Week 4 - Philippians 3:9

Week 4 – Philippians 3:9:  and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.

Self-righteousness is the idea that you can become worthy of being named a citizen of the only perfect kingdom that will ever exist. It is based on being able to keep the law of God…perfectly. This is the standard that God has for those whom He will call sons and daughters in His kingdom (see Rom.8:8). However, since we inherited and walk in the sin nature of our forebearer Adam, perfection is impossible. In other words, we WILL break God’s law. Can you smell the hopelessness yet? We are determined to be devoid of any righteousness. However, God is determined to make a people full of His righteousness.  See the difference? We will not have or create any righteousness in and of ourselves, but He will make us righteous through Christ. This is called imputed righteousness. Paul is counting everything as loss and rubbish (vv.7-8) because he now has something that is unattainable by anything but faith in Christ. In other words, being found righteous by faith in Christ is invaluable, you cannot attach a human value to salvation that we could understand or afford. The imperfect has the hope of perfection.

Perhaps you already know all this, for which I am thankful, but I beg you to ask the question, “Why does this matter for me today?” Paul answers:

17 For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:17)

We live by faith when we act in accordance with what we believe. In following Christ, it is more specifically seen in how we trust and obey what He has said. We “live by faith.” It would cause you to encounter any part of life with a conviction to act or react in accordance with the commandments and truth displayed in Scripture. If we agree and can confess with Paul the same truths, then we will live today with a hope that transcends our circumstance and will hold unending joy even amid sorrow. We are to be found, after all this life, righteous, acceptable in God’s sight because of His Son. It is safe to say that v.9 is why Paul counts everything as “animal dung” apart from knowing Christ and now being found in Him. You no longer lack anything to be found “wanting.” What you now have is the God who supplies “every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Php. 4:19)