morning Moments

Philippians Devotional Outline (cont)

III. A New Goal - Conformity to Christ 3:1-21
A. A Reason to Rejoice 3:1-3
B. A Rebel tonRenounce 3:4-8

C. A Righteous to Reveal 3:9

That's righteous, man! It was an expression a few years ago meaning something was good or right in the eyes of the person exclaiming. Now the expression has gone back to "That's cool". It will change again soon because these are trendy expressions. The righteous that we as Christians are to reveal is lasting for it is the righteousness of God revealed from Heaven and is the Christian's both positionally and practically. It is not trendy, but TRUTH.

Righteousness is acting in accordance with Divine or moral law withna clean, clear conscience.

3:9. 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:

The key to this eternal and heavenly and godly righteousness is found in the little prepositional phrase "in him" in the first of the verse. If you and I are not found "in Him", regardless of how righteous we may think we are, try to be, or are thought by others to be, we are merely self-righteous and thar is not acceptable with God. The Pharisees were good examples of self-righteousness in the Bible.

Christ in you and through you is the only possible means of righteousness in your standing or your state.

1. It Comes Through Faith

This righteousness does not come by keeping laws. One can never ATTAIN the righteousness of God through any effort of his/her own whatsoever. It only becomes ours through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the faith of the Son of God placed in us through our willingness to turn from sin and self to the Savior, Jesus Christ by confessing (agreeing with God from the heart) that Jesus Christ is who God says He is - LORD.

2. It Comes From Father

This is so very important because the word "Lord" means very little to the average person today, especially in America. One doesn't "make" Jesus "Lord". The Father did that and no one else ever had the authority to do that anyway. So, to try and make this as simple as possible, to say what Father has said about His Son, Jesus, is to acknowledge Jesus' Deity as well as His right to Sovereign rule over my life. If I am willing to confess with my mouth because I believe in my heart that He is risen from the dead, I am saved and declared by God the Father to be RIGHTEOUS. (compare 1 Cor 1:30).

BLESSINGS!