My Righteousness

“And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith . . . .” Phil. 3:9.

There are many who understand this text like this: “My righteousness is nothing but sin and wretchedness—unacceptable to God. But I believe in Jesus, that He lived a righteous life for me and died for me; therefore, His righteousness is imputed to me even though I am ever so sinful and my deeds ever so bad. Therefore don’t look at me, look at Jesus.” This sounds right, but the spirit of it is wrong. It is not right according to the letter either, because Paul writes: Follow me, even as I follow Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1; 4:16; Phil. 3:17; 4:9.

The righteousness that is by the law can be called my righteousness, because I do it in my own strength. The only help the law can give me is to instruct me. Paul was a zealous man who achieved much in his own righteousness. However, the law did not lead anyone to perfection, and Paul realized that the righteousness he achieved by the law was inadequate. But now he had received the knowledge concerning Christ—concerning the grace that was given to mankind through Him. He began to admit his own weakness and began to believe in Christ—in the grace, the resurrection power that He alone could give. He knew that this was sufficient to lead him into perfect righteousness. We read later that he had no other interest than to pursue perfection. All else was loss to him. All gain according to the flesh was as dung in comparison to gaining the victor’s crown. He ran hard in the race, and he exhorts us to consider him and follow him. We can safely do that, because he did not run with uncertainty, nor did he fight as one who beats the air. 1 Cor. 9:26. He knew in whom he believed.