REAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

"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." - Philippians 3:9

You don't hear many sermons about righteousness these days.  You may hear sermons about family, money or prayer, but very few about righteousness.  Righteousness is the act by which God declares us right or just before Him.  While many emphasize fitness, family or finances, the most important topic to address is the subject of righteousness.

How can God be righteous and at the same time declare a sinful man to be righteous?  The answer to that question is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, God's Son, came to earth.  Jesus was a righteous man.  He lived a righteous life.  On the cross, the righteous Son of God received the punishment that we deserved.  Because of the sacrificial death of Christ, His righteous has been imputed (or given) to those who believe. 

Prior to meeting Jesus Christ, Paul was not a righteous man.  He was a wicked, murderous man.  Yet when he met Jesus, Paul became a righteous man.  How did this happen?  Paul became righteous because the righteousness of Christ was placed to his account.  That is why Paul would write, "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." 

Paul wrote, "And be found in him..."  The only way to become a righteous person is to be in Christ.  This relational position makes all the difference.  Notice that his position in Christ did not make Paul a perfect person.  Instead he wrote, "... not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law..."  Paul had no righteousness of his own.  Neither do I.  You don't either.  Instead, Paul wrote, "but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."  Through faith in Christ, the gift of righteousness was given to him.  Yet it was the righteousness of Christ that was given to him.

Now, having His righteousness, we have a new nature with new desires.  We have a desire for righteousness.  Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."  Notice that we don't seek our righteousness, but His.  Furthermore, Jesus promised, "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."  Also, James wrote, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

These days, pagans like to ridicule some church-attending neighbors as being "self-righteous hypocrites."  Certainly there are self-righteous hypocrites who attend church.  But the fact remains that there are no righteous people apart from personal faith in Jesus.

If you examine my own life, you'd know immediately that I am not perfect.  In fact, I'll be the first to admit that, apart from Jesus, there's nothing good in me.  Do I make mistakes?  Of course I do.  Do I sin?  Yes, but I'm always driven to my knees in repentance when I do.  I have no righteousness of my own.  Any time I feel proud or self-righteous, the Lord brings me down to the ground in humility.  He reminds me that I am nothing.  The old song rings true for me:

"My hope is built on nothing less,

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness."

When you look at me, you may see my mistakes and failures.  However, when God looks at me, He sees the righteousness of His dear Son.  Not my righteousness, but His.  That's all that really matters.  He has declared me righteous, not because I've done anything to deserve it.  Instead, His righteousness was given to me through faith in His Son.

That is real righteousness.