is_2857679.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6 NKJV;” — Michael S. Horton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael S. Horton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Our righteousness”—never mind our sins!—“is like...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is-like-filthy-rags-isa-64-6/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-righteousness-never-mind-our-sins-is-like-filthy-rags-isa-64-6/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
