Not my own righteousness?

[MatthewG]

“and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬


“not having my righteousness, which [is] of law, but that which [is] through faith of Christ — the righteousness that is of God by the faith,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

What are some of your thoughts when reading this passage? The next two verses is even more intriguing.

Be encouraged to check it out and please share what you think about the scripture, and if there is any other scripture to back up this first one shared.

 

[Robert Gwin]

“and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬


“not having my righteousness, which [is] of law, but that which [is] through faith of Christ — the righteousness that is of God by the faith,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

What are some of your thoughts when reading this passage? The next two verses is even more intriguing.

Be encouraged to check it out and please share what you think about the scripture, and if there is any other scripture to back up this first one shared.

Hi Matt, There are a couple of ways I can see this being taken sir, Paul was a zealous servant of God no doubt, he had made himself available to be used by God in about every avenue he could, yet he was technically an antichrist. So virtually everyone thinks they are righteous Pro 21:2 but many prove false to it's power 2 Tim 3:5. Paul was raised under the law covenant, and as the Bible shows was very zealous for it, but the new covenant was in effect, and if you put yourself in their place it would have been a very difficult time period in knowing what to do. Jesus was in fact executed, and to most he was a rebellious criminal. For their entire lives and around a millennium and a half prior they were definitely God's people under law, and now they were dividing. Paul was trying to show that no longer are people to follow the law given through Moses, rather the new covenant the Law of the Christ. Circumcision, natural citizen of Israel, these former things were no longer what brings salvation. Our righteous works of Law, no longer saved, rather it was a gift that is bestowed upon those who stand with God against satan.

Does that make any sense Matt?

 

[Happy Trails]

There is nothing in the Law I can perform to erase my sin. That is why I need a Redeemer.

However, the Law always was, and always will be, the Instructions in Righteousness.

I cannot redeem myself. I can, however, obey God and walk as He walked. (1 John 2:1-7)

One might also want to consider what "faith" really means. The modern English meaning is a considerable departure from the original word.

 

[MatthewG]

What does faith as a Christian really mean? @Happy Trails .

Robert, that does tend make sense. Paul went around condemning other Christians until his eyes were open by the Lord one day on the road to Damascus. None of us can say we are right with God; without Christ. Christ is the righteousness of God which in faith we have access to the Father through Jesus.

 

[farouk]

“and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬


“not having my righteousness, which [is] of law, but that which [is] through faith of Christ — the righteousness that is of God by the faith,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭YLT98‬‬

What are some of your thoughts when reading this passage? The next two verses is even more intriguing.

Be encouraged to check it out and please share what you think about the scripture, and if there is any other scripture to back up this first one shared.

@MatthewG It all fits also with Romans and Galatians on justification...

 

[MatthewG]

Oh thank you for pointing it out. May others be encouraged to go seek.

 

[amadeus]

What does faith as a Christian really mean? @Happy Trails .

Robert, that does tend make sense. Paul went around condemning other Christians until his eyes were open by the Lord one day on the road to Damascus. None of us can say we are right with God; without Christ. Christ is the righteousness of God which in faith we have access to the Father through Jesus.

How well do "believers" make the distinction between the voice of the Porter and the voices of strangers? Why are we not all as discerning as Jesus put it here?

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10:4-5

Could it be that some are goats rather than sheep?

Are goats righteous? Do they even have the righteousness of God as they may have thought? Did they [or do they] even understand what it meant to be righteous in the eyes of God?


"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matt 25:41-46

 

[MatthewG]

I don’t understand what you are asking Amadeus, however it was a response to my comment about what is faith really and here are my thoughts on what faith is.

The word for Faith is pistis in the greek. It is persuasion from God. In trusting the promises of hope, love, peace, through our life placing trust in Jesus who proclaimed promises that people even today receive the Holy Spirit who believe in his death, burial, and resurrection.The biblical narrative will help support anything anyone desires to learn about the Gospels.

 

[amadeus]

I don’t understand what you are asking Amadeus, however it was a response to my comment about what is faith really and here are my thoughts on what faith is.

The word for Faith is pistis in the greek. It is persuasion from God. In trusting the promises of hope, love, peace, through our life placing trust in Jesus who proclaimed promises that people even today receive the Holy Spirit who believe in his death, burial, and resurrection.The biblical narrative will help support anything anyone desires to learn about the Gospels.

My very first question was: How well do "believers" make the distinction between the voice of the Porter and the voices of strangers?

According to Jesus his sheep recognize the difference. If a person does not know the difference between the Master's voice and the voice of a stranger, that person must not be a sheep! Possibly the person is a babe in the Lord, still only a lamb but it is also possible he is a goat, a horse of another color.

Sheep work in and as the right hand of God. Goat work in and as the left hand of God. At a distance or for a person with very poor eyesight and white goat may look a white sheep, but they are certainly Not the same!

How righteous is the sheep? How righteous is the goat?

 

[Lambano]

Matthew, there's a lot happening in the general vicinity of Philippians 3:9.

First, Paul contrasts the katatome (literally "mutilation") with the peritome ("circumcision"), and warns his readers to beware of them. What's happening here is that Paul is using "circumcision" as a synecdoche for "God's people", a title that was and still is claimed by the Jewish people. So, background is the ongoing controversy about whether Gentile converts to the God of Israel need to keep Torah. I wish the Bible translators would translate nomos as "Torah" when context makes it obvious that's what Paul is talking about, rather than "The Law". Americans in particular have the understanding that "everybody has to obey the law". In the First Century, that wasn't true.

Second, please notice that in verse 6, Paul claims "as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless." Oh? Ever since Luther, we Protestants base our theology on, "nobody can keep The Law"; how can Paul say he was "blameless"? Torah makes provision for sin and forgiveness through the sacrificial system. What then did Paul mean in Romans 3 when he said, "by the works of Torah no flesh will be justified in His sight"? How does this relate to the ongoing controversy of whether Gentiles who come to Israel's God through Christ need to keep Torah?

Third: In the verse you're focusing on, Paul uses the phrase, εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ ("may be found in Him"). What does it mean to be "in Christ"? Is this a real metaphysical joining with Christ? A metaphorical identification with Christ? Why is this stated in the subjective mood, as though it were only a possibility? (See verse 12.) How does one become "in Christ"? Is this for all who trust in Him, or for those who develop a deeper relationship with Him.

Fourth: Paul uses the phrase πίστεως Χριστοῦ, which can be translated as an objective genitive ("faith in Christ") or as a subjective genitive ("Christ's faithfulness"), just as the phrase "the love of God" can mean our love for God, or God's love for us. This key phrase is used in Galatians 2:16, Romans 3:22, and Romans 3:26, which are vital texts. The theologians have been arguing about this for centuries, and I noticed your two translations take opposing views. My own opinion is that, since Paul explains it as τὴν ἐκ θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην, "the righteousness that comes from God", πίστεως Χριστοῦ means "Christ's faithfulness", and in light of Galatians 2:20, Paul has specifically in mind Christ's faithful death on the cross. I've had discussions with another member (whom I deeply respect) who considers "the Imputed Righteousness of Christ" to be a wrong concept. Well, this is where it comes from. But it is applied ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει, "upon the ones who trust".

Paul apparently considers personal righteousness within the framework of Torah to be possible, but σκύβαλα ("crap") compared to knowing Christ Jesus (verse 8). But if Christ's righteous is given to those who trust, why does Paul feel the need to press on in order to obtain the resurrection from the dead (verse 11)?

I guess we should press on too.

 

[MatthewG]

It’s an option there for the individual. As the option was the for Paul my friend.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Romans 10:3
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

There is a difference between doing one's OWN righteousness that does not justify and doing GOD'S righteousness that does justify. Romans 10:1-2 those Jews were lost for they were doing their OWN righteousness and not doing GOD'S righteousness.

"not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law"

Earlier in Paul's life before converting to Christianity when he was Saul, he as other Jews tried to find righteousness in the eyes of God by the OT law by working to keep it perfectly...their own righteousness which is of the law.
But now Paul knows trying to find righteousness by perfect law keeping is vain, (Romans 7:10), in that no Jew could keep the law perfectly (Romans 3:23) therefore no one can be justified in the sight of God by the law (Galatians 3:11)..."But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." - (Habakkuk 2:4). Hence Paul DID find justification by faith. Meaning God, under both the OT and NT, was looking for justification by an obedient faith, not by perfect, flawless law keeping. The OT law did not even require faith (Galatians 3:12).


Therefore righteousness comes through faith in Christ and not by one's own righteousness in perfect, flawless law keeping. So a right standing before God is by an obedient faith and not faith only (James 2:24) not by works of merit (Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5). not by flawlessly keeping the law of Moses (Galatians 3:11-12).
A right standing with God is by "submitting to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3) meaning "the faith" of Philippians 3:9 must include repentance (Luke 13:3) confession (Matthew 10:32-33) and baptism (Mark 16:16). "the righteousness which is of God by faith" - righteousness comes from God not by works of merit, not earned, not from flawless law keeping but by an obedient faith.

Philippians 3:9 "And be found in him"

"....... Paul revealed how truly people become sharers in Christ's righteousness. They renounce self, deny themselves, believe in Christ and obey the gospel by being baptized into Christ, thus becoming Christ, in the sense of being "in him" and identified with Christ. The righteousness that saves is not theirs but Christ's; and even in the case of Christ's righteousness, it was not achieved by faith only but by faith and our Saviour's perfect obedience. Thus every man who will be saved shall not be saved as 'Joe Doakes', but as Jesus Christ."
Coffman Comm.



"but that which is through the faith of Christ"
If it were not for the perfect faith, perfect obedience of Christ, salvation could not be had. But because Christ lived a perfect righteous life, man can have salvation through Christ's perfect righteous faith. Therefore to be saved through the perfect righteous faith of Christ one must be "in Him" thereby be identified with Christ and HIS perfect righteous faith. It takes an obedient faith to be "in Him".

 

[MatthewG]

Romans 10:3
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

There is a difference between doing one's OWN righteousness that does not justify and doing GOD'S righteousness that does justify. Romans 10:1-2 those Jews were lost for they were doing their OWN righteousness and not doing GOD'S righteousness.

"not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law"

Earlier in Paul's life before converting to Christianity when he was Saul, he as other Jews tried to find righteousness in the eyes of God by the OT law by working to keep it perfectly...their own righteousness which is of the law.
But now Paul knows trying to find righteousness by perfect law keeping is vain, (Romans 7:10), in that no Jew could keep the law perfectly (Romans 3:23) therefore no one can be justified in the sight of God by the law (Galatians 3:11)..."But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." - (Habakkuk 2:4). Hence Paul DID find justification by faith. Meaning God, under both the OT and NT, was looking for justification by an obedient faith, not by perfect, flawless law keeping. The OT law did not even require faith (Galatians 3:12).


Therefore righteousness comes through faith in Christ and not by one's own righteousness in perfect, flawless law keeping. So a right standing before God is by an obedient faith and not faith only (James 2:24) not by works of merit (Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5). not by flawlessly keeping the law of Moses (Galatians 3:11-12).
A right standing with God is by "submitting to the righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3) meaning "the faith" of Philippians 3:9 must include repentance (Luke 13:3) confession (Matthew 10:32-33) and baptism (Mark 16:16). "the righteousness which is of God by faith" - righteousness comes from God not by works of merit, not earned, not from flawless law keeping but by an obedient faith.

Philippians 3:9 "And be found in him"

"As Boice said, "The are two kinds of righteousness,"[19] that which comes of men, and that which is achieved by God. The righteousness which saves was not achieved by people, but by Christ; therefore, it is called here the "righteousness of Christ," or the "righteousness of God through the faith of Christ." One who wishes to be saved must become a participant in the righteousness achieved through the faith and perfect obedience of Christ. For five hundred years, the monstrous heresy has prevailed that people achieve that perfect righteousness merely through believing subjectively in Christ, Paul revealed how truly people become sharers in Christ's righteousness. They renounce self, deny themselves, believe in Christ and obey the gospel by being baptized into Christ, thus becoming Christ, in the sense of being "in him" and identified with Christ. The righteousness that saves is not theirs but Christ's; and even in the case of Christ's righteousness, it was not achieved by faith only but by faith and our Saviour's perfect obedience. Thus every man who will be saved shall not be saved as 'Joe Doakes', but as Jesus Christ."
Coffman Comm.
(19) James Montgomery Boice, op. cit., p. 200.


"but that which is through the faith of Christ"
If it were not for the perfect faith, perfect obedience of Christ, salvation could not be had. But because Christ lived a perfect righteous life, man can have salvation through Christ's perfect righteousness. Therefore to be saved through the perfect righteous faith of Christ one must be "in Him" thereby be identified with Christ and HIS perfect righteous faith.

Faith in Christ and having love for God and love for others. Thank you for sharing. You are right even when you look at Jesus he told them that they profess with their mouth but their hearts are far from Him. Faith in Christ justified a person as being made right with God because of Jesus and his own righteousness.

Even so, doesn’t the Christian conform to the ways of Christ, also by the spirit? @Ernest T. Bass thank you for contributing and all others who have too.

 

[Ernest T. Bass]

Faith in Christ and having love for God and love for others. Thank you for sharing. You are right even when you look at Jesus he told them that they profess with their mouth but their hearts are far from Him. Faith in Christ justified a person as being made right with God because of Jesus and his own righteousness.

Even so, doesn’t the Christian conform to the ways of Christ, also by the spirit? @Ernest T. Bass thank you for contributing and all others who have too.

Yes, man cannot be saved by his OWN righteousness for man's own righteousness is not perfect, flawless sinless. But Christ righteous faith is perfect, flawless sinless so salvation can only be found in Christ by man identifying himself with Christ's perfect righteous faith. Hence I cannot be saved as imperfect Ernest T Bass but must be saved as perfect, sinless Christ by being "in Him" as was Paul was in him. When one is baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27) one then "puts on" Christ, one puts on Christ's identity, puts on and wears Christ's perfect righteousness and one then is seen by God as perfectly righteous through Christ.

 

[Lambano]

Romans 10:3
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

A quick comment on Romans 10:3: The word translated "their own" is ἴδιος ("idios", from which we get the word "idiosyncratic"), rather than the genitive form of "they" as Paul used with "my" in the Philippians quote. It implies an EXCLUSIVE righteousness, i.e. for the Jewish people only. It's not about what the Reformed theologians told us it was about.

 

[marks]

Paul apparently considers personal righteousness within the framework of Torah to be possible, but σκύβαλα ("crap") compared to knowing Christ Jesus (verse 8). But if Christ's righteous is given to those who trust, why does Paul feel the need to press on in order to obtain the resurrection from the dead (verse 11)?

I guess we should press on too.

Philippians 3:9-14 KJV
9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I think Paul is speaking of attaining to the resurrection life in this life. I think he's saying, "I've not yet arrived, but I'm trying." That which Jesus took hold of me for, sanctification, fruitfulness, glory, I want to take ahold of now.

Much love!

 

[amigo de christo]

My very first question was: How well do "believers" make the distinction between the voice of the Porter and the voices of strangers?

According to Jesus his sheep recognize the difference. If a person does not know the difference between the Master's voice and the voice of a stranger, that person must not be a sheep! Possibly the person is a babe in the Lord, still only a lamb but it is also possible he is a goat, a horse of another color.

Sheep work in and as the right hand of God. Goat work in and as the left hand of God. At a distance or for a person with very poor eyesight and white goat may look a white sheep, but they are certainly Not the same!

How righteous is the sheep? How righteous is the goat?

The lambs are righteous for we IN CHRIST ALONE have been made the righteousness of GOD .
The goats , their righteousness is but filfthy rags and it cannot save them .

 

[amigo de christo]

Philippians 3:9-14 KJV
9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I think Paul is speaking of attaining to the resurrection life in this life. I think he's saying, "I've not yet arrived, but I'm trying." That which Jesus took hold of me for, sanctification, fruitfulness, glory, I want to take ahold of now.

Much love!

He is not saying that at all . FOR IN CHRIST the lambs have already arose to the spiritual life from the dead .
Paul is simply saying His walk is not yet over . Remember the same man said
we are made partakers of CHRIST if , IF , we hold our confidence IN HIM firm to the END .
Paul is not saying , however , that we earn our salvation , OUR salvation is attained ONLY IN JESUS CHRIST .
but remember this , OUR SALVATION is MUCH NEARER than when we FIRST believed .
We were spirtually reborn , ressurected in that sense , THE MOMENT we came unto CHRIST .
There simply is no other way and no other Name , no other mindset , that can or will save a man .
Ever wonder why i holler so much against this false inclusive false love movement .
IT says so long as buddists , atheiest and any other in any other religoin just has lovey and doey good works
they are saved . Let me say bodly THAT IS A LIE FROM HELL .
Cornelious did a moutain of good works , YET HE TOO had to hear the gospel and believe in order to be saved .
OH yeah i have made war against the lie of the great delusion of the all inclusion . I SAY TO BE SAVED
one must simply CONFESS and BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST . ON the day of the LORD
me thinks many are gonna wail loudly , cause they did not stick to the one true gospel that does save .

 

[amigo de christo]

Philippians 3:9-14 KJV
9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I think Paul is speaking of attaining to the resurrection life in this life. I think he's saying, "I've not yet arrived, but I'm trying." That which Jesus took hold of me for, sanctification, fruitfulness, glory, I want to take ahold of now.

Much love!

Let the lambs continue to learn our bibles and grow in wisdom by the power of the indwelling HOLY GHOST .
WE in an all out war for the souls of men . its the true gospel of JESUS CHRIST
verses the all inclusive broad way false one that ends in perdition of ungodly men .
Let all who name the name of JESUS bid not those who preach another gospel GOD speed
do not have unity with them , for HE who does so is partaker of the evil deeds .
RATHER through biblical truth and the power of the indwelling SPIRIT , let the lambs POINT TO JESUS alone
and correct the deadly error of this false inclusion delusion gospel , WHICH IS NO GOSPEL AT ALL .
WE MAKE OUR LAST AND FINAL STAND on that original gospel , on the teachings of Christ and of the apostels
and expose the ever growing lie of the delusion , in hopes that some will hear , repent and believe the one true gospel .