Renée’s turn. I’ve been chewing on this verse.
v 9 “and be found in him (Christ), not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
My right-standing before God, my value as a human being, my righteousness, doesn’t come from anything in me. It doesn’t come from doing things right, from obeying, from being good or from being better than others at something. Righteousness is a gift from You, God. Pure gift. Wow! Let that sink in again.
I receive this gift and live in the reality that I don’t have to earn anything or prove anything to You. This frees me from trying to earn the approval of others or to make a name for myself. I already have Your approval, a name with You and everything You have is mine. I am Yours. You love me and I am Yours. I am in relationship with You not because of anything I do, but because of Your love, Your gift of Jesus that I have put my faith in. In You I am chosen, secure and highly favoured.
How do I still try to earn Your (God’s) love?
What’s the difference between enjoying Your love & joyfully living out a relationship with You vs. earning Your love & obeying out of duty? Which am I falling into?
How do I still get caught in trying to prove my own righteousness?
How do I expect others to prove their righteousness to me? How can I free them?
How would grasping my identity in Christ more solve other issues?
Read on, in verses 10 and 11, which express the desire to know Christ more and acknowledges the wonder and mystery in that relationship. Good gifts always come with wonder & mystery!
Do you have identity issues too?
Do you ever try to earn love? (or the opposite, take love for granted?)
How do you respond to Philippians 3?
