First to where the phrase comes from:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The phrase has been used at FreeRepublic to allude to the notion that one can't live righteous enough to earn God's Grace in the end of life. This is usually during a debate over faith in Jesus rewarded by Salvation and God's Spirit coming to dwell with the faither/Christian, versus working to earn Grace as is taught by the religion of Mormonism. There is a very revealing episode in the ministry of Jesus which illustrates this in an astonishingly simple way. Among the scenes recorded in the Gospels, this particular scene is found in all four Gospels!
Matthew 9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Mark 5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
Luke 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
In the interest of brevity, I'll ask simply, 'What was Jesus's reaction to the astonishing boldness of this woman who knew she was 'unclean' in Jewish law yet she brazenly approached in stealth and touched Jesus's robe?' ... He told her that her FAITH had made her whole. He didn't say 'Your bold work has made you whole'. This woman who was by Jewish law a most unclean thing, approach with stealth and reached to touch just the hem of Jesus's robe! She was the living epitome of 'filthy rags' (the phrase Isaiah used referred to the menstrual rags).
At this point we ought to make an association: everyone who tries to bring their righteous works to God believing they have earned His Grace, should take Isaiah's advice as to the perspective on these 'filthy rags' they bring. Their filthy rags are not going to earn God's Grace; only their faith will have God making them whole, and that before ANY works should be brought to God.
It is my longshot hope that as duped Mormons bring their filthy rags to God at the end of their lives, expecting these filthy rags to earn His Grace in Christ Jesus, at least God in His mercy will grant them Salvation in Christ because of their faith that God alone can apply His Grace to them, and He will vanish their filthy rags as if they were not even there, seeing only their faith.
BUT, Mormons should note that the woman was not bringing her filthy rags to Jesus as a gift, she was bringing her desperate need for His 'virtue', and it was her faith that He had that virtue and that His virtue would flow to her that allowed God to heal her issue of blood, the source of her filthiness before the law.
It is better to put down those filthy rags now, and approach Christ with faith alone, then His Spirit can live His nature in them as they yield to His indwelling presence throughout the rest of their life.
Well written MHG! May every person who claims to be a Christian put their works in the proper perspective and rely on the free gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. “lest any should boast”
I don’t know any Mormon who has said they are going to enter into God’s presence by virtue of their own righteousness.
That’s not going to happen — the only hope we have is through the mercy and grace that is extended through the sacrice that Jesus has made for us. There is no other way, and Latter-day Saints know and teach that.