What makes us righteous in God's eyes?

Today I was thinking about my interview for a student pastor’s job at Gateway Baptist Church. God truly spoke at this interview throughout the night. I realize that I have been worrying about what everyone else thinks of me, not realizing God’s purpose in it all. I realized that people look at the things that you do and try to imply something totally different than the original meaning. God knows everything; currently, I am waiting on God to show these people…confronting them may be the best option. The fact of the matter is that I am a new creation in Christ, and at times I do stumble and fall to temptations that I am faced with, but God’s grace abounds. I was told that Gateway, as of yet, does not have a formal youth group. This would definitely be a missionary venture. I want to share the following passage with you; it was the passage that I shared with the students at Gateway, Philippians 3:1-12.

“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

This passage of scripture tells us a lot. To begin with, Paul was a man that was a man that went though a complete conversion. He is writing to the church at Philippi and telling them to REJOICE. He has told them this previously as we can tell from his wordage, he tells it to them again for their sake, so that they will know. He tell them to look out for “dogs,” “evildoers,” and “mutilators.” He is talking about people who try to tell them that they are to abide by the law. The phrase “dogs” were used by Pharisees to describe Gentiles. So, Paul is telling them to be extremely careful to what they listen to and discern what is true, to not listen to people that are trying to tell them to put confidence in what they have done. Paul goes on to say that if anyone should have confidence in the flesh it should be him because he was a Pharisee, one who upheld the law to the tiniest detail, he was a Hebrew of Hebrews, he had it all and was considered righteous by the law. He then tells the church that he counts all things as loss for the sake of Christ, he laid all those things down for the sake of following Christ. He realized that you can only be righteous by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. So, he goes on to say that he strives to be like Him through everything. Lastly, he admits that he is not perfect and is constantly striving to be like Christ and urges them to do the same.

May God Bless and Keep you!