My Righteousness: His Righteousness

Introduction

Philippians 3:4-11

Philippians 3:4–11 LEB

although I could have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else thinks to put confidence in the flesh, I can do so more: circumcised on the eighth day, from the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews, according to the law a Pharisee, according to zeal persecuting the church, according to the righteousness in the law being blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them dung, in order that I may gain Christ and may be found in him, not having my righteousness which is from the law, but which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith, so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Paul chose not to boast except about what Christ had done for him. Had he been prone to boast otherwise, he had enough external privileges to put him out front in any comparison.

Paul wants to emphasis That salvation comes form God. But if you want to boast I can do a better job I am a Jew above all Jews. There is no mixed blood from me. He doesn’t mention it here but he is also a Roman citizen. He says I am a Pharisee (Jesus hard on because they are so close in theology). Pharisees were the to Jewish leaders of the time. He was also known for cleaning out the Jewish church by persecuting the Christians out.

He was “of the tribe of Benjamin.” This was a matter of special pride. Priests had to prove their lineage, and the father of any girl who was to marry a priest had to prove his Israelite descent for three generations. it is all to Possible that Paul’s parents named him Saul after the first king of Israel, who was also from the tribe of Benjamin.

False Pride

This is an example of his former False pride. A false pride that many still cling to.

Paul said in verse 7. “For Christ’s sake I have learned to count my former gains a loss.”

Each of the outward privileges in Paul’s catalog had at one time been a distinct and separate gain, individual items of profit. Now—they are all one big bundle of loss; loss because they are useless. Everything is rubbish compared to gaining Christ.

Righteousness based on our doing right is short lived. If it is dependent upon our efforts at meeting obligations, keeping laws, doing right. Then it is bound to fail. Because no matter how right you are you will mess up at some point.

To many of us Christians who believe this and will say amen (or think it, because some of you don’t know how to engage out loud). We keep on foot in the law domain where “doing” prevails, hoping that our doing will lead to our being righteous. We forget that we do not strive to live by the Spirit in order to be in the Spirit. It is the reverse. Because we are in the Spirit we live by the Spirit. And because we have been conferred the righteousness of God, we do deeds of righteousness. We do righteous works not to get in right relationship with God, but because He has already justified us.

We are in relationship with God, but because He has already justified us. We are in right relationship with Him by faith. Our righteousness is that which is through faith in Christ.

Knowing Christ Exposes Human Pride

Knowing Christ exposes that false pride. It puts it to death, because our focus is on God.

Suffering, death, and Resurrection tell the story of Jesus’ life. But knowing Christ, as we are privileged to do, is not knowing His suffering, death, and Resurrection as episodes in the gospel. Rather, it is knowing these dimensions of Christ’s life as present and active forces in our lives. So, it is not by chance Paul began with “the power of His Resurrection.” We must be convinced of Christ’s Resurrection and rise to the new life of God’s new creation (2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 3:1) before we can learn the secret of Christ’s suffering, and be conformed to His death.

The power of His Resurrection—wow! We can know it.

Next Steps

Do you know the power of His resurrection?

What fleshly qualifications do you have that tempt you to put confidence in them? Have you considered them “a loss” for Christ? What changes has this brought into your life?

What is righteousness? How do you become righteous before God? Does God consider you righteous right now?

—Bibliography--

Anders, Max. Galatians-Colossians. Vol. 8. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999.

Harris, W. Hall, III, Elliot Ritzema, Rick Brannan, Douglas Mangum, John Dunham, Jeffrey A. Reimer, and Micah Wierenga, eds. The Lexham English Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016.

Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.

Max Anders, Galatians-Colossians, vol. 8, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 242.

Dunnam, Maxie D., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon. Vol. 31. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1982.