Growing up in evangelical churches, many of us learned Isaiah 64:6 by heart: “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (KJV). It’s a crucial truth that keeps us from thinking we can earn salvation through good works. But Justin Dillehay’s latest article poses a question that some Christians have never seriously considered: Once you’re adopted into God’s family through Christ, does your heavenly Father still view your efforts to please him as offensive?

In “Filthy Rags or Fragrant Offerings?” Dillehay challenges the common assumption that God remains perpetually unimpressed with our attempts at obedience and service. Using passages like Philippians 4:18, where Paul describes the Philippians’ generosity as “a fragrant offering . . . pleasing to God,” he argues that our status as God’s children fundamentally changes how the Father views our good works.

This isn’t about earning salvation or achieving perfection—it’s about understanding what it truly means to be “accepted in the Beloved.” Dillehay suggests that when God looks at the sincere efforts of his adopted children, they actually smell like Jesus to him.

For Christians who’ve spent years believing God is impossible to please, this article offers a biblically grounded and surprisingly encouraging perspective. It might just transform how you think about your relationship with your heavenly Father.