Found in Him
Philippians 3:9-11
Good morning.
When the Apostle Paul was in Athens and was reasoning with the Greek Philosophers, he told them about the Lord, who was an unknown God to them.
Acts 17:27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
Acts 17:28 for in Him we live and move and have our being,
When we meet people for the first time, we usually try to make small talk, in order to get acquainted with the person.
The first question people usually ask someone they have just met is, “So what do you do for a living?”
The follow-up question is similar and may sound like, “So what are you into?”
I have had doctors, family members, and many parishioners ask me what I am into.
What these folks are asking is; “What do you do for fun, what do you do to relax?
What are your interests outside of what you do for a living, and what are you passionate about?”
The reason these questions are used so often is because what you are into reveals many things about you, but they are really good at revealing what is important in your life.
Please open your Bibles to Philippians 3, as we continue in our verse-by-verse study of Paul’s Epistle to the Church at Philippi.
Last week we learned that an abiding joy in a believer reveals that we trust in the Lord, as we believe He is in control.
Then Paul told the saints at Philippi that reminding them to rejoice was for their safety. Fear and negativity are enemies of faith because both hinder our trust and reliance on the Lord.
Then Paul said about the Judaizers required circumcision for Gentiles who wanted to become Christians, as they said a person must become a Jew first before they could become a Christian.
We also said when we truly worship the Lord, we are telling Jesus what He is worth to us, and so, we have no confidence in our own flesh.
We ended last week, hearing Paul teach how he counted all of his previous life’s work as rubbish, so that he may gain Christ.
The word “rubbish” in the original language only appears once in the New Testament and is better translated as dung.
Jesus is so much better than anything else in this life so, He is worthy of all of our worship and praise, and He is worthy of being our first love as well.
This morning, Paul continues to abandon the idea of self-righteousness as he explains a Christian’s position in Christ.
I. Righteous before a Holy God.
Read Philippians 3:9
Paul showed the difference between trying to be right with God through the Law compared to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
He showed the differences between living and trusting in self-righteousness compared to living and trusting in God’s righteousness given to a person by faith in Christ.
In the NKJV, there are 87 references to the words, “In Christ”.
Allow me to share with you some of the things the New Testament teaches that we have in Christ. This is not an exhaustive list, because again there are 87 references.
Many of the references say we have faith in Christ.
We have redemption in Christ, eternal life in Christ, and the Spirit of life in Christ.
We have the love of God in Christ, the truth in Christ, we are one body in Christ, we glory in Christ, and we are sanctified in Christ.
We are wise in Christ, we hope in Christ, and we are free in Christ.
We could probably spend the next few weeks discussing these benefits Christians have by being in Christ, and again, this was not an exhaustive list.
When we received salvation in Christ, we received so much more that there are not enough words in the English language to explain all of the benefits.
Paul wrote the church and told them that the only way he could be found in Christ was by renouncing his self-righteousness.
When I stand before a holy God someday, the only way I can be accepted is by being found in Christ. At the moment of salvation, Jesus comes to live in a believer, through His Spirit.
Jesus is found in me, and I am in Christ. Christ living in me and me being found in Him are two sides of the same coin. We cannot live in Christ if the grace of Christ is not found in us.
A person living in Christ is someone who has His atoning grace imputed into them and has become a child of the Living God.
John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: NKJV
Notice Paul said, “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”
What is righteousness?
The Oxford Dictionary defines righteousness as, “The quality of being morally right or justifiable.”
Can you stand before a perfect God and claim that you are morally right or that your actions are justifiable?
God’s righteousness is not offered as a supplement between our ability to keep the law and God’s perfect standard; it is given completely apart from our own attempt at righteousness.
The Lord declared everyone guilty, just as He declares everyone who by faith receives Jesus’ sacrifice, righteous.
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
But this universal statement of all being sinners is answered by a universal offer to be justified freely by His grace. Justification is open to everyone who believes in Christ for salvation.
The Gospel is all about Jesus. Salvation is only possible because of the redemption found in Him. God cannot give us His righteousness apart from Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. NKJV
When we decide to live based on our own desires rather than the Lord’s precepts, we make decisions that are harmful to ourselves and others.
To be righteous means to live our lives empowered by the Holy Spirit, which causes us to live in a way that is honorable to Him.
There is a positional and a practical truth to the command to live righteously before the Lord.
1. There is a positional aspect of Christ’s righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. NKJV
For the Christ follower, at the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ, our sins are instantly removed and His righteousness is imputed to us.
Imputed is a transaction that means to ascribe to someone or to deposit in someone’s account. Christ's righteousness has been imputed to us.
By placing our faith, that is our trust in Christ, the righteousness of God is given to us as a gift. Once saved, God places perfect righteousness into our account, and we are perfect in His sight.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Since all of this is true and I have Christ’s righteousness living inside of me, what do I need to do?
2. There is a practical side of Christ’s righteousness within the life of a believer that we are called to live out.
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. NLT
The real person is made up of the mind, will, and emotions with the heart as the centerpiece.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. NKJV
Jesus said, Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Notice Paul mentions faith. What is Biblical Faith?
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. NKJV
Faith means to take God at His Word. Faith is weighing the evidence of what God has said and believing Him!
When we trust the Lord and what He said will happen, that is called faith!
Faith involves things not seen so, we know faith involves the future, as we trust the Lord for what will come to pass.
Faith involves confidence as we rely on the Lord. The term substance means setting under, like a building foundation.
Faith in Christ is a gift of God, we cannot earn God’s grace or faith in Him.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NKJV
Since the beginning of history, people have tried many ways to be right before our Holy God, including trying to justify themselves by good deeds.
Paul declared that his self-righteousness was dung but since he was in Christ, he received Christ’s righteousness by faith.
II. The same power that raised Jesus, lives in us.
Read Philippians 3:10-11
Paul said the reason he denounced his self-righteousness as dung, was so that he may know Christ.
Jesus said during His High Priestly prayer to the Father, John 17:3, this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJV
For a person to have eternal life, they must have a relationship with Jesus.
David Guzik said, “To know Jesus is not the same as knowing His historical life; it is not the same as knowing correct doctrines regarding Jesus.
“It is not the same as knowing His moral example, and it is not the same as knowing His great work on our behalf.” (Guzik)
We can say that we know someone because we recognize him, or because we can distinguish what is different about him compared to other people.
We can say that we know someone because we are acquainted with what he does like we know the baker because we get our bread from him.”
To know Jesus does not mean to know about Him, but rather, to know Him means we have a relationship with Jesus through faith.
I read a post about ways to improve relationships and I would argue that those ways can be used to know Jesus personally also.
1. Communicate.
Healthy relationships depend on effective communication. This means listening to your partner and sharing your thoughts, ideas, and feelings in a respectful way.
We communicate with the Lord through prayer, with both listening and speaking to Him.
If prayer is new to you, allow me to give some pointers using the acrostic ACTS to help teach you how we should pray to Jesus.
• Adoration. (ACTS)
The first element of prayer should be praise and adoration.
No matter what is happening in life, remember, the Lord is worthy to be praised so, before we blurt out our wants, needs, and desires, we should praise the Lord in prayer.
We naturally spend more time in prayer on our desires, rather than praising the Lord. But remember in prayer, not my will, but Your will be done, Lord.
• Confession.
Prayer should include confession, as we remember who the Lord is when we come to Him in prayer.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. NKJV
We must remember what the word confess means. So many people misinterpret this word thinking they have to list out every sin they have committed or else the Lord will not love them.
Confess means to agree with the Lord.
outline of bible usage says, “To confess means to say the same thing as another, to agree with, to concede, or not to deny.”
What the Lord calls sin, we call sin, as we agree that without His forgiveness and love, we cannot approach His holiness.
If we are in Christ, the Lord has already forgiven us so, confession is made as a way of recognizing our failures and thanking Him for His saving, forging, GRACE.
• Thanksgiving
When we pray, we should always be thankful, remembering the grace and mercy God has shown toward us.
Thankfulness is a Christian discipline. Like any spiritual discipline, it is a work of the Holy Spirit, but it also takes practice and hard work, as we die to ourselves.
Knowing the Lord is able and faithful to fulfill all of His promises is more than enough to be thankful for.
Knowing Jesus chose us, came to rescue us, came to redeem us from the curse, and then He gave us His blessing through faith in Him, is more than enough to be thankful for.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. NKJV
• Supplication
Finally, after Adoration, confession, and thanksgiving, prayer includes supplication or petition, as we bring our requests for the needs of ourselves and others to the Lord.
ACTS is a helpful acrostic for remembering the priorities of prayer. Next, the post on relationships said…
2. Build trust.
Trust is built on confidence in someone’s words, actions, and skills.
We can trust the Lord and as we trust Him more and more, we come to know Him more intimately.
Next, the post on relationships said…
3. Practice forgiveness.
Forgiveness can help repair trust issues and move past guilt and shame.
We know the Lord has forgiven us and the Apostle Paul commands us to forgive others.
Ephesians 4:32 be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Next, the post on relationships said…
4. Celebrate together.
Celebrating each other's successes can make you feel loved and special and bring you closer together.
As we celebrate all of the victories we experience, and hear about from others in Christ, we will feel loved, and special, and those victory stories bring us closer to Jesus.
Then notice, Paul said, “The power of His resurrection.”
Paul also said in the NLT of Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as he raised Christ from the dead, he will give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living within you. NLT
Kenneth Wuest said, “He wants to know in an experiential way the power of Christ’s resurrection.
“That is, he wants to experience the same power that raised Christ from the dead surging through his own being, overcoming sin in his life and producing the Christian graces.” (Wuest)
The power of His resurrection proved everything that Jesus did and said was true.
The power of His resurrection is proof that the cross was accepted by the Father as payment in full for our sins.
The power of His resurrection means that those who are in Christ will receive the same resurrection life.
The power of His resurrection promises that those who died in Christ are alive with Him right now.
Paul also said that he may know His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The fellowship of Christ is not a one-time event, but an ongoing oneness with Jesus for eternity.
Paul spoke of fellowship with Christ. Fellowship with Him includes suffering and experiencing the effects of His death.
Wiersbe said, “It was a personal experience (“That I may know him”) as Paul walked with Christ, prayed, obeyed His will, and sought to glorify His name.
When he was living under law, all Paul had was a set of rules. But now he had a Friend, a Master, a constant Companion.
Paul knew that it was a privilege to suffer for Christ, in fact, suffering had been a part of his experience from the very beginning.
As we grow in our knowledge of Christ and our experience of His power, we come under the attack of the Enemy.
Paul had been a persecutor at one time, but he learned what it means to be persecuted. But it was worth it!”
III. Practical Application.
In the NKJV, there are 87 references to the words, “In Christ”.
Allow me to share with you some of the things the New Testament teaches that we have in Christ.
This is not an exhaustive list, because again there are 87 references. Many of the references say we have faith in Christ.
We have redemption in Christ, eternal life in Christ, and the Spirit of life in Christ.
We have the love of God in Christ, the truth in Christ, we are one body in Christ, we glory in Christ, and we are sanctified in Christ.
We are wise in Christ, we hope in Christ, and we are free in Christ.
When we received salvation in Christ, we received so much more that there are not enough words, in the English language to explain all of the benefits.
Eternal life is to know the Father and to know the Son, Jesus.
Once we know Jesus intimately as He places His Spirit in us.
We already possess in Christ what we need, now we simply relinquish and allow Jesus to live His righteousness through us.
This is a deliberate choice on the part of a Christ follower.
Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. NKJV
Can you stand before a perfect God and claim that you are morally right or that your actions are justifiable?
Whether I die or if the rapture happens, my prayer for you and me is the same as what Paul said in verse 9.
Philippians 3:9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, NKJV
“What are you into?” “What are you passionate about? What moves you? At the end of this life, it will only matter who you know to determine where you will go!
